Latest news with #Trapilo
USA Today
03-08-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
What Bears LT Braxton Jones has learned while recovering from injury
Chicago Bears veteran Braxton Jones is in the middle of a heated battle for the left tackle job with rookie Ozzy Trapilo and Kiran Amegadjie. But it appears to be narrowing to a two-man race between Jones and Trapilo. While Jones has been the starter for the past three seasons, which certainly gives him a slight advantage, he's also returning from injury after having missed the entire offseason program. The effort that Jones is putting in is admirable. Not only is he fighting for his role as a starter, but he is also working his way back from a serious injury. Last December, Jones suffered a broken ankle during a Week 16 game against the Detroit Lions that ended his season early by two games. His recovery caused him to miss OTAs and minicamp, and he was limited to start training camp. Recently, Jones shared what he learned about himself during the process. 'I learned a lot of patience," Jones said. "Having to get surgery and stuff like that. I had to be patient with myself, be patient with the people around me. And honestly, I stepped on a lot of toes during that process early on. It was hard to realize that I need to be more patient with people and allow them to help me, allow them to do things for me. At the end of the day, I learned that I have to be a little bit more patient and not be so urgent to do everything. I mean that when you're healthy, you're go, go, go. And then when you're down like that, injured, you have to be patient. You have to understand that it's a process.' Jones doesn't have much experience dealing with major injuries as he's been a mostly durable football player throughout his career at every level. Jones admitted as a fault of his when describing his desire to get back to the field. You have to respect the nature of his work ethic, but everybody knows that you have to take your time with a rehab process that intense. Jones displayed a lot of maturity during his first presser since his injury. This perspective could be what helps him with the job out of camp. Is it possible that Trapilo wins the job? Yes. Is it possible that he takes over during the season? Of course. Is it possible that Jones hangs on and is deemed the left tackle who gives the Bears the best chance to win? Also yes. At the end of the day, everyone's goal is to have a successful football team. Jones seems to have that mindset when it comes to working his way back from injury amid a competitive battle for the starting job.
Chicago Tribune
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Chicago Bears rookie outlook: What will it take for Ozzy Trapilo to win the left tackle job?
The battle is on at left tackle. Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles promised competition at the position in February, and he provided it in the form of 6-foot-8 Boston College tackle Ozzy Trapilo. The Bears drafted Trapilo in the second round at No. 56. Trapilo, who agreed to a contract Thursday, spent the spring competing with second-year pro Kiran Amegadjie for reps at left tackle. Incumbent starter Braxton Jones will join the competition when he returns from an ankle injury. Those three should provide the most intriguing position battle during training camp. Here's what Bears fans need to know about Trapilo as rookies report Saturday. There was much predraft speculation about what the Bears would do at left tackle. On draft night, three tackles went off the board before the Bears picked at No. 10, including Texas' Kelvin Banks Jr., whom the New Orleans Saints took one spot ahead of the Bears. The Bears went with tight end Colston Loveland. Poles and the front office elected to wait until Day 2 to select a tackle. In Trapilo, they found one with impressive size and experience playing both right and left tackle. He appeared in 44 games over the last four seasons at Boston College. Trapilo's father, Steve, was an All-America offensive lineman at Boston College in the 1980s. The Saints selected Steve Trapilo with a fourth-round pick in 1987, and he played in 57 games for them over six seasons. Steve died of a heart attack at age 39 in 2004, when Ozzy was a toddler. Ozzy followed in his father's footsteps and played at both Boston College High School and Boston College. He worked out in the high school weight room that was named after his father, who had donated much of the equipment before he died. A four-star recruit coming out of high school, Ozzy Trapilo committed to former BC coach Steve Addazio, then held firm in his commitment after the Eagles replaced Addazio with Jeff Hafley. Trapilo was the top-rated recruit in Hafley's first class in 2020. Trapilo played in 10 games as a redshirt freshman in 2021, then started at left tackle in 2022 before moving to right tackle for his final two seasons. He was a team captain and first-team All-ACC performer in 2024. The Bears revamped their offensive line significantly over the offseason. In March they added three veteran starters at the interior spots: Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman and Jonah Jackson. Left tackle has been something of a question mark. Jones started 40 games there over the last three seasons. Amegadjie, a third-round pick a year ago, missed most of 2024 training camp last year while recovering from quadriceps surgery