The Bears' tackle situation entered a new phase when they started looking at Theo Benedet more playing the left side and put Kiran Amegadjie to the right side for practices.

It seems like a rather late point to be experimenting but last year's left tackle battle, when Ozzy Trapilo was a rookie, included a move of Benedet to the left side late as they needed to see something.

This is a move done entirely with the backup situation in mind for the season. They're not planning to start Benedet. Braxton Jones is practicing with starters and Trapilo is waiting in the wings, working toward a time when his leg is strong enough so he can actually practice again. He isn't really practicing right now and is only doing pre-practice stretching and individual skills work.

What the Bears really need to see is if Benedet has improved enough since his second season as a pass blocker on the left side to trust him as a backup. Last year they wouldn't start him in the playoff game against the Rams after Trapilo's knee injury and moved Joe Thuney to block Jared Verse.

Why Benedet rates a strong chance

They could keep either Jedrick Wills Jr. or Kiran Amegadjie now, but Benedet's speed and athletic ability is greater and he can be a great asset if his fundamentals have improved enough to think he is a better option.

“I think when we looked at last year with him as a whole, it was this guy's an asset in the running game," coach Ben Johnson said just before Thursdays' practice with the Bengals. "We like how he runs off the ball. He plays with good pad level and body lean. And he's able to displace defenders.

"It was the pass pro that was just a little bit behind. And so, that was really his mission throughout the offseason was to make sure he's in the right body position to where he's not leaning forward in pass pro."

So, is he? More will be known in the Bengals game but they've seen positive evidence.

"He's still punching with his hands," Johnson said. "I think we've seen a guy that's in better positions fundamentally to where he's not lunging and getting beat the way he was a year ago. We're really encouraged with what that looks like.

"Most of those snaps so far have been on the right side. We want to take a look at what that's going to be on the left side and how that translates. But for all these guys that have been here going into the second year now, you can feel them. They're not thinking as much about what we're asking them to do schematically. And so, they're able to hone in on those fundamentals a little bit more, and we've been encouraged with what we've seen from them.”

The last comment is a key. It explains coaches were saying last week that the linemen who were with the team last are moving quickly, and moving quicker is something Wills needs to do.

As it now stands, Trapilo is not going to be ready for playing on opening day. Even the most optimistic projections couldn't place him in the starting lineup by then. After he starts to join the team in plays, then they can begin to think about a time when they would have their starter back.

In the meantime, Braxton Jones returned to practices on Monday and Tuesday at Halas Hall and was fine with the starters. He's working there with the first team in Cincinnati at this position.

It's all for backup now

The rest of the tackle battle is merely for backup roles on the roster and it seems they've given Benedet the opportunity to show why he should be the player with versatility enough to swing back and forth as a fourth tackle behind Jones, Darnell Wright, and eventually Trapilo.

Keeping five tackles on a roster usually isn't realistic unless one is also a proven guard/center.

It's the week past when Johnson said he wanted the left tackle situation resolved.

Fortunately for the Bears, they seem to be zeroing in more now on the backup spot because it's apparent Jones is healthy enough and the starter for Day 1, barring another injury like he had earlier in camp.

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