The 2025 NFL draft is almost here, and the Chicago Bears will be on the clock at No. 10.
The decision they make there could help shape the future of current left tackle Braxton Jones.
Some draft analysts think Will Campbell, the physical and aggressive left tackle from LSU, could still be there when the Bears have their first selection.
In an interview with Jacob Infante of Windy City Gridiron, top NFL insider Adam Schefter shared some interesting insight into what the Bears might do if Campbell is available to them at 10.
“First of all, [the Bears] gave up 68 sacks last year,” Schefter told Infante. “They’ve led the league in sacks allowed the last three years, I believe. They have gone out and traded for Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson, and added Drew Dalman, so they’ve solidified the interior part of their offensive line. If somehow Will Campbell slid to No. 10 — which I don’t expect — to me, it’s a no-brainer. You take Campbell, you’re slotting him in, you’re protecting your quarterback.”
Adam Schefter: Bears Could Trade OL Braxton Jones if They Draft Will Campbell
While he noted he believes Campbell will get drafted before the Bears pick at No. 10, Schefter thinks the LSU product would be too good to pass up for Chicago if he’s still there.
So, what might that mean for Jones, who has started 40 games for Chicago over the last three years? Schefter said that while he has heard zero rumors about it happening, a trade is still a possibility:
If you’re taking Campbell at pick 10, I think there’s reasonable chance to think he might start. Braxton Jones is in the last year of his contract, and so maybe — I’m making this up — to take Will Campbell, maybe, all of a sudden, on Day 2 or 3, we see a Braxton Jones trade. If some team likes him. Again, nobody’s mentioned that to me. I’m just coming up with that now. If they were fortunate enough to hypothetically have Will Campbell slide to 10…you’re never gonna have enough offensive line depth. You’re never gonna have enough tackles. Worst-case scenario, and you wanted to, then go try to trade Braxton Jones, maybe somebody would give you something back for him.
Let’s Unpack This Idea a Bit
Bears general manager Ryan Poles has emphasized wanting a dominant offensive line to protect second-year quarterback Caleb Williams.
Campbell, a 6’6”, 325-pound mauler, fits Poles’ prototype: strong, violent hands with a mean streak in the run game. Compared to Jones, who is a smoother pass protector but lacks Campbell’s anchor strength and run-blocking physicality, Campbell projects as a true long-term blindside protector for a young QB who thrives in rhythm passing concepts.
Jones, while a capable starter, has his limitations. His functional strength is questionable, and if the Bears envision themselves contending soon, they may prefer a higher-upside, nastier LT like Campbell.
Jones’ contract is extremely affordable (he has a cap hit of $3.7 million, per Spotrac), which does him a more attractive trade chip to teams looking for a cheap starter at tackle.
If the Bears were to draft Campbell and he wins the left tackle job in camp — and that’s admittedly a lot of ifs — keeping Jones as a backup might devalue him. But trading Jones while he’s viewed as a solid young starter could net a fourth- or fifth-round pick, which would aid Chicago’s continued roster building.
In short: if Chicago drafts Campbell at No. 10, Jones just may become expendable — and trading him could be on the table. Of course, you can never have too many solid O-linemen, so it’ll be interesting to see how the Bears handle the situation.
