The Chicago Bears' offensive line went through quite the transition in 2025 with four new starters, but one of those starters really impressed more than the rest.
Rookie second-round pick Ozzy Trapilo wasn't supposed to play, but ended up being the starting left tackle for the last month of the year and played well. Trapilo, unfortunately, ruptured his patellar tendon in the playoffs, which will cause him to miss significant time to start the 2026 season.
That isn't holding back Pro Football Focus writer Dalton Wasserman from calling him the Bears' top early candidate to be a breakout star in 2026.
"Trapilo’s respectable level of play once he was inserted into the starting lineup may have earned him the Bears’ left tackle job heading into 2026. From Week 12 through the wild-card round, Trapilo earned a 73.5 PFF overall grade — a top-30 figure among qualified offensive tackles. It should be noted that he had not played left tackle since 2022, so there should be further improvement in store."
Ozzy Trapilo might be gone for part of 2026 season, but he can make a difference
The Bears' offense was just different when Braxton Jones and Theo Benedet were playing at left tackle. Benedet was great for the running game, but struggled in pass protection. Jones is honestly just too average in both pass and run to be a consistent starter in the league.
Trapilo can do it all and has done it at a high level. It was quite a surprise to everyone since he has been known more as a right tackle throughout his football career, but has really held his own protecting Caleb Williams' blindside.
In 283 pass blocks, Trapilo allowed just three quarterback hits and two sacks. PFF gave his pass block grade a 71.5 for the season, ranking 38th out of 89 offensive tackles.
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It may take until the second half of the year to get Trapilo back on the field, but when he does, he will play a key role in getting this offense back into the postseason, hopefully for a deep run.