Braxton Jones Discloses How Legendary Bears' Lineman Has Addressed Multiple Issues To His Game
Braxton Jones emerged as the biggest surprise of 2022. No one anticipated that the 5th round pick from Southern Utah would become the starting left tackle for the Chicago Bears, let alone play every single snap. Jones' toughness, resilience, and effective play resulted in him being arguably the team's best run-blocker by the end of the season. However, he experienced frequent struggles in pass protection and was determined to fix these issues during the offseason.
Figuring out the best approach was a challenge. While Offensive line coach Chris Morgan provided significant assistance, Jones sought additional guidance. He decided to learn from Olin Kreutz, a six-time Pro Bowl center and Bears legend. Kreutz was seen training Jones and teammate Ja'Tyre Carter in hand-fighting drills. Jones discussed the improvements Kreutz made in his game and workout habits on the CHGO Sports podcast with Adam Hoge and Nicholas Moreano.
Jones recognized his primary weakness: handling the bull rush. Edge rushers often drove him into the backfield due to his inability to anchor his hips and reset his feet. Kreutz emphasized the need for power in these situations. The transition from a small school program to the NFL level was always going to be challenging, particularly given the disparity in strength and conditioning staff.
Having a mentor like Kreutz is a significant advantage. Despite being only 6'2" and 292 lbs, he managed to compete with some of the largest defensive linemen in the NFL by training rigorously and combining footwork with hand technique. By applying Kreutz's lessons, Braxton Jones has the potential to improve significantly in the coming months, which would greatly benefit the Bears.
As seen at: Braxton Jones Reveals Olin Kreutz Already Fixed Several Of His Issues
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7 AVRIL | 123 ANSWERS Braxton Jones Discloses How Legendary Bears' Lineman Has Addressed Multiple Issues To His Game Should the Bears take an offensive lineman with their first-round pick? | ||
| Yes | 101 | 82.1 % |
| No | 22 | 17.9 % |
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