The Facts: Demonstrating tenacity and an excellent work ethic while practicing with the first team, the 2005 first-round pick is earning more respect from veteran teammates with each passing day. "I think he's being accepted more by his teammates each day they see him come out here," said Lovie Smith. "They're starting to see what type of player he can be."

Diehards Line:With Thomas Jones recovering from a strained hamstring and Tony Hollings no longer with the team, the Bears are down to three running backs in Benson, Adrian Peterson and P.J. Pope. As a result, Benson has been a workhorse so far in training camp. ... In recent practices, Benson has done an exceptional job of catching the ball out of the backfield, something he struggled with at times during off-season workouts.