Just when the Bears thought they’d solidified their offensive line for the long haul, they were dealt a major setback. Rookie left tackle Ozzy Trapilo-who looked every bit the part of a franchise cornerstone-suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in the Wild Card win over the Packers. It’s a brutal blow for a Chicago front five that had finally started to click.
Trapilo underwent surgery in January, and while there’s hope he’ll return at some point next season, the timeline is murky. Patellar tendon injuries typically require 6 to 12 months of rehab, and that range puts his Week 1 availability very much in doubt. The Bears aren’t taking any chances.
On Thursday, the team re-signed Theo Benedet to a one-year deal-what looks like a classic "prove-it" contract. It’s a move that speaks volumes. Chicago clearly isn’t banking on Trapilo being ready to go when the season kicks off, and Benedet gives them a familiar face with starting experience to help stabilize the position.
Now, let’s be real-Benedet wasn’t exactly lighting it up before Trapilo took over. He started eight games last season, and while serviceable, he struggled in pass protection.
According to PFF, he allowed eight sacks and 26 pressures over 333 pass-blocking snaps. Compare that to Trapilo’s numbers-just two sacks and 15 pressures in 283 snaps-and it’s easy to see why the rookie took over the job in Week 12.
But Benedet’s not just a placeholder. He’s a young tackle who’s already seen live NFL action and knows the system. For a front office trying to protect its most valuable asset in quarterback Caleb Williams, that kind of plug-and-play continuity matters.
And speaking of Williams, the Bears' offensive line turnaround last season was one of the most underrated stories in the league. After leading the NFL in sacks allowed in 2024 (a staggering 4.0 per game), they flipped the script in 2025, giving up just 1.3 per contest-best in the league. That’s not just a credit to the line, but also to Williams’ improved pocket awareness, quicker decision-making, and a much more coherent offensive scheme.
Still, none of that works without solid protection up front. The Bears know they can’t afford to take a step back, especially with a young quarterback still developing.
That’s why the Trapilo injury looms so large. He wasn’t just a promising rookie-he was a stabilizing force at one of the most important positions on the field.
Whether Benedet can reclaim the starting left tackle job remains to be seen. He’s got the inside track for now, but Chicago will likely explore other options to ensure they’ve got the depth and talent needed to keep Williams upright.
If Benedet falters and Trapilo’s recovery drags out, the Bears could find themselves scrambling to patch a critical hole. But if Benedet can hold his own-or even take a step forward-it’ll be a savvy bit of roster management by GM Ryan Poles.
Either way, the message is clear: protecting Caleb Williams is priority No. 1. And until Trapilo is back to full strength, the Bears are doing everything they can to make sure their blind side doesn’t become a blind spot.