Ozzy Trapilo Shines in Loss, Offers Bears a Glimpse of the Future at Left Tackle
The Bears’ loss to the Packers stung - no question about it. In a tight NFC playoff race, every game matters, and this one might loom large come January.
But if you’re looking for a silver lining in the Windy City, look no further than rookie left tackle Ozzy Trapilo. In a game where the stakes were high and the opponent’s pass rush was relentless, Trapilo didn’t just hold his own - he made a statement.
Trapilo Steps Up in the Spotlight
Thrown into the starting lineup due to injuries, Trapilo wasn’t just a stopgap solution. He looked like a long-term answer.
Against one of the league’s more disruptive defensive fronts, featuring the ever-dangerous Micah Parsons, Trapilo delivered arguably his best performance as a pro. According to Pro Football Focus, he earned a 91.1 pass-blocking grade - and didn’t allow a single pressure.
Not one.
That’s impressive against any team. But against a Packers unit that ranks among the league’s best in sack percentage (7.13%, per Team Rankings), it’s the kind of performance that turns heads inside a front office. It’s also the kind of performance that makes a coach think twice about ever taking the rookie off the field - even when the original starters get healthy.
A Quiet Climb Up the Rankings
Week by week, Trapilo’s confidence - and his PFF grades - have been trending upward. He’s now sitting at a 66.9 overall grade, with a 67.0 in pass protection and a 60.1 in run blocking. Those numbers may not jump off the page just yet, but they’re already better than what the Bears were getting from Theo Benedet and Braxton Jones.
That’s a big deal for a team trying to protect its most valuable asset in rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. The Bears invested heavily in revamping their offensive line this offseason, and while it hasn’t all been smooth sailing, getting Trapilo into the mix might end up being one of the most important moves of the year.
A Brutal Stretch Ahead
The road ahead doesn’t get any easier. Next up: Myles Garrett and the Cleveland Browns.
Garrett isn’t just a handful - he’s the frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year and is chasing down a single-season sack record. For Trapilo, it’s the ultimate test - a true trial by fire against the kind of elite edge rusher that can wreck a gameplan in a hurry.
But if he can hold his ground - or even just survive the matchup without giving up big plays - the Bears will have even more reason to believe they’ve found their left tackle of the future.
And it won’t stop there. After Cleveland, Chicago faces a rematch with the Packers, a clash with the Lions, and a showdown with the 49ers’ bruising front seven. That’s a gauntlet for any offensive line, let alone one anchored by a rookie with just three starts under his belt.
The Bigger Picture in Chicago
Let’s be clear: the Bears don’t have much room for error the rest of the way. A playoff berth - and possibly the NFC North crown - is still within reach, but the margin is razor-thin.
That means every snap, every block, every assignment matters. And for Trapilo, every rep is another opportunity to prove he belongs.
If he keeps stacking performances like the one he just had against Green Bay, there won’t be much debate. The Bears may have stumbled in the standings, but in Trapilo, they might have found a cornerstone for the offensive line - and a critical piece of the puzzle in building around Caleb Williams.
In a season full of ups and downs, that’s the kind of development that could pay dividends for years to come.