and saw limited action once the season started. What happens next at left tackle is anybody's guess. If Jones returns healthy at the start of camp, he could remain the front-runner. But Trapilo will have a chance to state his case. Whether or not Trapilo starts as a rookie, he has a chance to be a big-time contributor for the Bears over the next several years. Jones enters the final year of his contract in 2025 and could become a free agent in March. The left tackle spot could be Trapilo's in the future, even if he doesn't win the job as a rookie. The fact he can play right or left tackle also gives the Bears versatility in the future. With Jones out during the spring, Trapilo and Amegadjie split reps with the starting offensive line. Coach Ben Johnson wanted to take a good look at each of his young tackles during minicamp in early June. 'So both guys are taking turns and they're making the most of their opportunities,' Johnson said. 'I think the head's still spinning for almost everybody on offense, but certainly in the O-line room. We've got a lot of new things we're throwing at them.' Johnson was impressed with how quickly Trapilo is picking up the nuances of the NFL game. 'The cool thing to see is Ozzy, for a guy that's a young player, he's really polished in terms of the mental aspect of the game,' Johnson said. 'We're looking to key up some things, quicken up his steps, his identification process.' Those will be ongoing adjustments for the rookie as camp begins. In their short time together, Trapilo already has begun to pick Thuney's brain. When Trapilo plays left tackle with the first-team offense, Thuney is next to him at left guard. That's a pretty valuable running mate — a four-time Super Bowl champion and four-time All-Pro. 'When we're out there, especially after a rep, the benefit of practice is you can get back to the huddle and talk a little bit about it,' Trapilo said. 'You don't have to move on to the next play right now. Especially looking at the tape and stuff like that. So (it's) talking through reps with him, kind of seeing where his head's at and just picking his brain.' While in high school in Boston, Trapilo watched Thuney and the New England Patriots win a pair of championships. Thuney won two more after signing with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021. Before any talk of winning the left tackle job can begin, Trapilo needs to show he can handle the transition from right tackle. Yes, he has played left tackle previously, but it has been several years. He has to completely flip his footwork, which can be easier said than done. Johnson said the top thing he looks for in an offensive tackle is pass protection. Excelling in the run game is a bonus, but pass blocking takes priority. 'You need to be able to block their best pass rusher one on one,' Johnson said. 'To me, that's the No. 1 job and everything we can get out of them in the run game will be gravy on top of it.' When the pads come on, Trapilo has to show he can take on any challengers. That will include teammates such as Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo every day in practice. But it also will include some opponents. He'll have two great chances when the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills visit Halas Hall for joint practices.
USA Today
17-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
30 Most Important Bears of 2025: Ozzy Trapilo (No. 13)
The Chicago Bears are gearing up for an exciting 2025 NFL season, which features some new faces within the organization poised to get the franchise back to its winning ways. That starts with the hiring of Ben Johnson as head coach, as well as overhauling the interior offensive line, adding pieces on defense and a potenital impactful rookie draft class. Every day from now right up through training camp, we're counting down our 30 Most Important Bears for the 2025 season. We'll recap their 2024 season, look ahead to 2025 and tackle the biggest question facing them this year. Up next at No. 13 is offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo, who has the potential to serve as the Bears' most impactful rookie if he can unseat Braxton Jones for the starting left tackle job. Background Position: Offensive tackle Age: 23 Experience: 1st season 2025 cap hit: TBD (unsigned as of 7/17) 2024 recap Trapilo spent five seasons at Boston College, from 2020 to 2024, where he played in 44 games including 36 starts. He started at left tackle in 2022 before switching to right tackle for his final two seasons. In his final season with the Eagles, Trapilo started all 12 regular season games at right tackle earning an 81.0 pass block grade from Pro Football Focus, along with a 74.1 overall grade. He served as a key cog in an offensive line that led the charge for four game with 200-plus rushing yards and two games eclipsing the 300-yard mark. Trapilo, who served as a captain in his final season, was an All-ACC First Team award winner. 