The Chicago Bears' woes at left tackle aren't going away any time soon. Just when it seemed like they had finally found their guy, star rookie Ozzy Trapilo suffered a serious season-ending knee injury that forced him to go under the knife.
The rookie out of Boston College ruptured his patellar tendon in the wild-card round win over the Green Bay Packers. The Bears re-signed Theo Benedet to a one-year deal a couple of weeks ago, but he's not a lock to start, leaving Chicago's front office in a tough spot.
That's why, with the latest report from Bears analyst Adam Hoge of CHGO Sports, it wouldn't be shocking to see the Bears also keep Braxton Jones in town. Apparently, it will be a long while before we see Trapilo take the field again.
Ozzy Trapilo Will Miss Most of Next Season
"(Bears GM Ryan) Poles does not believe Ozzy Trapilo’s injury is career-threatening, but he will miss most of next season," Hoge wrote on X.
Trapilo beat Benedet for the starting job in Week 12. His Pro Football Focus grade of 71.5 was impressive, and he allowed only 15 pressures and a couple of sacks while on the field for 283 pass-blocking snaps. So, watching the Bears keep Benedet in town was the first sign that Trapilo wouldn't be back any time soon.
Still, Jones might be a better option for the Bears. He's just 27 years old, and with a projected market value of $4.8 million per year (via Spotrac), he could be an affordable option for a Bears team that's currently $4.1 million over the salary cap, according to Over The Cap.
Injuries held Jones back last season. He was only able to play four games, but, as noted by Pro Football Focus' Mason Cameron, his PFF grades as both a zone (80th percentile) and gap (95th percentile) over the past three seasons were among the best in the game. The Bears had the third-most rushing yards per game last season (144.5), and that's going to continue being a crucial part of Ben Johnson's offense.
Benedet had a 55.4 run-block grade in PFF's grading model, ranking 74th among 89 eligible players. He gave up 26 pressures, two sacks, one QB hit, and was called for seven penalties on 576 offensive snaps. Simply put, that is not the level of production you would expect from a starting offensive lineman.
The Bears went to great lengths to keep Caleb Williams out of harm's way ahead of his second season in the league. And while Trapilo should still be their blindside protector of the future, they will need to keep the best guy for the job on the team for at least a little longer while he works his way back from injury.
Whether that is enough to bring Jones back to the Windy City remains to be seen, but it is certainly a conversation that will continue in the coming weeks and months.