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Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
7 Instant takeaways from the Bears' 24-24 tie with the Dolphins
The first game of the preseason is in the books for the Chicago Bears, and it was an interesting one to say the least. The Bears welcomed the Miami Dolphins to Soldier Field on Sunday and left the game with a 24-24 tie. Both teams had scoring chances late with their reserve players but squandered them as time slowly ticked away. The Bears decided to sit most of the starters, including quarterback Caleb Williams, in Ben Johnson's head coaching debut. The backups provided some big moments on offense and defense, and we saw a few position battles up close for the first time. Here are our instant takeaways from Sunday's preseason game: 1. The backup QB competition isn't ending anytime soon Third-year quarterback Tyson Bagent got the start on Sunday, but that doesn't mean he's a lock to remain Caleb Williams' top backup. Bagent had an up-and-down day throughout the first half, with multiple three-and-outs, as well as an interception. He also orchestrated a long touchdown drive with decisive throws. Case Keenum, meanwhile, showed he can still sling the ball in the second half with two touchdown passes, including a beautiful rainbow ball to Jahdae Walker. Bagent finished the day going 13-for-19 with 103 yards, a touchdown, and a pick, with a passer rating of 77.3, while Keenum completed 8-of-10 passes for 80 yards, two touchdowns, and a passer rating of 139.6. Each player brings something different to the huddle, and no one is pulling away anytime soon. We'll see what the final two preseason games bring over the next couple of weeks. 2. Noah Sewell and Austin Booker fit this defense well The front seven of the Bears' defense had a great day overall, but two players in particular stood out for their performances. Linebacker Noah Sewell made a big impact on the first couple drives, stuffing the Dolphins' ball carriers on multiple occasions in the red zone. His best play came on fourth down when he dropped Jaylen Wright for a loss at the goal line. Sewell's best ability coming out of the draft was his downfield tackling, and that was on display Sunday. He could have a nice role in Dennis Allen's defense. Sewell finished with six total tackles, with one for a loss. The other standout defensive player was Austin Booker after he tormented the Dolphins' offensive line all day. Booker notched three sacks and three tackles for loss, including a forced fumble that led to a Bears touchdown. He added more mass this offseason and looks better equipped to handle offensive tackles in the NFL in Year 2. Booker has a good chance to become the rotational pass rush specialist behind Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo. 3. Cairo Santos isn't going anywhere While the Bears brought in another kicker to training camp, Cairo Santos' job never really seemed to be in jeopardy. After Sunday's preseason game, it's clear he isn't going anywhere. Santos kicked in the first half, and undrafted rookie Jonathan Kim took over in the second half. Santos converted his only extra point attempt but stood out with a 57-yard field goal as time expired to end the first half. Had it been a regular season game, Santos would have set a new career long. The biggest knock surrounding Santos isn't his accuracy; it's his leg strength. The previous coaching regime didn't send him out to attempt long field goals too often. If he can add a couple of yards to his range, Santos will be even more valuable to the Bears in 2025. 4. Kyle Monangai has some pop but still has work to do Rookie running back Kyle Monangai got the start on Sunday, giving him a prime opportunity to show what he can do at the pro level. What we saw was a rookie running back who has the physical tools to be an impactful runner in between the tackles. Monangai totaled 30 rushing yards on six carries and broke multiple tackles in the first half. His pass protection, however, still needs work. Monangai struggled to pick up and contain blitzing defenders when he was asked, something that isn't uncommon for rookie running backs. It's just a reminder that he has to earn Johnson's trust by progressing but still has a ways to go before he can be trusted in high-leverage situations in the regular season. 5. Ozzy Trapilo came out ahead of Braxton Jones at left tackle Arguably the biggest position battle on the Bears at this point is at left tackle between Braxton Jones and rookie Ozzy Trapilo. Both players saw extended periods on the field with mixed results. Jones got the start and had some solid stretches against the Dolphins' defensive line. He also had a few questionable reps that could have been disastrous. Trapilo, on the other hand, was more consistent and held his own throughout the day. It's just one game, and the Bears aren't in a hurry to declare a winner at the position just yet. Still, seeing positive results from Trapilo this early is encouraging and could give him a leg up on the competition. 6. Jahdae Walker stood out at wide receiver There is always one receiver who makes an early impact in the preseason as a journeyman veteran or undrafted rookie. Many believed JP Richardson would be that player on Sunday, but instead it was Jahdae Walker. The rookie out of Texas A&M led the Bears with 41 receiving yards and had one of the plays of the day when he caught Keenum's touchdown pass in the second half. Walker had an outstanding week of practice and could be coming on at just the right time. He's still a long shot to make the roster, but he could easily secure a practice squad spot with more big plays. Let's see how it goes the rest of the way, but it's clear he has a nice connection with Keenum. "I really trust Jahdae in the short time I've gotten to know him," Keenum said after the game via ESPN's Courtney Cronin. 7. The navy end zones need to become permanent The Bears opened up the preseason with a new look in the end zones and they look really nice. Hopefully it's a permanent change for the entire year. Might as well change some things up to create better vibes at home, right? This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 7 Instant takeaways from the Bears' 24-24 tie with the Dolphins
