The Bears had a serious Maxx Crosby problem in the first half of Sunday’s win. Crosby was wreaking havoc and doing whatever he wanted. Something had to change, and the Bears made a bold move: they benched Braxton Jones and turned to rookie tackle Ozzy Trapilo. Here’s how he held up in his NFL debut.
Ozzy Trapilo vs. Raiders
- 26 pass-blocking reps
- 0 sacks allowed
- 0 QB hits allowed
- 2 QB pressures allowed
Not bad at all for coming in during the 2nd quarter against one of the league’s most dangerous pass rushers. Former Bears star Kyle Long even gave Ozzy some love for how he handled being thrown into the fire.
“Ozzy looked patient in his sets and had a plan. When he had help in the form of a chip or double from the tight end, he helped his guard for as long as necessary. Part of the game is understanding where to help—and just as important, when to leave the guy you’re helping. He seems to get it.”
The Bears rolled with two young players—Trapilo and Theo Benedet—and both put some strong tape out there in a tough environment. These are exactly the kinds of developments you want from your young core. Braxton Jones has been serviceable at times, but he’s also been a major liability. That’s why seeing Ozzy step in and possibly already show a higher floor is such a big deal. Add in the fact that Darnell Wright will be back soon, and the Bears have plenty of encouraging signs as they head into the bye week.
