Earlier this week, the Chicago Bears and second-round pick Ozzy Trapilo agreed to a four-year deal that will keep the former Boston College tackle in the Windy City for the first four years of his career. And right out of the gate, the two-time All-ACC selection could get his chance to make a major impact on his new team.
With incumbent starting left tackle Braxton Jones on the mend as he recovers from surgery on a fractured ankle, the top spot on the Bears depth chart is officially up for grabs. While it’s possible that Jones could be back at some point during training camp and retain that starting spot, in the meantime, Trapilo — and second-year tackle Kiran Amegadjie — will have the chance to show Ben Johnson and the rest of Chicago’s coaching staff that he’s got big enough shoulders to carry the weight of protecting Caleb Williams‘ blindside.
“You need to be able to block their best pass rusher one on one,” Ben Johnson said July 18 according to Sean Hammond of The Chicago-Tribune. “To me, that’s the number one job and everything we can get out of them in the run game will be gravy on top of it.”
Early returns on Trapilo suggest that the former Boston College Eagle — somewhat noteworthy because it’s the alma mater of Bears general manager Ryan Poles — is holding his own early on in Chicago.
“The cool thing to see is Ozzy, for a guy that’s a young player, he’s really polished in terms of the mental aspect of the game,” Johnson added.
Given Trapilo’s ties to this particular Bears coaching staff, which both Braxton Jones and Kiran Amegadjie don’t have, it’s possible Ben Johnson would welcome the chance for the rookie to get the first crack at occupying the starting left tackle spot, whether Jones is healthy by September or not.
Do the Bears Need an Upgrade at Left Tackle?
Frankly, the Bears biggest needs along the offensive line this offseason were addressed prior to the NFL Draft. It was the interior of the offensive line that provided Bears fans with the biggest headache in 2024, causing Caleb Williams to run for his life on far too many plays, nearly setting an NFL record for most times sacked in a season in the process.
Shrewdly, Ryan Poles turned two mid-round Draft picks and a decent chunk of Chicago’s available salary cap into Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson and Drew Dalman, solidifying three positions of legitimate uncertainty.
Braxton Jones actually performed reasonably well considering his pedigree and the rest of the issues the Bears offensive line had. The third-year starter allowed just five sacks and two quarterback hits in 719 offensive snaps last season. But that, combined with the injury, wasn’t enough for Poles to avoid calling for a competition at left tackle this offseason.
Ozzy Trapilo Busy Picking the Brain of Joe Thuney
With Trapilo getting at least some of the first-team reps in OTAs, he’s made sure to work overtime, picking the brain of the most seasoned player on the Bears offensive line… left guard Joe Thuney, who has 146 career regular season starts and four Super Bowl titles to his name.
“When we’re out there, especially after a rep, the benefit of practice is you can get back to the huddle and talk a little bit about it,” Trapilo said. “So talking through reps with him (Thuney), kind of seeing where his head’s at and just picking his brain.”
Shortly after Thuney signed his extension to remain with the Bears through 2027, he had this to say about the rookie who may be working in lockstep with Thuney this season:
“He’s a really nice guy, good dude,” Thuney said, per Larry Mayer of ChicagoBears.com. “Works really hard, gets in his playbook. It’s a big jump going from college to the pros and he’s working really hard, keeping his head down, listening, taking everything in like a sponge.”
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