Here's what to watch for in the Bears' preseason opener vs. Texans
Ask Brett Rypien if he’s ever played in the Hall of Fame game, and the Bears’ third-string quarterback smiles.
Trailing by a field goal five years ago, the Broncos rookie faced fourth-and-14 from the Falcons’ 15 with 1:33 to play. He dropped back, looked right and zipped a pass to Juwann Winfree, who batted the ball in the air to himself and got two feet down in the end zone before he was shoved out of bounds. The Broncos won, 14-10.
Rypien should get plenty of chances to throw into the end zone Thursday when he becomes one of three Bears quarterbacks to play in place of rookie Caleb Williams.
The Bears won’t play their starters Thursday night against the Texans and figure to rest their top 35 players or so. There’s plenty to watch for in the Hall of Fame game, though:
The quarterbacks
At this time last year, Tyson Bagent was an undrafted rookie quarterback from a small school just trying to learn the playbook. Four starts — and a 2-2 record — later, the Bears consider him capable of winning games. General manager Ryan Poles could have signed a veteran backup to help Williams but stuck with Bagent as the second-stringer instead.
“Whatever they were going to do, that’s completely up to them, I can’t control that,” Bagent said. “I was just excited to come back.”
He’ll start Thursday night’s game instead of Williams but will likely play a limited number of snaps.
Rypien, who has been sharp in preseason practices, will back him up. He’s fighting for a spot on the 53-man roster. If the Bears want to ensure they keep the 28-year-old — who has the most experience of anyone in the quarterback room — they can’t simply put him on the practice squad. Solid preseason performances would make Rypien more attractive to other teams on cut day.
“I think any time you get to go out and play, you have to take advantage of it,” Rypien said. “After the year I had last year, my last start didn’t go the way I wanted it to. … You want to come out and put out some good film.”
Rypien started for the Rams on Nov. 5. He completed 13-of-28 passes for 130 yards, one interception and a 45.2 passer rating in a 20-3 loss to the Packers. Two days later, the Rams cut him.
“I haven’t played football in a real game since then,” he said. “It’s about going out and playing good football.”
Austin Reed, an undrafted rookie quarterback from Western Kentucky who trained with Williams this offseason, will finish the game for the Bears — and could lead all their passers in snaps.
The new kickoff
The Bears will be part of history Thursday. Whether they’re the kicking team or receiving team, they’ll participate in the first-ever modified NFL kickoff. The new rule has 10 members of the kick coverage team lined up at the opposing 40, five yards from blockers. No one can move until the kick returner catches the kickoff. Touchbacks into the end zone are spotted at the 30-yard line.
The rule, based on the XFL’s kickoff, is meant to encourage more returns with, hopefully, an uptick in safety.
“The unknown is what everybody is excited for,” Bears special teams coordinator Richard Hightower said. “What I expect is a lot more returns. I know the players are extremely excited about it. I know we're extremely excited to coach it and see what it is to be a part of something that's basically revolutionizing the game.”
Velus Jones, the Bears’ primary kick returner, said the return is more like a run play.
“It’s more of a feel,” he said. “It’s more like scheming up and getting the right blocks.”
Fellow receiver DeAndre Carter, who has returned 118 kickoffs in his career, said that once returners get past the first wave of tacklers, the play turns into a footrace with the kicker.
“It’s enticing the kickoff team to have to kick it to us instead of, there’s been a lot of touchbacks the past few years,” he said. “It’s going to bring a lot more excitement to the game. … I think there’s going to be a lot of big plays, big returns, especially early in the season.”
Opportunity awaits
Among the role players and fringe roster players worth watching:
• Rookie defensive end Austin Booker, the Bears’ fifth-round pick, played a minuscule 505 snaps in college. Any experience he gets is valuable, particularly given the Bears’ search for edge rusher help.
“I want to see him hit the quarterback, period,” defensive coordinator Eric Washington said Wednesday.
• Jones wants to prove he’s more than just a special teamer and gadget player. He should get plenty of snaps at receiver to show that his value to the team goes beyond kick returns.
• The Bears have a center named Bill Murray, so they’ve got that going for them. It wasn’t just the famous name that drew kudos from Eberflus, who rarely singles out players, this week.
“Done a nice job in pass pro(tection),” Eberflus said. “He’s learning it. He’s got the athletic ability to get it done. Never put a ceiling on any player. We’re excited to see him play.”
• The Bears player with the most carries Thursday will be someone who wasn’t on the team until Sunday — former Browns running back Demetric Felton. With running backs D’Andre Swift, Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson all locks to make the roster and running backs Travis Homer and Ian Wheeler hurt, Felton could play close to a full game.
Another new look (maybe)
Starting this season, NFL players are allowed to wear Guardian Caps, the padded wrap around helmets, in games.
The league mandated players at certain positions wear Guardian Caps during training camp practices the past three seasons. The league said the caps contributed to a nearly 50% drop in concussions during practice among those players.
Players who wear one of the NFL’s six safest helmets, in terms of league testing, do not have to wear Guardian Caps in practice.
Just because the Bears can wear Guardian Caps in games doesn’t mean they will Thursday — or any time soon. Bearss players couldn't name a single teammate planning to do so.
“I don’t think players necessarily want to (wear them),” running back Roschon Johnson said.
Players think the pillowy pads look, well, silly.
“I’m pretty sure that’s the general consensus,” center Ryan Bates said. “But, you know, safety.”