For the second straight training camp and preseason, the Chicago Bears' left tackle battle never really was one, and it has landed on Braxton Jones as the forecasted Week 1 starter.
An interesting addition to the equation came in mid-August when Ozzy Trapilo returned to practice. He will be eased into things coming of a torn patellar tendon in January, but as soon as he's ready to go it's safe to assume he will take his rightful place protecting Caleb Williams' blindside.
The shaping of the Bears' initial 53-man roster included Trapilo, with no placement on IR that would've cost him at least the first four games of the season. Roster spots are precious, but the team is clearly comfortable with where Trapilo is at health-wise. It's very possible he'll be among the inactives for the season opener, but it's also possible he's in uniform and available to play, just more than eight months after his injury.
104.3 The Score Bears' beat writer Chris Emma appeared on "Rahimi and Grote." Co-host Mark Grote asked the pertinent question about why Jones hasn't officially been named the starting left tackle for Week 1.
Bears' beat writer won't rule out Ozzy Trapilo being the Bears' Week 1 left tackle
"That's a great question, Emma said. "Again, I go back to Ozzy Trapilo. This is Braxton Jones' job until it's not. Until Ozzy Trapilo takes it. I'm really fascinated to see where Ozzy Trapilo is in his ramp up here."
Emma noted how Trapilo asserted himself as the Bears' left tackle late last season, and how incredible it is that his looming readiness is even a conversation as Week 1 approaches.
"Is he (Trapilo) gonna be able to take this job for Week 1?", Emma continued. "They haven't ruled it out....They're giving Ozzy Trapilo every opportunity to really get himself ramped up."
The betting money is on Jones being the Bears' starting left tackle in the season opener against the Carolina Panthers. But when head coach Ben Johnson had a chance to name a starter this week, he didn't do so. He also spoke in coach-speak generalities about being "good to go", being "able to operate" and "score points," and it taking "all 11 of those guys out there in order to get that done."
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Barring a sudden surge to playing like an All-Pro, Jones is only keeping the left tackle seat warm until Trapilo is ready. However unlikely it is to happen, and the idea could go away quickly, there's currently a non-zero percent chance Trapilo takes the job right back without missing a regular-season game.
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