The Chicago Bears continue to fly high. They just won their fourth consecutive game, and while it wasn't necessarily easy or pretty, the fact of the matter is that they managed to get the job done at home.
Even so, that doesn't mean that they shouldn't be worried about their offensive line. More specifically, their left tackle position continues to be a bit of a headache, and it seems that Theo Benedet might not be the solution.
Theo Benedet Not the Saving Grace the Bears' O-Line Hoped For
Theo Benedet didn't look as sharp in his second start at left tackle as he did in the previous week. Caleb Williams was under a lot of pressure from start to finish, was sacked once for a loss of eight yards, and his left tackle also struggled with penalties.
Granted, one sack isn't that bad, especially considering that we're talking about a quarterback who led the league in sacks taken last season, but still, the lack of blindside protection should be a concern for this team going forward.
Benedet initially started at right tackle when Darnell Wright sustained an elbow injury before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Then, with Braxton Jones struggling so badly, he moved to the left side of the line, with rookie Ozzy Trapilo taking over at right tackle.
Ben Johnson then chose to roll with Benedet as the starting left tackle in the win over the Washington Commanders, all but confirming that he was done with Jones. Then, after his first start, Johnson had nothing but praise for his undrafted left tackle:
"I thought he has done a really solid job for us," Johnson told the media, per Nicholas Moreano. "I think the biggest compliment I could probably give him last week was I didn't feel him out there. As a play caller, that is what you're normally doing is, 'Hey, why is a play breaking down?' And if it's a particular person, then you're looking to help him out somehow, someway. I never felt that last week with him. So, I think the confidence is growing, I think his confidence is growing with his ability to perform in this league, and I think our confidence with him continues to grow as well."
Benedet is just starting his second year in the league, so there will be some growing pains. Still, with the Bears' playoff aspirations, they might be better off bolstering that position with a veteran before the trade deadline.