One rookie just created a tough decision for Bears HC Ben Johnson, result of that decision could heavily impact 2026 plans
Is Ozzy Trapilo ready to take over the starting left tackle role?
Mounting injuries across the board put the Chicago Bears in a bind going into Week 12, and the fact the team still managed to pull out a win against the Pittsburgh Steelers is another strong testament to the culture and quality of the coaching staff.
Chicago had multiple players step up in a big way on Sunday, such as linebackers D’Marco Jackson and Amen Ogbongbemiga, but the way that rookie Ozzy Trapilo stepped up at left tackle after Theo Benedet was ruled out leading up to kickoff carries the most importance.
After that kind of game, and how the last few weeks have gone for Benedet, head coach Ben Johnson now has a very important decision to make that could reshape the team’s 2026 plans.
Is Ozzy Trapilo ready to take over the starting left tackle role after Week 12?
When the Bears drafted Trapilo in the second round, the initial hope was that he could compete for the starting left tackle role and give the team some long-term security at the position.
Trapilo spent months in a competition with Kiran Amegadjie and, eventually, Braxton Jones once Jones was cleared to return to training camp. However, Trapilo’s progress hit a rookie wall in camp, and the coaches moved him to the right side to cross train at both tackle positions.
This allowed Jones to win the starting job to open the season and allowed Theo Benedet to have more real looks at left tackle, which he used to impress the coaches and eventually overtake Jones for the starting job after the bye week.
Benedet largely has held his own as a first-time starter since Week 6 and stood out in the run game using his athleticism to get out in front of the runners. Pass protection is where he struggled, allowing a team-high 19 pressures with one sack entering Week 12.
Benedet’s quad injury opened the opportunity for Trapilo to get his first look at left tackle since the preseason against a talented Steelers front, and he knocked it out of the park, allowing just one pressure on 41 pass protection snaps.
“It’s come full circle,” Trapilo said after the game. “I think I’ve had time to work at left during practice, so I think I felt good out there.”
Even before Benedet’s injury, it always seemed like giving Trapilo a look would be beneficial for the team in the short and long term, given the way Benedet was playing in pass pro every week. Now that we’ve seen what Trapilo can do, it creates a tough conversation.
If the Bears roll with Trapilo and he continues to impress down the stretch against some top competition, the Bears can have full confidence in him being the guy going into 2026, potentially crossing the biggest offensive need off the checklist for the offseason.
This was a huge audition for Trapilo to showcase his development, and with a short week ahead, I’d at least give him another start to see if that kind of performance can be replicated for a second game.
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