Ben Johnson’s latest comments on rookie Ozzy Trapilo show the Bears have truly found their future left tackle in an unlikely way
Cross LT of the team’s list of 2026 needs.
The Chicago Bears made a major point of emphasis in the first offseason under head coach Ben Johnson rebuilding the interior of the offensive line by adding Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, and Jonah Jackson to the locker room.
The decision was made for good reason, and one fans have been begging for. The results have spoke for itself this season and continue to with the way the Bears are intending to play their brand of football late in the season.
“I think getting the offensive line right was a big part of our vision of how we wanted to build the football team this year and going forward,” Johnson told reporters on Friday.
The piece that many felt was overlooked was the left tackle position, something that remained a question mark all of season and continued to be well into the regular season. It was an unlikely path, but it’s now clear the Bears found their future guy at the position in rookie Ozzy Trapilo.
Ozzy Trapilo is really emerging as a high potential starting left tackle
After drafting Trapilo in the second-round, the Bears immediately put him into the left tackle battle during OTAs and into training camp. However, at some point in camp, the coaches felt Trapilo hit a little rookie wall and decided to go with Braxton Jones as the opening day starter.
By Week 4, the Bears replaced Jones with Theo Benedet, who held the starting position and brought some much-needed athleticism in the run game coming out of the bye week. However, Benedet suffered a quad injury and was a late inactive in Week 12. The injury opened the door for Trapilo to start at left tackle and he never looked back.
“He just settled into the pro game,” Johnson told Jeff Joniak on Monday. “It’s coming into the building and he’s very much a pro’s pro at this point. He’s not a rookie anymore. He’s one of the guys in that room. I know they really embraced him. He’s got a great head on his shoulders, very aware player, very smart. We put him in some challenging situations… you would expect some deer in the headlights look, and you don’t get that from the guy. He knows he’s built for this.”
The Bears didn’t just throw him in challenging situations, they literally threw him into the fire. In the last four weeks alone, Trapilo has faced off against four of the top defensive fronts in football led by top edge rushers in T.J. Watt, Micah Parsons, and the Defensive Player of the Year favorite Myles Garrett.
In those four games, Trapilo was credited with allowing just two sacks (both came in Week 15) and eight pressures. Respectable numbers against the kind of competition he’s faced while being thrown into the starting lineup midseason.
Synergy on the offensive line for years to come
From what we’ve seen out of Trapilo in that short sample size, it’s clear this guy can be the long-term starter at left tackle for this offense once he’s given a full offseason to prepare for the role and the Bears can still have a quality backup behind him in Benedet.
Having that position crossed off creates full synergy on the offensive line. Thuney, Dalman, and Jackson are all signed through the 2027 season and right tackle Darnell Wright is an easy extension candidate after this season ends. Meaning all five starters will be locked up for the next two years after the 2025 season.
“I think he knows he belongs and he’s going to be able to contribute and play at a high level in this league for a long time,” Johnson added of Trapilo. “That’s a really encouraging thing and then when you got good coaching around you, I think Dan Roushar is one of the best in the business and Kyle DeVan is going to be a really good O-line coach too, we got such a great group around him.”
It’s an incredible spot for this team to be in going into the near future and it’s remarkable the turnaround this unit has made in such little time, especially with Trapilo and his development.
“You gotta give Ozzy a lot of credit just for where he is now,” Johnson explained. “Knowing what he came in the spring time and what training camp looked like. Man, he’s grown so much over the course of the season.”
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