Why The Bears’ Draft Strategy Just Shifted On Ozzy Trapilo Injury Update
Going into the offseason, the debate was relatively steady on what the Chicago Bears would do in the 1st round of the upcoming NFL draft. Most agree it was a dead heat between a defensive lineman and a left tackle for the 25th overall pick. Much of this was due to the injury situation with Ozzy Trapilo and their other two options, Braxton Jones and Theo Benedet, being free agents. That discussion just took a potentially decisive turn with a significant update from Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
While discussing the outcome of Super Bowl LX and how it impacts the Bears’ offseason plans, he revealed that there is now a strong possibility that Trapilo could miss most of the 2026 season.
“What the options are remains to be seen. It’s possible the Bears would consider re-signing Jones, who will be an unrestricted free agent. Trapilo’s recovery from a torn patellar tendon in his left knee could sideline him for the bulk of the 2026 season.”
If this is true, the decision for the Bears becomes far clearer. They can’t afford to wait that long for Trapilo to return. Even when he does, he will be rusty and take a long time to return to 100%. Leaning on a bridge option for a few games is one thing. Most of a season? That is never a smart plan. It is time to wrap our heads around left tackle being the primary focus in the draft this April.
The Chicago Bears can find one if they’re smart about it.
It isn’t completely unheard of for teams to find quality left tackles in the bottom half of the 1st round. The difficult part is evaluating which ones have the best chance of becoming solid pros. Here is a list of every tackle taken between picks #16 and #32 in the last ten years.
| Name | Pick | Year |
| Cedric Ogbuehi | 21 | 2015 |
| D.J. Humphries | 24 | 2015 |
| Taylor Decker | 16 | 2016 |
| Garrett Bolles | 20 | 2017 |
| Ryan Ramczyk | 32 | 2017 |
| Isaiah Wynn | 23 | 2018 |
| Andre Dillard | 22 | 2019 |
| Tytus Howard | 23 | 2019 |
| Kaleb McGary | 31 | 2019 |
| Austin Jackson | 18 | 2020 |
| Isaiah Wilson | 29 | 2020 |
| Alex Leatherwood | 17 | 2021 |
| Christian Darrisaw | 23 | 2021 |
| Trevor Penning | 19 | 2022 |
| Anton Harrison | 27 | 2023 |
| Amarius Mims | 18 | 2024 |
| Troy Fautanu | 20 | 2024 |
| Jordan Morgan | 25 | 2024 |
| Tyler Guyton | 29 | 2024 |
| Josh Conerly | 29 | 2025 |
| Josh Simmons | 32 | 2025 |
As with every list of this nature, there are some bad apples in the bunch. However, there are quite a few quality starters, including some Pro Bowlers. Head coach Ben Johnson worked with Decker in Detroit and had great success. One common thread between the successful ones is whether they have the intelligence and the footwork necessary to handle the edge. That is a mistake teams make far more often than they’ll admit. The good news is Johnson lists those as top priorities for any left tackle he wants.
The Bears aren’t likely to put all their eggs in one basket.
It would be incredibly reckless of them to wait until the draft and expect a tackle they like to fall to #25. A much smarter approach is adding a veteran via free agency or a limited trade to supplement the position, at least giving them some insurance in case the draft doesn’t go as they hope. Biggs mentioned bringing back Jones is a possibility. He has over 40 games of starting experience and showed himself to be more than serviceable when healthy. Putting together a few months of good play in this offseason would elevate his profile for next year’s free agency.
Another name to consider is Cam Robinson. Despite still only being 30 years old, he has started 114 games in the NFL, most of them at left tackle. His past two seasons have been inconsistent due to being on four different teams, but he was very good in his final three years with Jacksonville from 2021 to 2023. If the money isn’t too steep, he would make for a solid insurance policy in case the Chicago Bears can’t get somebody they want in the draft. The options aren’t ideal, but there are possibilities.
Current projections show four realistic options for the Bears
Based on what all draft experts are saying, the best offensive tackle in this class is Spencer Fano of Utah. Every projection to date has him going somewhere in the top 10. That means unless the Chicago Bears are willing to be aggressive in trading up, they won’t consider him. While things can still change a lot between now and April 25th, it looks like there are four plausible options that could be on the board at #25.
- Kadyn Proctor of Alabama
- Caleb Lomu of Utah
- Monroe Freeling of Georgia
- Max Inheanachor of Arizona State
From what we know about Johnson’s preferences, he will prioritize whomever he feels has the best pass protection skills. He wants somebody smart who can survive on an island without constant help. That takes athleticism, technique, and grit. Each of these four possesses those traits to varying degrees. It will come down to who stands out the most on tape and handles Johnson’s trademark intense interview approach. If somebody jumps out above the rest, don’t be surprised if the Bears go after them with a trade up this spring.