Bears Hard Knocks star could be forced off the roster due to an injury.
One of the stars of HBO’s “Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears,” Theo Benedet, might not be in Chicago for very long. After the Bears’ “Hard Knocks” premiered on August 7, Benedet gained recognition on social media. He demonstrated his Canadian heritage as a former University of British Columbia player by doing a karaoke rendition of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” during the team’s rookie initiation talent show.
Benedet’s choice to play the song shirtless and change into a Speedo with a bald eagle midway through his performance was what truly garnered him attention. It provided a delightful behind-the-scenes glimpse at the Bears and made for fantastic television.
Regretfully, the episode also took a dark turn for Benedet. The program disclosed that Benedet had an injury during the Bears’ August 1 preseason game against the Houston Texans when he inadvertently performed the splits while blocking for the field goal unit. In one of the last moments of the show, the Bears then talked about the severity of his injury.
He pulled his right hamstring executing the splits near the finish. It was MRI’d this morning. According to Andre Tucker, executive director of sports medicine and athlete health for the Bears, “he has a Grade 2 strain.” “We think this will take at least four, if not five weeks, to complete, so that means he won’t be back until the end of camp.”
Injury to Theo Benedet Reduces Prospects of Making Roster Although Benedet is still listed as a member of the Bears’ 90-man roster, it is highly improbable that he will make the 53-man roster in 2024 given his injury and the team’s diagnosis.
If the Bears’ estimation of Benedet’s ailment is accurate, he will miss the rest of training camp while he heals from his injury. As a rookie offensive lineman, Benedet already had a difficult time making the squad as a depth player. “Availability is everything,” according to head coach Matt Eberflus, and if Benedet is unable to practise alongside the other offensive tackles, he will automatically lose out.
If the Bears think Benedet has potential, they have a few choices. They can wait things out and see if he heals faster than anticipated, which might allow him to practise a couple more times or possibly participate in the final preseason game on August 22 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Benedet’s injury designation may potentially be waived by the Bears, who would then assume the risk of him being cleared by waivers and going back on their injured reserve list. The Bears must remove Benedet in order to make room for him to go through the waiver wire because he is not a vested veteran who has spent at least four seasons in the NFL. However, if no other team claims him, he automatically goes back on their injured reserve list.
The Bears will then have the choice to either waive Benedet with an injury settlement allowing him to re-enter free agency and select a new team, or retain him on injured reserve for the balance of the 2024 season.
Additional Lessons From the Bears’ Premiere on “Hard Knocks” One of the most famous plots in the inaugural “Hard Knocks” episode involved Benedet’s Speedo-flashing karaoke performance and the injuries that followed. However, during the 55-minute first episode of the five-part series, there were other intriguing aspects about the Bears. Here are some additional Bears insights from the August 6 debut of “Hard Knocks”:
1.) During the episode, Eberflus’s old coach and mentor, Nick Saban, spoke with the Bears’ third-year head coach behind closed doors. At one occasion, Saban gave Eberflus advice on how to develop quarterbacks, telling him to constantly stand behind the quarterbacks during practice so he could keep a close eye on them and listen to them. Following that, the show moved to Eberflus directly behind rookie Caleb Williams on the practice field, suggesting that the head coach of defence is getting his new starter involved straight away.
2.) DJ Moore was greeted with calm humility when he signed the highest contract in the Bears’ history, a four-year, $110 million contract extension. When Moore was summoned to Bears general manager Ryan Poles’ office on July 30 towards the close of practice, he was beaming. However, he returned to work right away and joined his teammates to witness the final walk-throughs of the day. It’s understandable why the Bears were so adamant about having him around for the long haul. Moore was also heard on a microphone stating, “That’s a mood alterer.” One less item to be concerned about.
3.) Kelly Eberflus, the wife of the Bears head coach, served as the model for her husband’s 2024 style shift. When Matt Eberflus turned up to the 2024 NFL Combine in February, he had a new haircut and beard, a look she supported and which received a lot of positive feedback on social media. Well done, Kelly!