Bears Camp Update: Montez Sweat looks rejuvenated, Trapilo emerging

Ariana Pensy · Correspondent · 22 hours ago

CHICAGO - It is normal in training camp for the defense to be a little ahead of the offense.

So far, that is precisely how things are playing out for the Chicago Bears as the offense has struggled with pre-snap penalties and execution.

“In terms of practice (Friday), it was red zone, some two-minute mixed in there. Thought there was really good competition across the board,” head coach Ben Johnson said. “Defense, certainly, early in practice, got the better of the offense, and then I thought the offense started clicking towards the end there.”

Pre-snap penalties were an issue last season. Right tackle Darnell Wright had five false starts last season, tied for 17th-most in the NFL last season among all offensive linemen. In total, five offensive linemen on the Bears last season had multiple false start penalties.

However, Johnson appears to be addressing this issue now so it does not linger into the regular season.

“It’s getting better. It’s not where it needs to be, though. I made a big deal (about it) last night,” Johnson said. “The center-quarterback exchange. We’ve had at least one each day and that’s high school hairy stuff that we got to get out of and (the) procedure stuff as well. That’s stuff we can clean up. The pre-snap penalties. That’s what we want to eliminate. So, we’re not there. But, (I) do feel it going down slowly.”

It should help the Bears’ offensive line to have some new faces who are generally more disciplined players. Left guard Joe Thuney played every regular-season game for the Kansas City Chiefs last season and only had one penalty.

In addition, rookie Ozzy Trapilo is an incredibly disciplined player who takes pride in not committing penalties.

Trapilo’s maturity and disciplined mentality have put him in contention for the starting left tackle position this season.

“He doesn’t speak very much. He’s like a lot of these rookies that they’re swimming and that’s a good thing. He just wants to find his way. He wants to compete, which he’s doing a great job of right now. He’s taken some lumps. The defensive line, in general, they got after the offensive line yesterday in practice and so, we’re learning. We’re growing from it,” Johnson said. “But, he is mature and when he has a miss set, he looks to correct it. (Offensive line coach) Coach (Dan) Roushar (and assistant offensive line coach) Coach (Kyle) Devan, they’re all over him on that and so, the maturity level, guys like that that have a lot of self-awareness of who they are as athletes, they tend to stick around in this league for a long time because they know what they’re good at. They know their limitations and they find a way.”

Defensively, edge rusher Montez Sweat had a drop in production last season. After having six sacks and 14 quarterback hits in his nine games with the Chicago Bears in 2023, Sweat only had 5.5 sacks and 12 quarterback hits in 15 games last year. Johnson had played against Sweat multiple times in his career and knows how destructive he can be at the line of scrimmage when he is at his best.

Further, Sweat is motivated by his performance last season to perform better this year.

“When he turns that thing on, he is hard in the pass rush game. It is hard to block him. You have to account for him. You move him around, right side, left side, makes it even more difficult because you’re looking to help your tackles out with some chips and some nudges and if you don’t know where he’s going to be, then that makes it that much harder,” Johnson said. “So, I think what I’ve seen from him, met with him in the springtime and everything that we sat down and we talked about is exactly what he’s been about. I think that speaks volumes for his character. He was very disappointed with how the season went last year, as a lot of the guys in the locker room were both individually and as a team and (felt) such a way, so compelled, that he was here throughout the springtime, which is not something that he’s done in the past. He’s committed to this team. He’s committed to getting better and so, I’ve been very pleased with what I’ve seen from him so far.”

Luckily, Chicago’s first game of the regular season is against a team Sweat has had some success against in prior years - the Minnesota Vikings. When the Bears take on the Vikings on Mon. Sept. 8 (7:15 p.m. / ABC), it most likely will also be the first regular season game Minnesota’s quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, plays in. Playing against an inexperienced quarterback could also give Sweat and the rest of the defense an advantage in the season opener.