LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) — The Bears began their offseason program back in April with a significant void on their offensive line. They’re seeking a solution at left tackle.
After concluding their work for the offseason Wednesday at Halas Hall, the Bears don’t have their answer yet, but that's fine by them. The Bears are eager to take the competition into training camp, where they'll have returning starter Braxton Jones, second-year player Kiran Amegadjie and rookie Ozzy Trapilo set to battle for the job in full pads.
Amegadjie and Trapilo rotated turns with the Bears’ first-team offense in the offseason program. Jones, who underwent ankle surgery in December, is expected to be ready to return for training camp.
“Hard to jump to any conclusions just yet, especially at that position, where you really can’t be judged until you got pads on,” Johnson said earlier in June. “And so both (Amegadjie and Trapilo) are taking turns, and they’re making the most of their opportunities. I think the head’s still spinning for almost everybody on offense but certainly in the O-line room.
“The cool thing to see is Ozzy, for a guy that’s a young player, he’s really polished in terms of the mental aspect of the game. We’re looking to key up some things, quicken up his steps, his identification process, and Kiran’s done a nice job just for the little bit that we’ve had him as well just the growth prospects, so far so good.”
Jones, 26, was a fifth-round pick of the Bears in 2022 and has been a mainstay on the team’s offensive line, starting at left tackle in each of the past three seasons. Amegadjie, 23, was a third-round pick in 2024 who struggled in limited action last season. As a rookie, Amedgadjie was set back by a quad injury in the offseason and didn't begin practicing until last August. Trapilo, who's also 23, was a second-round pick of the Bears in April.
“My main goal is to go out there, and who I am as a player, just put it out there,” Trapilo said. “Let the coaches make decisions of where, when, how I fit with whatever it is. That’s their job. My job is to demonstrate who I am as a player, put all my skills out there.”
Another potential option for the Bears’ offensive line is to shift two-year starting right tackle Darnell Wright to left tackle. Johnson hasn’t ruled out that possibility, but that was never in consideration during the offseason program.
The Bears addressed their offensive line this offseason with the addition of three new starters in the interior: left guard Joe Thuney, center Drew Dalman and right guard Jonah Jackson. With Wright returning as well, Chicago has four established starters for its offensive line.
That still leaves a position to fill at tackle, and the Bears aren’t rushing into that decision.
“The No. 1 job of an offensive tackle, doesn’t matter right or left, is to pass protect,” Johnson said. “And so you need to be able to block their best pass rusher one-on-one. To me, that’s the No. 1 job and everything we can get out of them in the run game will be gravy on top of it. But we got to find out who the best pass protector is, the most consistent pass protector is, and really that’s for all five guys up front.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.