The Chicago Bears appear to be one step closer to getting offensive lineman Ozzy Trapilo back in the mix.
Originally expected to miss most, if not all, of 2026 following a ruptured patellar tendon in last season's playoff win over the Green Bay Packers, it came as shocking news when the Bears activated Trapilo from the PUP list before the regular season even started. While we don't have a firm timeline on when he could return to game action, Trapilo wasn't even listed on Thursday's injury report.
Head coach Ben Johnson had this to say about Trapilo's work back from the injury:
"We'll keep working him through these team drills," Johnson said. "That's where these padded practices are so invaluable for us; not just for Ozzy, but [for] the guys coming
off the PUP, just maximize their ability to get in football shape the best that we can.
"It's something we look at at the end of each week, just all of Ozzy's reps over the course of the week—what do they look like—and continue to coach him up and get improvement as we go through it. I think he still is gaining confidence in just being able to put all of his weight in it and being a powerful player and yet, in some ways, he's a little bit more flexible and fluid than he was before, which is amazing. It's a credit to him and those guys that have been working with him. It's just a matter of time now before we feel like he's ready for a game."
In his stead, the Bears have been rolling with a combination of Braxton Jones and Theo Benedet at left tackle, with Jones handling the vast majority of the reps at the position. Pro Football Focus has Jones at a grade of 65.3 for the season, ranking him 36th among 66 qualifying tackles (his pass blocking grade is a touch higher at 71.2 and ranks 29th). While he has just one penalty this season, his hold in the first quarter of Sunday's loss to Minnesota was the second-most impactful penalty of the game, with an EPA of -1.39.
While it's unclear how long it may be before Trapilo is ready to resume his post at the left tackle spot, it's somewhat miraculous that the team is even in position to have him in the mix in practice. As Johnson indicated, much of the progression is increasing his confidence coming off a devastating injury such as a ruptured patellar. In any case, it's looking more and more like his return to game action is imminent.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Ben Johnson shares update on Bears LT Ozzy Trapilo and pending return
