Injuries derail the Bears' left tackle. A massive 6'8" college prospect emerges as a potential solution to fill the void.
The Chicago Bears have to face the reality that Ozzy Trapilo is going to be out for a considerable amount of time with his patellar injury in his left knee.
The Bears had their fair share of inconsistency at left tackle in 2025. First, Braxton Jones started the year there before being benched in favor of former undrafted free agent Theo Benedet.
Benedet was the left tackle until Week 12, when he sustained an injury ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers game that left him unable to play. Trapilo faced the tough task of stopping T.J. Watt and the Steelers' pass rush and held his own.
Pittsburgh managed only one sack, as the Bears won 31-28. From then on, the Bears had found their left tackle.
Trapilo held down the left side of the offensive line with guard Joe Thuney for the remainder of the season. Then, everything changed in the playoffs.
The Bears had an incredible 31-27 comeback win over the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card, but Trapilo and linebacker T.J. Edwards both suffered season-ending injuries.
Things went from bad to worse after General Manager Ryan Poles revealed that Trapilo may not be able to play again until late into the 2026 season.
This puts the Bears in an interesting position. When healthy, Trapilo was a very solid left tackle.
However, getting some help at the position until then definitely wouldn't hurt. Chicago has already re-signed Benedet, but Jones is still set to become a free agent on March 11.
The team could look in free agency for a veteran left tackle, but there is also the option of getting help through the 2026 NFL Draft.
One player who could help is Oregon offensive tackle Isaiah World. World comes in at 6-foot-8, 318 pounds. He allowed one sack, 11 total pressures and one quarterback hit in 741 snaps for the Ducks in 2025.
The Bears currently have the No. 25 overall pick in the draft, but may not need to use it on World. A mock draft from CBS Sports' Garrett Podell didn't have World being selected in the first round.
For reference, Trapilo was one of the Bears' second-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, so they don't necessarily have to find a replacement in the first 32 selections.
It's a tough position that the Bears are in, but General Manager Ryan Poles has proven he knows what he's doing in the draft.