LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Chicago Bears have activated second-year offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo from the physically unable to perform list, an encouraging summer development after Trapilo underwent surgery last winter to repair a torn patellar tendon in his left knee.
A second-round pick out of Boston College in 2025, Trapilo made six regular-season starts at left tackle as a rookie and was in that role for the Bears’ wild-card round victory over the Green Bay Packers. But he suffered his knee injury on the final drive of that game and originally was expected to be out deep into this season.
Trapilo’s activation Sunday seems to indicate his recovery and rehabilitation are well ahead of schedule.
“Can you believe it?” left guard Joe Thuney said. “It’s awesome. Just a credit to him, the staff here, trainers, weight staff, everybody. It’s great to see him back on the field. Who knows what the (ultimate) timetable will be? But it’s great to see him moving in football positions again, helmet on.”
The Bears have been eager to get Trapilo work in padded practices in the coming weeks to aid his transition back into action. Still, it remains to be seen just how much of a ramp-up he’ll need to get fully acclimated back into full-speed, full-contact competition.
The Bears are deep into training camp, still looking to identify a left tackle starter. Braxton Jones had been the apparent front-runner for that role before a knee issue sidelined him two weeks ago. Jones seems to be on track to return at full speed this week ahead of the team’s trip to Cincinnati for a Thursday joint practice and preseason game Saturday evening. Jones still seems like the most likely candidate to start at left tackle in Week 1, particularly after both Kiran Amegadjie and Jedrick Wills showed inconsistency in Saturday’s preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns.
How quickly Trapilo can factor into the discussion will be interesting to monitor in the weeks ahead.
The Bears held an hour-long practice Sunday at Halas Hall, with only 44 players participating after the previous day’s preseason game. In that session, running back Kyle Monangai left the field with an apparent right knee injury after getting tangled up with defensive tackle Grady Jarrett. Monangai was in obvious discomfort for several minutes as he was tended to by the training staff but managed to walk back into the building without assistance.
