Not even the most optimistic Chicago Bears fan — or even doctors — thought Ozzy Trapilo would be back on the field this soon. The young star suffered a season-ending torn patellar tendon late last season, and he was expected to miss most, if not all, of the upcoming campaign.
There's still no clarity or a return timeline, but the mere fact that he's already participating in team drills and wearing pads is encouraging. Blindside protection has been a major talking point in the Windy City lately, and not for great reasons.
That's why listening to general manager Ryan Poles gush about his recovery and how sharp he looks is so refreshing. While he won't make any promises about a return date, Trapilo is clearly far ahead of schedule.
Ozzy Trapilo might be back sooner than Bears anticipated
“There’s definitely rust to knock off,” Poles said, 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... In helmets, or not even helmets, it looks fabulous, or he wouldn’t be where he is.”
Against all odds, the former second-round pick avoided a stint on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. Starting the season there would've meant missing at least the first month of the season, so even though he's currently listed as Braxton Jones' backup, this hints at an earlier return to the gridiron.
The Bears have gone to great lengths to protect Caleb Williams. They watched their prized quarterback take a beating over and over and be the most-sacked quarterback as a rookie, and they overhauled that unit ahead of the first year of the Ben Johnson era.
Braxton Jones was a mixed bag last season. Trapilo ultimately beat him for the starting job and established himself as the team's primary blindside protector before that unfortunate injury forced them to change their plans.
And, given how much Jones struggled through training camp and the preseason, having Trapilo back in the fold can change everything for this offense. It had gotten so bad that even Jedrick Wills and Kiran Amegadjie got opportunities to earn the starting left tackle spot while he was out.
It's hard to make assumptions or jump to conclusions about Trapilo's state. He's already beaten every prediction or projection, so there's no point in saying for a fact that he'll be out there in Week 1, 2, or beyond.
He still has some hurdles to clear, but he's clearly trending in the right direction. The Bears will likely err on the side of caution, but they won't hesitate to get him back on the field as soon as he's healthy enough to reclaim his spot from the underwhelming Jones.
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