The Chicago Bears haven't made a decision at left tackle, and Wednesday's practice only created more confusion. For the past several days, it felt like the position was down to a battle between veteran Braxton Jones and rookie 2nd round pick Ozzy Trapilo. However, that got thrown for a loop when Trapilo spent more time at right tackle in practice while Jones split time with former undrafted free agent Theo Benedet. It was the latest sign that the coaching staff still hasn't reached a decision.
League insider Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda added more intrigue to the mix. His report on the Bears' situation revealed a belief inside Halas Hall that Jones still isn't fully healthy. They can't be sure when that will change, as his inconsistency remains frustrating. Trapilo has been fine, but Ben Johnson and Dan Roushar are reluctant to start a rookie at left tackle. That is when Pauline dropped a fascinating nugget. Apparently, the team quietly loved Kiran Amegadjie and hoped he could win the job outright.
Durability has been an issue for Amegadjie, the team's third-round pick out of Yale in 2024. Highly rated by NFL scouts, he missed most of his senior season in college due to a serious thigh injury and was sidelined recently due to an unrelated leg strain. As a rookie last year, Amegadjie dressed for six games and started one. The coaching staff hopes Amegadjie can compete for the starting job, if not win it outright, as he's incredibly athletic and stands out in pass protection, but he must stay healthy.
The Chicago Bears have always seen what Amegadjie can be.
By all accounts, he started strong in training camp, trading equal reps with Jones and Trapilo on the starting offense. Then he suffered a leg injury that knocked him out for over a week. That precious missed practice time completely derailed any momentum Amegadjie may have had. It is the same problem that haunted him last year, coming into the league with a quad injury that took time to heal. By the time he returned, the season was already underway. This training camp represented his golden opportunity, and he got hurt at the worst possible time. He now must catch up on learning the new offense, hence the work with the third team.
Meanwhile, Benedet seized his chance to get more reps. Now, there is a legitimate possibility that he could push Amegadjie off the roster entirely. The former 3rd round pick has two weeks to stop that from happening.
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