Windy City Gridiron
Coming out of the Bears’ Week 4 win over the Raiders on Sunday, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune stated in a Tuesday column that Chicago is expected to start Theo Benedet over Braxton Jones at left tackle.
Specifically, Biggs mentioned that Jones is not expected to start at left tackle when the Bears play the Commanders in two weeks coming out of the bye. He added that Benedet, who took over midgame as the left tackle against the Raiders, is “the likely replacement”.
It’s been a rough start to the year for Jones, who has been the Bears’ primary starting left tackle since he was selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Through four games, he has allowed two sacks, 11 hurries, and 15 pressures, per PFF. He has a 55.0 PFF offensive grade, making him below-average for his position by their grading scale. For reference, he graded at an above-average 77.4 in 2024.
Benedet, who turns 24 in October, was an undrafted free agent signing out of British Columbia in 2024. A two-time J.P. Metras Award winner as the best down lineman in U Sports football, Benedet was an accomplished lineman at the Canadian collegiate level before entering the NFL. He sat on the Bears’ practice squad last season and made the 53-man roster after strong showings in training camp and the preseason.
In his first extended playing time in the league, Benedet played 40 snaps at left tackle and 28 snaps at right tackle on Sunday. He fared much better on the left side, allowing two pressures at right tackle before switching sides and not allowing a single pressure in pass protection from that point on.
Chicago’s offensive line performed better against Las Vegas with Benedet on the left side as opposed to the right, with second-round rookie Ozzy Trapilo sliding in as the new right tackle in relief of the injured Darnell Wright. It remains to be seen if Wright will be available for the Bears’ matchup against Washington, or if the rookie Trapilo will work his way back out there two Mondays from this writing.
