It took one Bears preseason game for underrated rookie to steal a starting job

The Chicago Bears will go as far as quarterback Caleb Williams takes them, so they must ensure he's set up for success. Starting with but not limited to hiring play-calling mastermind Ben Johnson as their head coach, they've understood the offseason objective. Furthermore, the team has invested in keeping the face of the franchise upright, particularly with the selection of second-round rookie offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo.

Trapilo has college experience protecting both edges, though he primarily manned the right side. However, 2024 first-round pick Darnell Wright's presence has him battling with veteran Braxton Jones for the Bears' starting left tackle job. But the competition may already be over if Chicago's 2025 preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins is any indication.

Ozzy Trapilo might be beginning to separate himself in Bears' LT battle

Jones got the start and logged 24 snaps to Trapilo's 37 (h/t dave_bfr on X, formerly known as Twitter). The latter kept Chicago's signal-callers cleaner, allowing only one pressure and zero sacks to the former's two and one, respectively. Of course, context matters, and it was just one tune-up match, though one player fared markedly better than the other.

Safeguarding Williams, specifically his blindside, is imperative to the Bears' short- and long-term outlook. Knowing what's at stake for everyone involved, Johnson has made it clear he won't rush into deciding who's tasked with this massive responsibility. Nonetheless, outings like this from Trapilo, plus up-and-down outings from Jones, will surely tip the scales in the Boston College legacy's favor.

Can we expect this to be the norm after a singular exhibition contest? Theoretically speaking, Trapilo should only improve as he acclimates to the NFL. Yet, Jones still has room for growth entering his age-26 campaign and is notably coming off an extended absence due to injury.

Braxton Jones can still win the Bears' LT job over Ozzy Trapilo

It's worth noting that Jones faced first-stringers and more fearsome pass rushers. He got the nod, relegating Trapilo to clean-up duty versus backups. Would the results be the same if the roles were reversed?

Moreover, Jones is slowly but surely recovering from a season-ending fractured left fibula that required surgery. His rehab process caused him to miss organized team activities (OTAs) and mandatory minicamp, so he's playing catch-up in Johnson's new, complex scheme. Staying on top of the playbook veteran is tough, let alone doing so while juggling shaking off rust.

Pro Football Focus (PFF) gave Jones a 77.4 overall performance grade last year, good for the No. 20 tackle out of 141 qualified options. He earned even better marks in pass-blocking situations (80.8), allowing a career-low 19 pressures and five sacks.