Ozzy Trapilo went from a 2nd round pick to the favorite for the left tackle job to out of the competition to a pointless backup to starting left tackle, all in less than six months. Since ascending to the job, he has been much better than expected, allowing just five pressures in his last three starts. It is creating plenty of hope that the Chicago Bears may have found their left tackle of the future. Then again, it might be too early to crown the young man. Franchise legend Olin Kreutz has seen that happen before.
The six-time Pro Bowler was asked about Trapilo on 670 The Score. While the rookie has played well, it’s clear he isn’t a finished product. What areas must he fix to reach the next level? For Kreutz, it comes down to the details. Trapilo seems to struggle the most at identifying what opposing defenders will do before the snap. He doesn’t have the best aiming points in pass protection or run-blocking, which makes him easier to beat. NFL defenders are too fast and too smart to allow such leeway.
Olin Kreutz was not saying that Trapilo is bad at all.
People who paid attention will notice it had nothing to do with the rookie’s talent. There was never one mention of his athleticism, size, or strength. Every note addressed fundamental issues. For those unfamiliar, the “aiming point” is a specific target (like a defender’s chest number, hip, or armpit) that dictates where a lineman drives their helmet and hands to control the defender, creating space for the ball carrier or protecting the QB. There have been too many instances where Trapilo failed to identify the aiming point effectively.
This is the play Olin Kreutz references. Trapilo does a poor job of getting his body into #55 and driving him back. As a result, the defender is able to disengage and make the tackle on Kyle Monangai for no gain. It should’ve been a first down. Instead, the Bears were forced to go for it on 4th and 1, which ended with Caleb Williams’ interception. Little mistakes like that can lead to big consequences. Kreutz understands that better than anybody. Trapilo will have to use these lessons to make himself better.
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