Ben Johnson knows his biggest roster decision by the end of training camp will be his left tackle. It is the only offensive position without a clear starter. Braxton Jones, Kiran Amegadjie, and Ozzy Trapilo are in a three-man race. Since camp began, they have rotated through the starting lineup, trading days where they worked with the #1 offense. Johnson said the Chicago Bears haven’t made any decisions yet, but expect to within two weeks, meaning after the first preseason game. The reasoning was simple. They had to make sure the starters had enough time to gel before Monday night against Minnesota in September.
Things appear to have coalesced over the past few days. Based on recent developments, there might be a leader in the clubhouse for the job. Amegadjie appears to have suffered a leg injury, leaving his status in question. Meanwhile, Trapilo worked entirely with the starting offense in Saturday’s practice while Jones was with the second and third string units. The rotation is not over yet. Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle made that clear. Yet the signs are hard to ignore.
If this trend holds, the Chicago Bears will enter unique territory.
It is rare for the top three picks in a draft to earn playing time immediately for a team. Based on the results from camp, the Chicago Bears are trending in that direction. Colston Loveland was already expected to get work at tight end. The biggest revelation at Halas Hall, though, is Luther Burden. He’s been tearing the defense up at every opportunity. Now, Trapilo is going blow for blow with Jones in the battle for left tackle. Coaches love his maturity and intelligence. His size speaks for itself. He may steal the job if he can hold his own in pass protection enough times. This feels like something that will be decided in that first preseason game. How Trapilo performs will convince the coaches of which direction to go.
