Ozzy Trapilo played right tackle the last two years at Boston College but would stay after practice to work on the left side.With the Bears, he’s playing on the left side — and has a chance, depending on Braxton Jones’ health and effectiveness, to start there. The second-round rookie rotated at left tackle with Kiran Amegadjie, a third-round pick last year, during the Bears’ offseason practices. Jones, who is recovering from ankle surgery, isn’t expected to be full-go at the start of training camp.“It’s a really great opportunity,” Trapilo said Tuesday. “This is the perfect time for the coaches to do it. Rotate guys in. … There’s no pads on or anything yet, so they’re really just doing their best to get guys looks, get a feeling for it all.”He’s had to adjust to the speed of the pro game, even in practice. Playing a new position, though, has its advantages — Trapilo says he doesn’t go into a “flow state” like he would on the right side, which helps him develop new habits.“That foreign side — a little foreign — you’re able to really hone in on the minor differences that these coaches want to see,” he said. “There’s definitely benefits in that.Running out of RBs?The two most prominent veteran running backs left on the free-agent market have found homes — and not with the Bears. Former Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins agreed to sign a one-year deal with the Broncos on Tuesday, one day after Nick Chubb joined the Texans.The Bears considered drafting a running back — and might have, had Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson not been picked by the Patriots one spot ahead of the Bears’ 39th selection.The free-agent market has since dried up — Dobbins and Chubb were the only running backs left on Pro Football Focus’ list of best available players.The Bears, though, have maintained that they like their running back room the way it is — with D’Andre Swift starting in front of Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer, Ian Wheeler and seventh-round rookie Kyle Monangai. Johnson singled out Monangai as one of the players who had impressed him the most this offseason.Still not signedThe Bears signed five of their draft picks May 8 — all but the three players they took in Round 2.More than a month later, receiver Luther Burden III, defensive tackle Shemar Turner and Trapilo remain unsigned.“That’s really a job for my agent — he keeps me in the loop,” Trapilo said. “There’s no tension or anything. The situation is pretty unique.”Here’s what makes it so: last month, the Texans gave receiver Jayden Higgins, the second pick in Round 2, the first-ever fully guaranteed contract for a second-round pick. The Browns followed suit with linebacker Carson Schweisinger, the first pick of Round 2. No one else in Round 2 has signed while their agents push for a similar guaranteed salary structure.The salary itself is codified by the Collective Bargaining Agreement.No restHead coach Ben Johnson plans to spend a lot of his players’ summer break inside Halas Hall. Even as an assistant, he viewed it as a time to get ahead.“I think you can get some creative juices flowing as you start studying some of the tapes from around the league and some other places, maybe college ball,” he said. “I’ve had a process that I’m committed to. I’ll be in and out of the office a good bit. And at the same time probably get away.”He’s excited to — his family is moving to town after staying back in Michigan the past few months.
When the Bears hired Ben Johnson, he vowed to make quarterback Caleb Williams uncomfortable. On the eve of the Bears’ last OTA practice — the team breaks for summer after Wednesday’s session — Johnson sounded like he’d accomplished just that.
By Patrick Finley
If Odunze is going to become the star receiver the Bears think he can be, now is the year to show it. He’s not a rookie anymore, and neither is quarterback Caleb Williams.
By Patrick Finley
Coach Ben Johnson was watching to see which linemen caught the ball.
By Patrick Finley