The Chicago Bears made it their mission to assemble the best offensive line possible going into this season. That is hardly a surprise after allowing 68 sacks last year. Dan Roushar was the man they put in charge of that quest. Few have a stronger track record for identifying and developing offensive line talent. Pretty much everything has gone as expected this summer. Four of the five starting jobs are locked up. However, things have been slower at left tackle. Braxton Jones, Ozzy Trapilo, and Kiran Amegadjie started training camp battling for the job.
Going into Sunday’s preseason opener against Miami, it felt like the battle had narrowed to Jones and Trapilo. Apparently, what Roushar and head coach Ben Johnson saw in that game wasn’t good enough. So in a surprise twist, there was another shakeup to the competition on Wednesday. Theo Benedet, the former undrafted free agent Chicago got from Canada last year, received several reps with the first-team offense. This was the first time for him the entire camp. It was impossible to miss the significance.
If you don’t believe this is real, listen to Roushar’s comments on Jones’ performance against Miami courtesy of CHGO. It is clear as day that he’s not happy.
Dan Roushar will do whatever is necessary to assemble the five best players.
Yes, Jones is the Bears’ most experienced tackle, and yes, Trapilo is a 2nd round pick. None of that changes the bottom line. Neither has performed up to the team’s high standards. Meanwhile, Benedet has improved steadily throughout camp and didn’t allow a single pressure in 29 snaps on Sunday. He has earned this opportunity. Background doesn’t matter. Past accomplishments don’t matter. Dan Roushar knows his job. It is to ensure Caleb Williams has the best blindside protection possible. Jones and Trapilo both have the capability. Neither has found the consistency. Despite his inexperience, Benedet is rising to the occasion. This could become one of the wildest developments in recent Bears memory.
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