Benson at Top of Bears' Depth Chart

After being pressed by the media, coach Lovie Smith finally admitted what everyone was waiting to hear: Cedric Benson is ahead of Thomas Jones in the starting rotation. Jones, who skipped organized team activities because of disatisfaction with his contract, also made it abundantly clear that, despite running for 1,335 yards, he was tired of having to look over his shoulder.

On Thursday, Jones broke his silence and spoke to the media for the first time since skipping voluntary team workouts and losing his job to Benson.

"Anybody who has done what I've done the last couple of years is a guy who should be a starter," Jones said. "I think I was the leader on the offense the past two years. I think I've been very productive despite some of the situations I've had to be in. I've worked hard. I've kept my mouth shut. I stay out of trouble. I do what I'm supposed to do and what the coaches ask me to do. As far as me being a starter, I was the starter the past two years. So we'll see how it goes."

Smith's policy of demoting players who hold out will also equate to Leon Joe being placed ahead of Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Brings on the depth chart, since Briggs failed to show up to OTAs. However, I don't see that lasting for too much longer.

It does not come as a surprise to me that Benson is listed ahead of Jones. What did everyone think was going to happen? GM Jerry Angelo did not use the fourth overall pick in 2004 and then throw $16 million of guaranteed money at Benson to have him occupying the end of the bench. Last year, when Jones went down with an injury, Benson came on strong. He played a prominent role in the Bears' OT thriller against Detroit, ran for 79 yards the following week versus the Saints, and then tore ligaments in his knee against the 49ers after racking up 50 yards in the first half.

Confidence is definitely not a problem for Benson. When asked whether he would eventually relinquish the job to Jones, he replied without hesitation, "No."

Through his own self-admission, Benson struggled the most in the area of pass protection. He has, however, put in many extra hours with Bears coaches to improve this aspect of his game. Ron Turner, the Bears' offensive coordinator, doesn't seem to think it's an issue anymore. "He worked hard at it and [running backs coach] Tim Spencer spent extra time with him," Turner said. "The running part of it, that comes naturally. That's easy. The protection part and passing part is what we have to put a lot of work into. And that's where he made his greatest strides."

I don't know how popular the ESPN series "Playmakers" was, but if you watched even a couple of episodes you would realize that the Benson-Jones saga mirrors what went on with the Miami Sharks, the fictitious team that the show was based upon. In "Playmakers," Leon Taylor, the veteran running back, has been demoted because hot-shot rookie Demetrius Harris was drafted to take his place. Harris shines and Taylor becomes increasingly upset as the season goes on, demanding a trade so he can have more playing time elsewhere. Anyway, I thought it was a great series, I own the DVDs to prove it, and it's amazing how the Thomas Jones situation is identical to the one on the show. I'm not sure why I felt compelled to mention that. Maybe watching the re-runs will provide everyone with a better insight into what is going on with the Bears right now.

Anyway, if Jones doesn't want to show up, then grant him his wish and send him on his merry way. As I talked about in the last Bears post, Jones is expendable and the Bears could really get a valuable piece (Ashley Lelie) to their offensive puzzle in return. I have a good feeling that Benson will have a breakout season, and the team always has Peterson, the best third-string RB in the game, to fall back on if anything goes wrong.

As for Briggs... give the man whatever he wants, well within reason of course. Just don't let him wear another uniform next year, Angelo. Trust me, you'll regret it.

Thoughts? Comments? Opinions? Is it fair for Smith to put Benson ahead of Jones? Will Benson keep the starting job or will Jones win it back? I look foward to hearing what you guys think. I'll be back tonight with only three days left until the trade deadline...