Bears left tackle
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 10: Head coach Ben Johnson of the Chicago Bears walks onto the field prior to the game against the Miami Dolphins during the NFL Preseason 2025 game at Soldier Field on August 10, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
The Chicago Bears have a lot to think over regarding the left tackle position.
They finally found someone who looked like he was the future at LT in Ozzy Trapilo, but he not only suffered a season-ending ruptured patellar tendon, but it could have serious long-term effects.
The Bears, knowing this, are making sure all options are available for the 2026 season, which includes re-signing Braxton Jones and Theo Benedet on one-year deals, and signing former Cleveland Browns first-round pick Jedrick Wills Jr. to a one-year deal.
Yet, despite all these moves, head coach Ben Johnson went into detail on his thoughts on the left tackle situation, with two interesting tidbits: no mention of Kiran Amegadjie, along with not ruling out drafting a left tackle during the 2026 NFL Draft.
Ben Johnson Dives In on the Left Tackle Situation
Here’s Johnson on the left tackle situation:
“That’s something that Ryan [Poles] and I always talk about. There’s a lot of ways that that could unfold. Obviously, you’d love to have your long-term starter for the next 10 years locked up. There’s a lot of uncertainty right now, though. We don’t know. Ozzy’s coming off a pretty serious injury. Not sure if we’ll have him next year or at what point he’ll come up. And so we’re going to have an opportunity right now for a lot of competition. I feel good about Braxton being in that fold. Theo being in that fold. We signed Jedrick Wills, who I think has got a lot of talent himself. He’s hungry to prove that he’s capable of being where he was drafted. And so we’re going to see what we can end up doing there. And you can’t rule out the draft either. …If there’s a tackle or a defensive tackle or a (defensive) end, I think we can go any direction we need to and stay true to that and feel pretty good about it. To give you clarity, it’s hard to say right now what that left tackle spot’s going to look like this year or five years from now.”
A lot to digest, but it’s certainly an interesting perspective from Johnson.
One note before moving on to the draft is that he did not mention Amegadjie, who was drafted in the third round back in 2024 to be the future at LT.
“It’s a shame to get rid of a player who grew up near the Windy City, but it’s pretty clear that Amegadjie isn’t in the Bears’ plans going forward,” ESPN’s Aaron Schatz wrote.
Cutting Amegadjie is a necessary move that would save around $1 million, according to OvertheCap.com.
A Potential Surprise Draft Move on the Horizon?
Kadyn Proctor
GettyKadyn Proctor of the Alabama Crimson Tide participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.
In the one draft where everyone is pleading for the Bears to go defense in the first round, could the Bears not only shock everyone by drafting an offensive prospect, but a left tackle prospect?
There’s a reason that could be the case.
Ryan Poles was the only general manager who attended Alabama’s Pro Day and kept a close eye on tackle Kadyn Proctor, and Chicago also hosted Arizona State tackle Max Iheanachor on a top 30 visit.
Both are projected late first-round picks, and both could be on the Bears’ radar.
The more likely scenario is the Bears draft a left tackle in the later rounds, considering they already invested a second-round pick in Trapilo last year.
That now gives Chicago more options than most teams have at one position on the offensive line, but in reality, it could be just two by the time the 2027 season rolls around:
Ozzy Trapilo
2026 draft pick
That’s why Johnson said “it’s hard to say right now what that left tackle spot’s going to look like this year or five years from now,” because the Bears don’t know if Jones, Benedet, Wills, or even Trapilo are long-term options.
There’s a lot to think about when looking at the left tackle position for the Bears, and there’s a strong possibility the Bears draft a LT despite having a few guys ready to battle it out for the starting spot.