Theo Benedet disappeared from the radar after he suffered his injury last year, ending his season. Most figured he'd just become a fun memory from the Chicago Bears' Hard Knocks episodes. That was especially true when the coaching staff that helped recruit him as an undrafted free agent was fired. However, things have a funny way of working out. While the left tackle competition was stuck in the mud during training camp, head coach Ben Johnson took notice of the work Benedet put in. There were clear signs of progress. It was enough to help him win the swing tackle job as the primary backup to Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright.
Just a few weeks later, Jones was benched during a rough showing in the first half against Las Vegas. Benedet was inserted as the Bears' new starting left tackle. It was an ascent nobody saw coming. Since then, he has kept a firm grip on the job through three straight wins. One person who's kept a close watch on his progress is former offensive lineman Brian Baldinger. He's surprised at how much progress Benedet has already made, especially in the running game. The Bears may have discovered one.
The numbers back Theo Benedet up too.
ESPN released its latest update on player win rates this season. Theo Benedet currently ranks 5th in the NFL among offensive tackles in run-block win rate. In 90 snaps, he has 73 "wins." He is sandwiched between Bernhard Raimann and Taylor Moton, two established veterans and former high draft choices. That is incredible work considering where things began for him a few months ago. It once again shows that good football players come from any and all backgrounds. The Bears deserve credit for giving him a shot.
Moving forward, his obvious goal is to improve his pass protection. Last Sunday's game against New Orleans showed that he has a lot of work to do. Veteran rushers like Cam Jordan and Chase Young managed to expose some of his weaknesses. He still has fundamental issues to fix. That should come with time and experience. If Baldinger is right, don't expect this to suddenly go away. Benedet is a player.
