Ryan Poles Gives a Positive Injury Update On All But One Player

It sounds like the Bears will have (almost) all hands on deck for the start of the 2026 NFL season.

Aug 26, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles looks on before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images | Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

The Bears dealt with a myriad of injuries this season. However, they were at least fortunate that most of the injuries won't bleed into next season.

When speaking to the media at the year-end press conference today, he confirmed that all of the players injured earlier in the year are on the road to recovery and will be back in time for the start of next season.

He also provided more good news on the T.J. Edwards front, as the linebacker should be back in time for training camp. That was the most surprising update of the bunch, as Edwards suffered a fractured fibula in last week's win over Green Bay in the Wild Card Round. With it being so late in the year, there were questions surrounding his availability for the start of next season.

He also said that Shemar Turner, Dayo Odeyingbo, Zah Frazier, Terell Smith, and Kiran Amegadjie are all on track to return for training camp. Frazier is the only one who was previously a question mark in that regard (although his recent update regarding the situation was a positive sign), and it's great to hear that he is in a good spot going forward. His chances of making the roster will increase significantly if the team is unable to bring Nahshon Wright back this offseason.

Unfortunately, his comments regarding left tackle Ozzy Trapilo were less optimistic. He said that he should be back at some point late next season.

Ryan Poles said about Ozzy Trapilo that his injury recovery timetable will take him deep into next year.

I expect the Bears to look at veteran option at LT on a short term deal as opposed to using your 1st round pick on one to be the answer there for 2026.

— Greg Braggs Jr. (@GBraggsJr23) January 21, 2026

While that's far from ideal, it's also not exactly promising. Like Edwards, he also got hurt last week against the Packers. Unlike Edwards, he suffered a torn patellar injury. That requires a much longer injury timeline. He would still probably miss part of next season even if he had suffered the injury early this season.

The torn patellar injury may be one of the worst that a player could suffer from a recovery perspective, but we've still seen players bounce back strong from it. In fact, Chiefs rookie Josh Simmons played extremely well this season despite suffering the injury during his final college football season.

While Trapilo won't be ready for the start of next season, it's far too early to write him off as a future starter. He showed significant promise since taking over the starting left tackle job in Week 12, and I'm sure they hope the former second-round pick can return to the lineup when healthy.

With that said, keeping Caleb Williams upright is paramount. Whether it be through the draft or in free agency, the Bears will still need to prioritize the left tackle position this offseason. They can't have a band-aid blocking the franchise QB's blindside.

More Chicago Bears News

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• Superlatives for the Chicago Bears' 2025 NFL Season

• We just got a hint at which safety the Bears will prioritize resigning this offseason

• The Bears' season may be over, but their future appears (very) bright

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