Seven months ago, Chicago Bears left tackle Ozzy Trapilo suffered a ruptured patellar tendon injury in the NFC Wild Card win over the Green Bay Packers, with no one knowing when he would return in the 2026 season.
Originally, Bears general manager Ryan Poles said Trapilo would miss most of the 2026 season with the injury. Then video and images showed Trapilo progressing faster than he originally said in his recovery. By last week, after his return, Poles and Bears head coach Ben Johnson said Trapilo could come back earlier than originally expected and practice before the end of training camp.
Well, the good news finally came: the Bears said Trapilo was officially off the PUP list and at practice for the first time. While Trapilo didn't do much in practice, he was back on the field.
Ozzy Trapilo is officially back for the Bears
Trapilo was a hero for the Bears last year after rotatin through two left tackles before landing on him to start the last two months of the season. The Bears' second-round pick in 2025 allowed 15 pressures, three quarterback hits, and two sacks in 283 pass-blocking snaps.
Pro Football Focus gave Trapilo a 69.9 overall grade, ranking 37th out of 89 offensive tackles in the NFL. They also gave him a pass-blocking grade of 71.5 and a run-blocking grade of 63.6.
Braxton Jones and Theo Benedet struggled last season as the first two left tackles to start. Jones was an average pass- and run-blocker, while Benedet was mainly a strong run-blocker.
Trapilo came in and brought a much better balance at the position. He provided better pass protection than the other two starters. He was also a good enough run blocker to help the offensive line propel the third-best rushing attack in the NFL.
During training camp, none of the left tackles competing for the starting job have really separated themselves, and then Jones got hurt, which didn't help matters. That's why Trapilo's arrival couldn't have come at a better time.
Read more: It took 1 Bears preseason game for Jamree Kromah to announce his arrival
It's unclear whether Trapilo will be ready for their Week 1 game against the Carolina Panthers, but it certainly sounds like he is trending toward that timeline. This is the best news the Bears could have gotten, as they have their young starting left tackle back on the practice field.
Add us as a preferred source on Google