The Chicago Bears will be busy this weekend with seven selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. But while there are some big needs for the Bears, one that many may not have at the top of their list is offensive tackle.
The Bears are locked in with Darnell Wright on the right side, but the left has been a constant question. Theo Benedet and Braxton Jones spent significant time in the starting lineup last season. In the end, though, second-round Ozzy Trapilo was not only starting but looked like the Bears’ starting left tackle of the future before suffering a torn patellar tendon in a wild-card round win over the Green Bay Packers.
While Jones, Benedet, and offseason pickup Jedrick Wills are ready to battle for a starting job during training camp, it would be easy to believe that Trapilo will reclaim his job when he returns from injury. But it could turn out the Bears may be looking for his replacement, with The Athletic’s Dan Wiederer suggesting Chicago could have their eye on the position during the draft.
“On the offensive line, a starting opening at left tackle is currently set up as a competition between Braxton Jones, Theo Benedet and Jed Willis,” Wiederer wrote. “But, at this point, no one would be stunned if the Bears chose to add a rookie to the front of that battle. There’s no reason to force that issue, obviously. But if a highly valued tackle prospect is there at 25 and the shelf of quality options already looks bare, Poles can easily make the case for why the Bears should act.”
Ozzy Trapilo Could Find Unwanted Competition From Bears in NFL Draft
Wiederer was specifically discussing the Bears’ first-round pick on Thursday night, but it’s a storyline that could play out through the weekend. While all four left tackles on the Bears roster have starting experience, none of them are safe options.
Jones had been the starter for three seasons in Chicago. However, his return from an ankle injury led to a midseason knee injury, and he posted the lowest overall grade of his career (55.5), according to Pro Football Focus. Benedet filled in admirably for Jones until Trapilo took over, but his overall grade (55.8) wasn’t much better, and he allowed 26 pressures and two sacks on 334 pass-blocking snaps.
Wills is a wild card in this equation. He could just as easily blow up in Chicago’s face as he could become a reliable solution. While he was a former top-10 pick with the Cleveland Browns, he sat out last season to fully recover from injuries, and the last time fans saw him, he posted a career-low 52.9 grade and allowed 11 pressures and three sacks on 156 pass-blocking snaps.
This would suggest Trapilo is the best long-term option for the job. But while he posted the highest overall grade (72.4) among the Bears’ left tackles and allowed 22 pressures and three sacks on 317 pass-blocking snaps, he spent half the year trying to win over the coaching staff and may not be the same player coming off a serious injury.
The entire situation could give the Bears something to think about during this week’s draft. Tackles are expected to go early in the first round, and Chicago could bite if a top prospect, including Miami’s Francis Mauigoa, Utah’s Spencer Fano, Georgia’s Monroe Freeling, or Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor, falls.
A more likely scenario is that the Bears decide to add depth at the position with Utah’s Caleb Lomu, Arizona State’s Max Iheanachor falling to the second round, or another prospect, including Iowa’s Gennings Dunker or Northwestern’s Caleb Tiernan, falling even further.
If that rookie performs well, he could blow past the incumbent veterans at some point this season. Should Trapilo’s recovery become more complicated, there’s a chance they could finish the year and require that Trapilo earns his job back in 2027.
It sounds like a far-fetched scenario. But with plenty of tackles to choose from and the serious nature of Trapilo’s injury, it’s something that could unfold for the Bears during this weekend’s draft.
More Chicago Bears News & Rumors:
Add us as a preferred source on Google