Olin Kreutz knows a thing or two about humble beginnings. As a native of Hawaii, he knew the odds of reaching the NFL were long. Players from that faraway state didn’t often make it to the pros. Kreutz was determined to beat the odds. He worked his tail off for years, suffering through many hard days, and ultimately became a 3rd-round pick. Then he became a six-time Pro Bowler with the Chicago Bears. So if anybody can appreciate who Theo Benedet is, it’s the former center.
Kreutz has a track record of being critical of the offensive line play in Chicago, as one would expect. He doesn’t pull punches when offering his analysis. Your origin story doesn’t matter to him. He was skeptical when the Bears decided to bench Braxton Jones last month in favor of Theo Benedet, a former undrafted free agent with no experience. However, it sounds like his tune has changed. After watching the Canadian blocker in his first start against Washington, Kreutz can see why Ben Johnson and the coaches love him.
Benedet isn’t perfect, but it’s clear as day that nobody works harder or plays harder than him.
Kreutz can already see why the Chicago Bears love him.
Sometimes it’s not about measurables. Benedet has short arms. Conventional wisdom says they should be at least 33 inches long. His are below 32. However, he’s got the size, strength, and athleticism for the position. History says that if a player with shorter arms has good fundamentals, he can function just fine in the NFL. It sounds like Benedet understands that reality. His one persistent problem is the tendency to duck his head when blocking. This is something that can be challenging to correct. The hope is that more playing time and experience will help him work through it.
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The benefits are already showing up. He’s a much better run blocker than Jones was, and he does a good job of keeping himself in front of pass rushers. Olin Kreutz thinks these are good things to work with. If things progress as hoped, the Chicago Bears may have one of their best finds on the undrafted market in years.
