The Chicago Bears entered the offseason in a tough spot after Ozzy Trapilo ruptured his patellar tendon in the team’s opening-round playoff victory over the rival Green Bay Packers, but the his fortunes have changed dramatically in the seven-plus months since.
Chicago initially believed Trapilo might miss upwards of the entire 2026 campaign. However, he saw the practice field in full pads for multiple weeks prior to the end of August and will begin the year on the active roster.
So while Chicago has provided no firm date when the 2025 second-round pick will return to the lineup, common logic dictates his first start will come at some point between Weeks 1 and 4.
If the Bears didn’t believe such an outcome likely, they would have designated Trapilo to either the physically unable to perform [PUP] list or injured reserve [IR], acquiesced to him missing at least a month and freed up another roster spot.
Bears Excited About Ozzy Trapilo’s Progress, With Team Drills Next Step
Chicago also would have kept either Jedrick Wills Jr., the former first-round selection of the Cleveland Browns, or Kiran Amegadjie who the Bears drafted in Round 3 back in 2024 on the roster. Instead, the Bears parted ways with both as part of their cuts to trim the roster to 53 players last weekend.
“There’s definitely rust to knock off,” Bears GM Ryan Poles said of Trapilo on Wednesday, September 2, per Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic. “I don’t know how long that’ll take before he’s involved with the gameplan and starting or a rotational guy or active. It’s too early to tell right now.”
But even with some uncertainty remaining, there is reason for considerable optimism regarding the offensive line’s most important position. Fishbain noted that the next box on the list for Trapilo to check is participation in team drills.
“In helmets, or not even helmets, it looks fabulous, or he wouldn’t be where he is,” Poles added.
Bears Still Have Questions at Center Position
The near miracle one-year transformation of Chicago’s offensive line from 2024 to 2025, and how it impacted the run game under head coach Ben Johnson’s cutting-edge scheme, was one of the most important factors in the Bears’ turnaround from a 5-12 record two years ago to 11-6, an NFC North Division title and a postseason victory last year.
But Trapilo’s injury, coupled with Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman’s unexpected offseason retirement, created legitimate concern about the unit heading into this season.
The Bears brought former starting LT Braxton Jones back on a one-year deal, and he will likely assume the starting role for as long as Trapilo remains sidelined before sliding back into the No. 2 spot on the depth chart.
Chicago also traded for center Garret Bradbury, sending the New England Patriots a fifth-round pick, and then drafted Logan Jones out of Iowa in Round 2 to shore up the center position.
On August 12, Pro Football Focus ranked the Bears’ offensive line the fifth-best unit in the NFL heading into the regular season.
Bears Get Good News on Ozzy Trapilo After Cutting Multiple LTs