Theo Benedet is the Chicago Bear With the Most on the Line Against Tennessee

NFL teams generally prefer position battles to be wrapped up by the final preseason contest. Those in-game situations are ideally reserved for players jockeying for backup roles. They're usually for roster-bubble players to prove their worth to their respective teams.

However, position battles occasionally come down to the wire and don't get decided until late August. That's the case with the Bears' left tackle position this season (just as it was last year).

Bears offensive tackle Theo Benedet is not fighting for a roster spot. The Canadian Eagle has long been favored as the team's top option at swing tackle, and his roster spot was all but locked up with Jedrick Wills Jr. and Kiran Amegadjie floundering in the preseason opener against Cleveland.

Nevertheless, you could make a strong case that he's the Chicago Bears player with the most on the line entering the preseason finale against the Titans.

The left tackle competition is still wide open

Braxton Jones on the practice field — Jul 31, 2026; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears offensive tackle Braxton Jones (70) walks on the field during Training Camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bears head coach Ben Johnson expected the left tackle position to be wrapped up by this point. He said as much when speaking to the media on August 6.

"We're hoping by the middle of next week we'll have a lot of clarity there, we're going to continue to roll guys through," Johnson said. "Kiran has certainly take some reps over there, Jedrick and Theo are also in the mix. This is not a done deal by any stretch of the imagination."

Unfortunately, the only clarity that he received was that they couldn't wait for Ozzy Trapilo to get healthy. He also added that they might still be evaluating the position into the season if necessary. Based on comments he made on Tuesday, it seems like that might be the case.

"That's still an ongoing spot, it's still a hot spot for us," Johnson said. "I don't know that we are 100% sold on who that guy is going to be for Carolina yet. We're going to still work through it. That's where today is going to be huge for us, Thursday is going to be huge for us, and Saturday is going to be huge for us as well."

Reading between the lines, the coaching staff probably thought veteran Braxton Jones would've run away with the job. Much like Wills and Amegadjie did the week before him, he fell well below expectations against Cincinnati. Backup defensive lineman Cedric Johnson made him look like a turnstile a few times.

Braxton Jones my goodness man pic.twitter.com/HW2agfAFlT
— Dave (@davebftv) August 22, 2026

Meanwhile, Benedet didn't exactly thrive. However, he played significantly better than Jones in the matchup. Pro Football Focus gave him a 62.5 overall grade, while Jones bottomed out with a grade of 36.2. While PFF grades aren't always the most reliable, they clearly backed up the eye test in this case.

Benedet will be looking for a new deal next offseason

Theo Benedet and Kiran Amegadjie on the field — Jul 31, 2026; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie (72) and offensive tackle Theo Benedet (79) walk on the field during Training Camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The fact that Benedet is playing out a one-year deal with Chicago is the biggest reason why Saturday night's game against Tennessee will be incredibly important for him. If he wins the left tackle job outright, it could be his until Ozzy Trapilo is ready to return to the lineup. If he plays well, they might even take their time with easing Trapilo back into action.

While Benedet hasn't shown nearly enough to break the bank next offseason, he's still only 24 years old. He can fortify his status as an intriguing option on the open market if he holds his own over however many games he starts for Chicago.

He signed a one-year deal worth just over $1 million this offseason. For comparison's sake, Braxton Jones signed a one-year deal for $5 million, with a maximum of $10 million with incentives. Yes, Jones was a full-time starter over his first few years, but he was far from elite.

Benedet isn't likely to receive an incentivized deal, but a $5 to $6 million deal isn't out of the question. It certainly is if he doesn't beat Jones out for the starting job, though. He'd be looking at a contract in the range of the one he signed this offseason (which is near-veteran minimum salary) if that comes to fruition.

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