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
WATCH: Bears QB Tyson Bagent finds Maurice Alexander for impressive touchdown
It took until the second quarter, but the Chicago Bears got their first touchdown of the preseason against the Miami Dolphins. After an inauspicious start under quarterback Tyson Bagent, the offense finally got going during their third drive of the game. Bagent made multiple key throws, including a big third-down conversion to rookie wide receiver Luther Burden, and rookie running back Kyle Monangai had a few punishing runs to move Chicago into scoring position. The Bears orchestrated a 16-play drive that went 79 yards, culminating in a beautiful touchdown catch from wide receiver Maurice Alexander. Bagent fired a high pass to Alexander with pressure bearing down on him, and the receiver made an impressive leaping grab in the back of the end zone while also getting two feet down to get the score. Bagent had a rough start to the game, going three-and-out on two drives in the first quarter. He rebounded in a big way, throwing just one incompletion on the drive. Alexander, meanwhile, caught two passes for seven yards, both of which came in the red zone. At halftime, the Bears trail 14-7. This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears QB Tyson Bagent finds Maurice Alexander for impressive touchdown
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bears vs. Dolphins: 8 players to watch in Sunday's preseason game
The first preseason game of the year has finally arrived for the Chicago Bears. For most of the team, at least. The Bears are set to take on the Miami Dolphins at Soldier Field for an exhibition on Sunday afternoon, but many notable players will not be dressing. Head coach Ben Johnson indicated on Friday that quarterback Caleb Williams and most of the starters on offense and defense will not be active for the game after both squads took part in a joint practice up at Halas Hall. Instead, backup quarterback Tyson Bagent will get the nod as he works with most of the second-string offense in Johnson's head coaching debut. Even though the starters won't be taking the field, that doesn't mean there aren't key players worth watching. Here are the players we're keeping an eye on when the Bears and Dolphins square off: 1. QB Tyson Bagent Bagent is getting the start, but that doesn't mean his role as QB2 is secured. The third-year quarterback still needs to stave off veteran Case Keenum, and Bagent can build a lead with a solid preseason performance. Reports out of camp have been mostly positive regarding Bagent. He knows where to put the ball and has made a handful of highlight plays with the second- and third-string players. This will be the first extended look at Johnson's offense, too, so let's see how Bagent does in the new system. 2. RB Kyle Monangai Rookie running back Kyle Monangai is set to make his Bears debut, and he should see quite a few snaps as he battles for the change-of-pace role behind D'Andre Swift. Monangai and third-year back Roschon Johnson have rotated throughout camp, and there is still not a clear favorite between the two when it comes to the backup job. This could be a big opportunity for Monangai, and fans will get a glimpse of the rookie's punishing running style in an actual game setting. 3. WR Luther Burden III One of the most-hyped rookies coming into this weekend has to be wide receiver Luther Burden III, especially following his electric second week of training camp. Last week, Burden was all over the place with highlight catches on both short and deep routes. While he was a bit quieter over the last few days, he has the chance to make an explosive play with the second-team offense, assuming he plays. With how much time Burden missed this offseason due to injuries, he could use the reps. And Bears fans would love to see the second-round playmaker in action. 4. WR JP Richardson The 2025 training camp darling finally gets his chance to become a preseason darling. Undrafted wide receiver JP Richardson has made the most of his opportunities up to this point thanks to his big highlight catches and rapport with Bagent. Now, he can stand out even more at Soldier Field in front of a couple million viewers watching. Richardson should see many snaps throughout the day, playing well into the fourth quarter. He could have the Bears faithful pounding the table for him to make the initial 53-man roster. It happens every year with someone, and Richardson is the most likely candidate. 