The Chicago Bears didn't need to field their starters in the preseason opener, but that didn't mean it was a meaningless game. If anything, it gave Ben Johnson and company a golden opportunity to evaluate the roster-bubble guys in a game-like situation.
While the final score doesn't necessarily reflect how things went down, it's always nice to get started with the right food. There are some things to fix, of course, but it was mostly a perfect evening for the reigning NFC North champions.
That was especially the case for the three biggest standouts from the 34-10 win. These three players were already trending in the right direction, and it'll be impossible to look the other way now after such a strong performance in the debut.
A lot has been said of the Bears' lack of depth in the defensive line, and rightfully so. They can use as much help as they can get in the pass-rushing department, and it looks like Jamree Kromah might give them an in-house solution to those woes.
He led the team with six tackles, had two sacks, and forced one fumble after beating Austin Barber for a strip-sack. He also had two quarterback hits, three tackles for loss, and recovered his own forced fumble. That type of production won't go overlooked.
Sometimes, those who excel in training camp fade under the bright lights. That's not the case with Kaden Davis, who's clearly carrying his strong camp momentum into the field. He hauled in four catches for 88 yards, including a 41-yard bomb against his former team.
He did have one drop, but added a 23-yard punt return that will probably make coaches look the other way. Rookie Zavion Thomas will most likely handle special teams duties, but the fact that he can contribute to two units makes him a more valuable asset for this stacked offense.
The injury bug has hit the Bears' secondary pretty badly. That forced their hand to sign former Pittsburgh Steelers nickelback Beanie Bishop Jr., who didn't need much time to stick it to his former divisional rival.
Bishop picked off a Shedeur Sanders overthrow before perfectly reading Dillon Gabriel later on in the second half. For a team that relies heavily on creating takeaways, logging two interceptions might be the easiest path to the 53-man roster.
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This article was originally published on www.dawindycity.com as 3 Bears players whose stock is rising after dominant preseason debut .
