Injuries were the story all week for the Chicago Bears. Most of the attention was focused on their defense, given that they were down six starters after losing all three linebackers. It somehow got even worse when an injury report update revealed left tackle Theo Benedet had suffered a quad ailment in Thursday’s practice. He was declared out for the game on Sunday. That meant Ozzy Trapilo, their 2nd round pick out of Boston College, would take over the starting job.
One can understand if people were nervous. Trapilo was in the left tackle competition this summer and apparently performed poorly enough that he was pulled from it midway through training camp. So you can imagine how some felt about the prospect of him starting there against a pass rush that featured T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Cameron Heyward. As it turns out, we needn’t have worried. Trapilo turned in a stellar performance, allowing only one quarterback pressure all afternoon.
The Chicago Bears have an interesting decision with Trapilo.
Benedet has been a tremendous part of their running game this season. However, his pass protection remains a big issue. His flawed fundamentals and shorter arms have made him a liability too often. The Chicago Bears have some nasty pass rushes coming up with Philadelphia, Green Bay, Cleveland, and Detroit. Trapilo is clearly the better pass protector. Maybe keeping him in to help guard Caleb Williams‘ blind side is worth the potential loss in run game potency.
Much depends on whether Benedet is healthy. The Bears have a short turnaround this week, heading to Philly for a game on Friday. They may decide to hold him out and ride with Trapilo. It allows the quad to fully heal while providing another look at their promising rookie. Chicago is in a great position. If the light truly has gone on for Trapilo, their left tackle problem may already be solved.
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