5. OT Ozzy Trapilo Another rookie worth watching is tackle Ozzy Trapilo, one of the few players who has seen extended time with the starting offense that will suit up on Sunday. Trapilo is in a battle with veteran Braxton Jones for the starting left tackle spot, and it's too soon to tell which one will rise to the top. The Bears intend to keep the competition open until the last possible moment, so Trapilo will need to show why he deserves the job. At 6-foot-8, he won't be hard to miss on the field. 6. DE Austin Booker Many Bears defenders shined during Friday's joint practice, but not everyone ran over a Dolphins offensive tackle on their way to the quarterback. Defensive end Austin Booker had a very productive day, and he's going to want to add onto that during the preseason game. Booker has a chance to become the primary rotational defensive end behind Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo this year. He was a preseason hero last year, and now with a bulked-up frame, he's primed to do it again against a shaky Dolphins offensive line. 7. CB Nahshon Wright One of the players that has turned heads consistently throughout camp has been Nahshon Wright. The veteran who last played for the Minnesota Vikings came in as a player who would have been lucky to not end up on the practice squad. Instead, he has been starting in place of Jaylon Johnson due to an injury and has done a phenomenal job, picking off passes and preventing completions. We'll see how much playing time Wright gets on Sunday. The earlier he goes out, the more likely he is to make the initial roster when the cutdowns take place. If Wright can shine, it will be time to start talking about what impact he can make during the regular season. 8. S Tysheem Johnson The Bears' safety group appears to be set on paper, but rookie Tysheem Johnson is someone capable of throwing a wrench into things. Johnson has made key interceptions multiple times throughout camp and laid some pretty nasty hits as well. He embodies what defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is looking for, and Sunday is a prime audition opportunity for him. He's someone who should create a turnover during the game, which would boost his stock tremendously. This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears vs. Dolphins: 8 players to watch in Sunday's preseason game
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Caleb Williams, most Bears starters will not play vs. Dolphins on Sunday
Caleb Williams' preseason debut with Ben Johnson as his head coach will not come this weekend. Johnson told reporters in his Friday press conference that Williams and about 17 of the club's other starters will not play in Sunday's exhibition matchup against the Dolphins. Chicago is having a joint practice with Miami on Friday, which will largely be a substitute for those in-game reps. "I think we have about nine on O, nine on D," Johnson said of starters who won't play. "We'll see how the day goes, maybe that number will change. So, we'll make it through the day, and we'll make those final decisions when we get there." Johnson, however, added that starters are likely to see some action in August. "I would suspect that we will have them play at some point, yeah," Johnson said. "But that's to be determined." For this week, Johnson noted that Williams and the team's pass catchers will go through an extensive workout before the game on Sunday. They'll also be able to get reps the day before and the day after. "[T]he guys that aren't playing, they're going to be getting a substantial number of reps that's actually higher than the guys that are playing," Johnson said. "So, we've talked about it as a staff, we feel very good about this plan going forward, and that's what we're going to do." At least for this week, Tyson Bagent is set to start against Miami and play for the first half.
CBS News
03-08-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Bears' Keenum, Bagent compete for backup QB position at training camp
While much of the attention, rightfully so, has been on how Caleb Williams progresses and gets more comfortable with the offense, there are a couple of guys behind him on the depth chart going through the same learning curve. Case Keenum and Tyson Bagent are competing to be Caleb Williams' backup this training camp. Keenum, 37-year-old veteran, signed a one-year deal with the Bears this offseason and is helping a young group learn. Turns out, they're teaching him a few things too. "The really cool thing is we have a great relationship in that room," he said. "We have a lot of fun, we're playing a game for a living, we're a bunch of kids that haven't had to grow up yet, so we're trying to enjoy our love. Getting to hang out with guys who are really young, see what the latest TikTok things are, or whatever it is out there these day. I think I miss out on some of the reels they send each other, I don't have it on my phone, but they fill me during, before meetings and we get in there on all the funniest ones. So yeah, we have fun, but we're getting better." Bagent is entering his third NFL season with new coaches he's also enjoyed learning from. That includes new head coach Ben Johnson. "For me, it's simple, there's no BS-ing going around," he said. "I like to have as much fun outside of this building, but when I'm here I'm pretty much full steam ahead—what are we gonna do today, what are we are we going to accomplish, and then looking at him, whether it's getting a play from him, talking to him between plays, just seems like he's right there with me, intensity wise." As for the ongoing competition for the starting left tackle job, rookie Ozzy Trapilo took every snap with the ones on Saturday. Kiran Amegadie didn't practice with a leg injury.
