Finding success in the NFL isn’t just about hitting your high draft picks. That is obviously important, but the league is comprised of many players who come from more humble backgrounds. You’ll often find the best teams routinely find quality players on the undrafted market. The Chicago Bears were dead silent on that front for years. However, they appear to have found more success lately. Two of them came through big time on Sunday against the Raiders. Josh Blackwell got most of the fanfare for his blocked field goal to win the game.
Yet the biggest unsung hero was Theo Benedet. The former undrafted free agent from British Columbia was a forgotten name. Then he emerged as part of the left tackle competition late in training camp. Now he’s the team’s swing tackle and showcased why on Sunday. Former offensive lineman Brian Baldinger believes the Bears may have themselves a gem.
Just listen to the way head coach Ben Johnson talks about him.
It isn’t hard to see why the young tackle is rising up the ranks so fast. He has two qualities the Bears recognized immediately that made him valuable.
“(Benedet) is a really good run blocker first and foremost,” Johnson said. “I think it probably took him just a minute to settle in. It didn’t matter which side it was going to be on: right or left. I think he’s equally proficient at either one. He’s just had such a good spring and summer for us that I’ve got a lot of confidence there. There are just a few times there in pass protection that we got out of our balance just a little bit where we got a little top-heavy and our head was out in front of our rear end there. We got to clean that but, no, I really think he’s going to continue to learn.”
The Chicago Bears are willing to look past Benedet’s faults.
One of the biggest reasons teams were reluctant to buy into his length. His arms are only 31 or 32 inches long. That is extremely short for an NFL tackle. To overcome it, he’d have to be a great athlete with near-flawless fundamentals. To his credit, Benedet checks the first box and has made big strides in the second. He’s played 53 snaps across three games this season, allowing only two pressures on the quarterback. He has the nasty demeanor this coaching staff wants. With Braxton Jones struggling, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Bears just kept Benedet at left tackle moving forward. Much depends on how committed they are to getting Ozzy Trapilo on the field. We’ll know more after the bye week.
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