The wait is over and the NFL season is officially here. The Chicago Bears kickstarted the preseason with the Hall of Fame game against the Houston Texans in Canton, Ohio.
With Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze, and the starters not suiting up, Bears fans had an excellent opportunity to get a look at the rest of the roster.
After only two weeks of training camp and key members of the team not playing, the game was as sloppy as expected. The game was called when Chicago was leading 21-17 with 3:31 left in the third quarter due to inclement weather.
However, Thursday night was more important than the score. It was about individual performances and players making a case to make the 53-man final roster. Let's take a look at the Bears who did the most with that opportunity.
WR Collin Johnson
The biggest breakout player from Thursday night was 26-year-old wide receiver Collin Johnson. Despite starting the game with a dropped pass from Brett Rypien, Johnson bounced back in a big way, finishing with three catches, 56 yards, and two touchdowns.
Johnson's 27-yard leaping catch on the Bears' touchdown drive was arguably the most impressive play of the game. His ability to catch in traffic and make explosive plays stood out throughout the occasion.
What a catch by @Call_In_Johnson 🤯
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 2, 2024
📺: ESPN pic.twitter.com/K6AHRs2NqI
Chicago's starters at receiver are obviously set with Keenan Allen, DJ Moore, and Rome Odunze. Tyler Scott and Velus Jones Jr. are the favorites to be the WR4 and WR5 but Johnson leaped in front of everyone else to be the sixth receiver on the roster with his performance against the Texans.
DE Austin Booker
This is not a surprise. Bears fans have been expecting big things from their prized rookie ever since reports of him impressing in training camp surfaced.
The 21-year-old pass rusher out of Kansas was Chicago's fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. His high-pressure rate and sack numbers had caught Chicago's eye ahead of the draft. Booker showed everyone why with his performance on Thursday night.
Every snap #Bears rookie Austin Booker played against the Texans in his debut. pic.twitter.com/36jA9OimwN
— ImBearingDown (@ImBearingDown) August 2, 2024
It's important to note that it came against Houston's second and third-string offensive line, but Booker looked the part of an NFL defender. He demonstrated good athleticism, speed, and power while consistently getting good pressure. At one point, he helped Byron Cowart get a sack on his best play of the night.
On defense, rookie defensive end Austin Booker got good pressure and helped Byron Cowart notch a sack. Booker showed good get-off, bend, and power against the Texans' second and third-string offensive line.
Chicago is still looking for a starter opposite Montez Sweat. Currently, the favorite is DeMarcus Walker but Booker may be making a case for himself at training camp and preseason. Even if he isn't named the starter in Week 1, he has cemented himself as a rotation player on the edge.
QB Brett Rypien
All eyes have naturally been on Caleb Williams this offseason in Chicago. The Bears have huge expectations from their star rookie but fans didn't get a chance to look at him on Thursday night.
The QB depth behind Caleb Williams leaves plenty to be desired in Chicago. Tyson Bagent and Brett Rypien are the backup options but neither player instills too much confidence in Bears fans. However, Rypien showed that he could potentially be a reliable option in case something happened to Williams with his performance against Houston.
It's unclear whether the Bears will include both Bagent and Rypien in the 53-man roster. If they choose to just bring one, Rypien may be the favorite to take the roster spot now.
Bagent just saw one series of action while Rypien had plenty of snaps to prove his worth. The 28-year-old veteran had an excellent connection with Collin Johnson as he completed 11-of-15 passes for 166 yards, three touchdowns, and a 148.9 passer rating.
S Elijah Hicks
The 24-year-old safety Elijah Hicks was arguably the best player on the field in the first quarter of action. As Chicago got off to a slow start, Hicks kept them in the game, potentially saving a touchdown run with two minutes left in the quarter.
Two good tackles by Elijah Hicks. This one saved a TD pic.twitter.com/z6S6pBQelO
— Barroom Network - Aldo Gandia (@BarroomNetwork) August 2, 2024
Hicks only played in the first quarter and still managed to record four tackles, two of them in big plays.
The seventh-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Hicks saw an increased number of snaps last year as he played 46% of defensive snaps for the Bears. He registered 35 tackles in those limited minutes and is now looking to expand his role next season.
Hicks already had a guaranteed roster spot for next season and didn't need a brilliant individual performance to prove his worth. He is behind Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard in the rotation and the addition of Jonathan Owens this offseason could have complicated things for Hicks. But it looks like the 24-year-old defender isn't going anywhere.