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7 Winners and Losers From Bears’ Dramatic Preseason Finale Win
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- 7 Winners and Losers From Bears’ Dramatic Preseason Finale Win
Denny Medley-Imagn Images Denny Medley-Imagn Images
The Bears wrapped the preseason on Friday night with an exciting win over the Kansas City Chiefs . It started off sloppily, but the Bears ultimately saw some solid performances from key players and ended up winning 29-27.
This game was the last chance for those players on the fringe to prove they belong. Some of them lived up to the moment, while others likely doomed their chances of making the final team. The team will have to get down to just 53 players by Wednesday, so some big decisions are coming.
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Now, let's identify seven winners and losers from the preseason finale.
Winner: Tyson Bagent , QB
Bagent recently signed a contract extension with the Bears and then proceeded to have a solid game against the Chiefs.
Bagent completed 20 of 28 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns. The quarterback also threw a perfect pass to Jahdae Walker for a game-winning touchdown with six seconds remaining. If the contract extension wasn't prooff enough that Bagent has a job in Chicago , he proved it on Friday night.
Loser: Brittain Brown , RB
Brown had an excellent opportunity on Friday night as Ian Wheeler, Travis Homer , Roschon Johnson , and Kyle Monangai all did not play. However, Brown was unable to do much in their absensce.
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Brown finished with 13 carries for just 27 yards. The running back also dropped a pass and failed to get into the end zone. It was always a longshot for Brown to make the team, but he had a perfect opportunity to prove he deserves a practice squad at least.
Winner: Jahdae Walker, WR
Walker has been one of the stars of the preseason for the Bears. The receiver has been a reliable target for Bagent and has demonstrated solid route-running and reliable hands.
Against the Chiefs, Walker caught three passes for 37 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown. Thanks to his solid preseason, Walker should have a practice squad spot at the very least.
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Loser: Caleb Williams , QB
Williams' final stat line looks pretty good. The quarterback completed 11 of his 15 passes for 113 yards and one touchdown. That doesn't really tell the full story though if you watched the performance.
Williams looked unsteady and nervous at the beginning of the game. The second-year passer also fumbled once and misfired on a couple throws against a tough Chief defense. It would've been nice to see a more consistent performance from the starter in the final game.
Winner: Luke Newman , OL
It's far from guaranteed that a sixth-round pick will make the team, so it was important for Newman to have a good preseason. Well, the rookie ended on a positive note against a great team.
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Newman played at left guard with the starters in the first half and then got some tight on the right side in the second half. The rookie didn't allow any sacks and looked solid as both a pass-protector and run-blocker. The rookie should make the team as a reliable backup on the interior.
Loser: Zacch Pickens , DL
Pickens has been rumored to be on the fringes of the roster all offseason, and he needed to show out against the Chiefs to feel good. The lineman did pick up a couple tackles, but he didn't do enough to separate himself.
Gervon Dexter Sr., Grady Jarrett , Andrew Billings , and Shemar Turner are locks to make the roster at defensive tackle, and Chris Williams has outplayed Pickens for the final spot.
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Winner: Noah Sewell , LB
Sewell is another player who began the offseason with his roster spot in serious doubt, but he has made the most of this summer and now is in a great spot.
In fact, general manager Ryan Poles didn't hesitate to name Sewell as the player who's impressed the most during camp. Sewell ended on a high note, too, racking up three tackles against the Chiefs.
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