Despite the Chicago Bears’ clear and obvious needs on the defensive side of the ball, I cannot stop thinking about the team’s left tackle situation. Ozzy Trapilo won’t be back anytime soon after suffering an injury during the team’s playoff win agaisnt the Green Bay Packers that figures to cause him to miss most (possibly all) of the upcoming season. And while there are plenty of questions surrounding the position, Bears General Manager Ryan Poles did offer a sliver of a silver lining regarding the dark cloud that is this situation.
Via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin (bold emphasis mine):
“Medically, we don’t have anything that says he can’t return to form. I think what makes it tough is it’s not one of those September injuries that you’re out for the season and then you get this ramp-up time. You’re ramping up while the train has already left to station for the season.
“And we’ve noticed that when you don’t have training camp to prepare, it’s really hard to replicate those reps to get prepared for live action and to play at a really high level. So I think that’s probably where it [Johnson’s expressed uncertainty] comes from a little bit more than anything. But there’s nothing that we’ve gotten to make this a unique situation where he can’t be himself. He’s progressing.”
The bold sections above might be the best news Bears fans have gotten regarding the Ozzy Trapilo injury situation. Trapilo’s patellar injury is a serious one. So much so that there was a belief, in some circles, that it could be a career-altering one. However, hearing from Bears GM Ryan Poles has me feeling better about Trapilo possibly returning to the form he showed late in his rookie season.
Ozzy Trapilo and Cole Kmet celebrate in Philly. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn ImagesWhat Will the Bears Do to Replace Ozzy Trapilo in 2026?
Ozzy Trapilo thrived as a rookie in 2025. Despite a slow start to the year that saw him begin the year with a handful of healthy scratches, Trapilo finished on a high note by working his way into the starting lineup in Week 12 against the Pittsburgh Steelers (after an injury to Theo Benedet opened the door) and playing well enough to keep the gig down the stretch. Heck, I thought Trapilo played well enough to enter the 2026 season as the unquestioned starter at left tackle. Unfortunately, the afroementioned injury will keep him from doing so this season. What a bummer.
The good news is that it sounds like the Bears are optimistic that Ozzy Trapilo will eventually return. Perhaps that means the front office won’t look to the early rounds of the upcoming NFL Draft for a long-term left tackle replacement. Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson hinted that everything was on the table and that he would consider all options when it comes to filling in for Trapilo’s absence in 2026. Current options on the roster include returning players such as Braxton Jones and Theo Benedet, as well as free agent signing Jedrick Wills.
Even with optimism surrounding Trapilo’s long-term status, I suppose we shouldn’t completely rule out the Bears using a draft pick to plug the left tackle hole. Maybe that looks like using a Day 3 pick on a prospect who could provide useful depth and possibly play their way into a starting gig. After all, Bears fans have seen Day 3 picks such as Charles Leno Jr. (2015-2020) and Braxton Jones (2022-24) turn into multi-year starters at left tackle. So it isn’t unreasonable to think it could happen again.
In the end, if the team truly believes that Trapilo’s injury isn’t one that will alter his career trajectory, there would be no need to go the route of using a Day 1 or Day 2 pick on a tackle prospect. And after reading GM Ryan Poles’ update, I have a reason to be optimistic about seeing what is in store for Ozzy Trapilo’s future — even if it might have to wait until 2027.
Jun 13, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears rookie Ozzy Trapilo throws out a ceremonial first pitch before the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn ImagesSUBSCRIBE TO THE BN BEARS PODCAST: Apple | Spotify | YouTube
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