2025 outlook The Bears selected Trapilo with the 56th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, which marked their fourth big move (after trading for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and signing center Drew Dalman in free agency) at offensive line this offseason. While Trapilo started at right tackle in his final two years at Boston College, he also has experience at left tackle having started 10 games in college. The Bears opted to try Trapilo at left tackle, and the result is an open competition for the starting left tackle job between Trapilo, incumbent starter Braxton Jones and second-year pro Kiran Amegadjie. Trapilo has actually gotten a head start in the competition, along with Amegadjie, as Jones recovers from surgery after fracturing his fibula late last season. Trapilo rotated with Amegadjie with the first-team offense during OTAs and minicamp, and that's expected to continue this summer. If Trapilo can win the starting job, he'll serve the most important role of all Bears rookies this season protecting Caleb Williams' blindside. Big question: Will Trapilo win the starting left tackle job as a rookie? The Bears overhauled their offensive line in a big way this offseason, including completely overhauling the interior with guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, as well as center Drew Dalman. With right tackle Darnell Wright already in place, the only real question mark left is left tackle. While Braxton Jones has been the starter for the past three seasons, he's entering a contract year and also coming off a broken fibula. Chicago wants to ensure the best starting five are out there, so they're giving Trapilo and Amegadjie every opportunity to win the job. Trapilo and Amegadjie rotated with the starting offense during OTAs and minicamp, and that's expected to continue into training Trapilo impressed during the offseason program, the real work starts when the pads come on. And with Jones set to be limited to start camp, Trapilo has the opportunity to make a statement as he competes for the starting job. 30 Most Important Bears of 2025 Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
USA Today
16-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Holdout watch begins for Bears' second-round rookies
The Chicago Bears are set to kick off training camp in one week, but they still have three rookies who remain unsigned -- but they're not alone. Most of the NFL's second round rookies have yet to sign their rookie contracts, which includes Chicago's three second-round selections -- wide receiver Luther Burden III, offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo and defensive tackle Shemar Turner. There are still thirty of the NFL's 32 second-round picks who remain unsigned as they aim for the same fully-guaranteed deals that first-round picks are afforded. It certainly doesn't help that the two second rounders who have signed their deals -- Houston Texans receiver Jayden Higgins and Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger -- were awarded fully-guaranteed deals. With Bears rookies set to report to training camp on Saturday (three days before veterans), there's a concern that the contract negotiations could turn into a holdout before the first practice on July 23. That's not exactly ideal for some rookies primed for immediate impacts. Trapilo is competing for the starting left tackle job, Burden hasn't been on the practice field since rookie minicamp due to injury and Turner could also miss out on valuable reps. According to Over The Cap, Burden is expected to make about $10.9 million through four years, Trapilo $7.7 million and Turner $7.2 million. Now, all eyes are on who signs first and whether Burden, Trapilo and Turner will also be under contract and in camp come Wednesday. Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bears hint at rookie Ozzy Trapilo playing left tackle
The Chicago Bears prioritized the offensive line this offseason with the additions of guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson via trade and the signing of center Drew Dalman in free agency. And while the offensive line is all but set, it sounds like there's a three-man race brewing at left tackle. Bears general manager Ryan Poles made an appearance on ESPN 1000, where he discussed second-round rookie offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo and how they plan on seeing what they have in him at left tackle. The Bears know Trapilo can play right tackle, so they're going to give him reps at left tackle starting in OTAs and minicamp to see if that's a potential fit. Advertisement Trapilo started 24 games at right tackle for Boston College over the last two seasons, but he also has played left tackle. If Trapilo is a good fit at left tackle, he'll battle with three-year starter Braxton Jones and last year's third-round pick Kiran Amegadjie for the starting job opposite right tackle Darnell Wright. Jones, entering the final year of his rookie contract, suffered a fractured fibula last December, and he'll be limited to start training camp. That will give Trapilo and Amegadjie a head start when it comes to competing for a starting job at left tackle. Poles said the goal is to have the offensive line settled before training camp so they won't have to shuffle guys around. 'Whatever we settle on, especially when going into training camp, it's going to be really important to stick with that," Poles said. Advertisement Right now, left tackle is the only pressing question as the interior is set with left guard Joe Thuney, center Drew Dalman and right guard Jonah Jackson, and it doesn't sound like they plan on moving right tackle Darnell Wright. So that left tackle battle is one to watch between Jones, Trapilo and Amegadjie. Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears hint at rookie Ozzy Trapilo playing left tackle
