Chicago Bears Have An Unexpected Wrinkle Unfolding On Roster
The Chicago Bears looked like they already had their depth chart mostly set at offensive tackle. Darnell Wright is the starting right tackle. Braxton Jones and Ozzy Trapilo would battle it out at left tackle. Whoever loses would be the primary swing tackle alongside Kiran Amegadjie. However, if there is one thing we learn every year, it is never to assume anything about how the roster shakes out. The Bears have a situation unfolding at tackle they probably didn’t expect when training camp began. Now, after the first preseason game, there is no choice but to acknowledge it.
That situation is Theo Benedet.
Fans might remember he was the undrafted rookie from Canada that the Bears picked up. He earned immediate fame for his memorable striptease song during rookie initiation on Hard Knocks. Unfortunately, an injury sidelined him for the preseason, and he never got the chance to prove himself. This time around, he is taking full advantage of his opportunity. In 29 snaps on Sunday, he didn’t allow a single pressure on the quarterback. That included 13 in which he was one-on-one with no help. Outside of an unfortunate penalty, it was almost a flawless performance.
The Chicago Bears have a tough decision ahead of them.
Currently, Wright, Jones, and Trapilo are unquestioned locks for the main roster. That leaves a fourth spot up for grabs. Amegadjie felt like the obvious choice as a former 3rd round pick. The problem is he’s been injured for the past week. In that time, Benedet strung together some solid practice performances and followed it up with one in actual game action. Teams never want to give up on higher draft choices too soon, but Amegadjie is putting the Chicago Bears in a tough spot. His continued absence can’t be excused away, not when another guy gives them plenty of reasons to warrant a roster spot. While Jones vs. Trapilo is the main event of the tackle discussion, Benedet and Amegadjie might be almost as important.