The Chicago Bears spent this offseason finally addressing their offensive line. They signed center Drew Dalman, and traded for guards Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney, all significant upgrades compared to a year ago. But some experts will point out that there is still one major weakness on their offensive line: left tackle.
Braxton Jones has been on the blind side since being drafted in the fifth round back in 2022. But while he has been decent, he will never become an All-Pro. Plus, he suffered a brutal ankle injury late last season and is still recovering from it. Oh, and he will be a free agent after this season. All signs point to Chicago looking for alternative options. And it looks like they might have one sooner than expected in rookie Ozzy Trapilo.
Ozzy Trapilo could take over the Bears' left tackle job despite being a rookie
Drafted in the second round (56th overall) out of Boston College, Trapilo was a three-year starter in Chestnut Hill. He played left tackle in 2022 before switching to right tackle, where he played his final two seasons in college. The son of the late NFL offensive lineman Steve Trapilo, he also has the bloodline to play offensive line in the pros.
Despite not having played left tackle full-time for years, the Bears have given him a chance there with Jones still sidelined. Trapilo would often stay late to work on the left side, anticipating a future switch to left tackle, which shows his strong work ethic and determination. As a result, just two weeks into minicamp, he’s already making a strong case to supplant Jones as the team’s starting left tackle.
#Bears Ozzy Trapilo when asked if he prefers playing left or right tackle.
— ImBearingDown (@ImBearingDown) April 28, 2025
“No… As soon as the season ended, going to this level especially, you want to be as versatile as possible, so I’ve done a ton of work at all positions except center. I would just be ready to fill… pic.twitter.com/Kzt93KXelt
Trapilo has been rotating with second-year pro Kiran Amegadjie, a third-round pick last year. But Trapilo’s reps with the starting unit suggest the coaching staff sees real potential in him while Jones continues to recover from his ankle surgery. Trapilo acknowledged that no pads are being worn right now, and he is still adjusting to the speed of the pro game even in practice. It is too early to get excited just yet.
With OTA officially completed, training camp will be the true proving ground for Trapilo to compete with Jones. But he is already making a compelling case to be the Bears’ left tackle of the future. If his trajectory continues once the pads come on and live reps begin, head coach Ben Johnson has an interesting choice to make at one of the most important positions on the field. Until they get it right, their offensive line upgrade is not yet over.