Bears training camp notes: Rookie Braxton Jones is front-runner for left tackle position

LAKE FOREST – NFL teams don’t do things for no reason during practice.

So when Bears rookie fifth-round draft pick Braxton Jones started taking reps at left tackle with the first-team offense during OTAs, it should’ve set off some alarm bells.

At the time, head coach Matt Eberflus said they were simply testing out guys in different spots. Well, several months later, testing out Jones at left tackle has turned into starting Jones at left tackle.

The Bears released their first unofficial depth chart late Tuesday, and Jones is listed as the starting left tackle. That has been apparent in practice in recent days, but the depth chart confirmed it. According to the depth chart, the offensive line looks like this: Jones at left tackle, Cody Whitehair at left guard, Lucas Patrick at center, Michael Schofield at right guard and Riley Reiff at right tackle. With Patrick out because of a hand injury, Sam Mustipher is likely the starting center for now.

As the first preseason game approaches Saturday, the rookie from FCS Southern Utah seems likely to start at the most important position on the offensive line. At 6-foot-5, 310 pounds, Jones has the size and length that coaches love at those tackle positions.

“As a rookie, it’s hard, man,” said Reiff, an 11th-year veteran. “But it’s good to take those lumps now. He’s holding his own. The ceiling is super high with that kid. Long, can move, smart. It’s just seeing some mental things, seeing a lot of reps.”

Reiff signed a one-year contract only days before camp began. He has played both right and left tackle over his career. Outside of the first few days of camp, when he was playing both sides, Reiff primarily has been on the right side.

If Jones does prove to be capable of protecting Justin Fields’ blind side, he will be the first big draft find of the Ryan Poles era. During Poles’ first draft, the team selected four offensive linemen on Day 3. Jones was the highest selected of the group at the 168th overall pick.

The rookie is impressing Pro Bowl pass rusher Robert Quinn, who he has had to go up against in practice.

“Athleticism,” Quinn said. “You can’t really coach that. So to be able to have that as an ability as a young rookie, it only can go up from here. Take his coaching points and use his God-gifted talents and somehow mix them together, I think there’s a lot of upside to that.”

Other depth chart observations: At receiver, Equanimeous St. Brown is in a starting spot, while Byron Pringle and Velus Jones Jr. are listed with the second team.

Defensively, there weren’t any surprises. Rookie cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker are in the starting lineup. In the base 4-3 defense, Joe Thomas is the third linebacker along with Roquan Smith and Nicholas Morrow.

Running back Khalil Herbert is the first-team kick returner, while receiver Dazz Newsome is the lead punt returner.

Attendance: The Bears were without a long list of players during practice Wednesday. Receiver N’Keal Harry (ankle), center Lucas Patrick (hand), cornerback Tavon Young (undisclosed), tight end Ryan Griffin (undisclosed) and receiver David Moore (undisclosed) were not present at practice.

Numerous players were present but not participating: cornerback Gordon, receiver Jones., receiver Pringle, cornerback Duke Shelley, cornerback Kindle Vildor, cornerback Thomas Graham Jr., safety Dane Cruikshank, linebacker Noah Dawkins, tackle Julie’n Davenport, tight end James O’Shaughnessy, tight end Cole Kmet, defensive tackle Angelo Blackson and defensive end Mario Edwards Jr.

Eberflus was not available for comment on injuries Wednesday.

Into the long grass: Kicker Cairo Santos was less than thrilled with the field conditions at Soldier Field during family fest Tuesday. The stadium hosted an Elton John concert over the weekend, and the grass was visibly beat up.

Santos said dealing with the natural grass is just a part of kicking at Soldier Field. Asked how he prepares for that, Santos laughed and relayed a story. Over the offseason, he spent a lot of time kicking at a high school in Florida. He was kicking on the turf football field and making a lot of kicks.

“[It] was perfect,” Santos said. “It was almost like, ‘OK. I’m getting too comfortable.’”

He found a soccer field in town with Bermuda grass that was similar to what the playing surface at Soldier Field is like.

“It’s real long,” Santos said of the grass in Florida. “I was like, ‘OK. This is more like it.’ Yeah, the ball flies different.”

A key part of kicking at Soldier Field is assessing the spot before a field goal and shifting the holder a few inches left or right if necessary. The Bears have been bringing rookie punter Trenton Gill up to speed as the new holder for the field goal unit. Santos had glowing things to say about Gill in that role.