Examining the Bears' left tackle problem

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Rahimi & Grote Show 12 min 3 speakers 5 chapters transcribed

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What is the Bears' left tackle problem?

Leila Rahimi 0:01

Rahimi Harrison-Groney, middays 10-2, on 104.3 The Score.

Unknown 0:06

Ryan, with Ozzie, what is the timetable on his return, and how is that going to impact what you may or may not have to do to get a veteran option?

Mark Grote 0:14

That's part of our job. Really unfortunate because I thought he was coming along. I was looking forward to him getting his offseason. I don't have a specific timetable. I'm sure it would be somewhere deep into next year for the injury, so... Had a good conversation with him. He knows this is part of his journey he's going to have to overcome. I got a lot of faith in him and our staff to get him back ready to go whenever that is. But specific timetables, I don't have that right now.

Leila Rahimi 0:40

Yeah, Ryan Poles told the truth there, didn't he? This is Rahimi Harrison-Groney on 104.3 The Score. And that is a big issue for the Bears because when we're talking about offseason needs, suddenly two positions where I feel like we've talked about them and maybe they thought that they had dressed them. And their expensive positions are still ones that we very much are discussing. Number one is the constant discuss in need of a pass rush. You know, we've talked about Max Crosby ad nauseum. We will until anything happens. Bradley Chubb now being available. And then the other one is left tackle. And whether or not we like it. Ryan Poles is going to have to likely get a third bite at the apple when it comes to trying to draft a left tackle.

Leila Rahimi 1:28

First, it was Braxton Jones, who may be available via a one-year prove-it deal or something along those lines, but the position is very high in demand. which is part of what we know. Two is Ozzie Trapillo, who really showed progress before he was injured with an injury that can be very difficult to time. Ryan Poles did not lie to you. A torn patellar tendon, especially when you're 6'8", and you play a left tackle offensive lineman. Ozzie, of course, was on the right side before he moved to left, Mark. We know that that's something that can take a long time. Some people don't come back from it. At least Ozzie is young. And we're looking at the Bears likely having to spend draft capital on another left tackle potential yet again.

Unknown 2:12

Yeah, really, this injury sucks. Because while Ozzie Trapillo was imperfect in his time playing left tackle, it looked like he was on his way. And the Bears offensive line with Dan Rochard and Ben Johnson and all of his staff did really... really good job of compensating for the newness of these guys, including Theo Benedet. Theo Benedet needed help over there. Ozzie Drapillo needed help over there, but the trajectory was really good. Now you have to either, you're right, draft one, sign one, get creative, you know, things like, and I don't think that this is something we're going to see, but until we really see darn all right, just locked in, you know, nobody's going to move him to left tackle, then you have to think about that possibility, too.

Unknown 3:01

How important is left tackle in this offense? And is Darnell Wright somebody you start to mess with? And how much do they like somebody like Jordan McFadden, who had to play probably too much last year? And you're looking at me right now like I'm crazy to even bring up his name. But that's where they are in terms of creativity and knowing their own personnel right now.

What impact does Ozzie Trapillo's injury have on the Bears' strategy?

Leila Rahimi 3:21

Well, no, a lot of people are saying Karan Amagaji is the fourth bite. But I don't I didn't even I wasn't even thinking about I wasn't either because I don't know that they ever set out to have him be a starting left tackle. Now I know he had to start. That's that's a different discussion. But when it comes to I think sometimes, you know, I know he was a third round pick. But I feel like even then, you're probably drafting that guy, especially knowing that he was injured at the time and he played at Yale. Ivy League's a little bit different competition from, say, your Big Ten or your SEC. So I was still thinking that that was more of a developmental than it was a, you need him on the album cover, as Poles likes to say.

Leila Rahimi 4:04

But yeah, we can count him.