Chicago Bears second-year lineman Theo Benedet will start at left tackle against the Washington Commanders on Monday night at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md. Coach Ben Johnson confirmed the move Saturday.
The Bears are making a change from veteran Braxton Jones, who has 44 NFL starts under his belt, to Benedet, who was an undrafted rookie in 2024 coming out of the University of British Columbia. The move was somewhat expected after the Bears benched Jones in favor of Benedet during the Week 4 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Even so, Johnson was keeping his thoughts about left tackle close to the vest. Asked on Tuesday about his plans at the position, the coach gave a somewhat cryptic answer.
“We have a good idea of who our left tackle is going to be,” he said without providing any further details.
Asked again Saturday, Johnson grinned for a long moment before deciding what he wanted to say.
“It’ll be Theo,” Johnson said.
This will be Benedet’s second career start and his first at left tackle. He started the Raiders game at right tackle before moving over to the left side late in the second quarter. Benedet played the entire second half at left tackle, while rookie Ozzy Trapilo entered the lineup at right tackle and Jones watched from the sideline.
“They said you’ll be the starter this week and to go out there and compete and show them what you can do,” Benedet, 23, said. “Obviously I have every intention of playing for as long as I can there, so that’s what I’m going to do.”
The starting left tackle job was one of the few true position battles heading into training camp in July. Initially, the front-runners appeared to be the trio of Jones, Trapilo and second-year tackle Kiran Amegadjie.
Benedet was something of an afterthought. A year earlier, he was a brief star on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” before an injury ended his 2024 training camp prematurely. Benedet wound up spending the entire season on the practice squad.
Chicago Bears offensive linemen Theo Benedet, left, and Ozzy Trapilo participate in a drill during practice at Halas Hall on June 10, 2025, in Lake Forest. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
But ever since the new coaching staff arrived in January, Johnson has been intrigued by Benedet’s potential. Benedet is 6-foot-7, 304 pounds, but aside from his sheer size, the Bears really like his foot speed and toughness.
As organized team activities went along in the spring, the coaches gave Benedet more chances at left tackle.
“When I first started playing on the left in OTAs, I really didn’t have much experience playing there in my career,” Benedet said. “So it just took me a little bit to get comfortable. Get in a stance on that side, get out of a stance on that side. And then kind of late in camp and these first few weeks (of the regular season) I could really focus on individual, technical aspects of it that I think has led to this.”
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Benedet earned some reps at left tackle with the starters midway through camp in August, which turned some heads. Offensive line coach Dan Roushar indicated this week that Benedet has improved a lot in just a few months.
“(He’s) growing every day,” Roushar said. “He works at it. He asks good questions when things aren’t the way you want them to be. He’s a pretty quick learner, quick study, and so you’re encouraged by that.”
Jones wound up winning the starting job coming out of camp, but Johnson left the door open to a possible switch at the Week 5 bye week.
That exact scenario has played out. Benedet will now prepare to protect quarterback Caleb Williams’ blind side against a Commanders defensive front that pressures opposing QBs at a high level.
Things change fast in the NFL, and injuries play a part. Benedet knows he will have to prove himself again and again if he’s going to keep the job.
“You definitely have to defend it every play,” Benedet said. “We have a really talented group, not only in this locker room but in the NFL generally. That’s one of the first things you learn is as soon as you’re in this building, they’re trying to replace you.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/11/chicago-bears-theo-benedet-washington-commanders/
