Winners, Losers from Bears-Texans Hall of Fame game

The Chicago Bears kicked off their 2024 preseason schedule Thursday night against the Houston Texans in what ended up being a stormy, weather-delayed Hall of Fame game. The Bears led 21-17 midway through the third quarter when the teams and fans were forced to shelter.

Obviously, the outcome is irrelevant. That’s always the case with preseason games. Considering the Hall of Fame game is the least important of all the summer scrimmages, the only thing that really matters is player evaluation.

The Bears rested all of their starters against the Texans, which gave several backups and young players a chance to prove they belong not only in the league but on Chicago’s final roster.

Here are some of the Chicago Bears’ winners (and losers) from the Hall of Fame game.

Winner: Collin Johnson, WR

No conversation about the Hall of Fame game can begin without giving Collin Johnson his flowers. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound wide receiver was virtually uncoverable Thursday night. He caught three passes for 56 yards and two touchdowns, a stat line that would’ve been even more impressive if one of his acrobatic “catches” wasn’t overturned by a booth review, and if he hauled in another well-thrown ball early in the game.

The Collin Johnson game

: ESPN pic.twitter.com/z3GZ74RlZ3

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 2, 2024

Johnson spent most of the 2023 season on Chicago’s practice squad. He was elevated to the active roster in Weeks 14,16 and 17.

The Bears are loaded at the top of the wide receiver depth chart with DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, and Rome Odunze, but Johnson can crack Chicago’s active roster. If he continues to play at the level he displayed Thursday night, he’ll be one of Chicago’s gameday pass-catchers, for sure.

Winner: Brett Rypien, QB

Johnson wouldn’t have had the night he had if it wasn’t for Brett Rypien’s incredible accuracy. He sliced and diced Houston’s defense, completing 11 of 15 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns.

Rypien, 28, spent the first four years of his career with the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams and is in a training camp battle with Tyson Bagent for the QB2 role.

Brett Rypien finds Collin Johnson for SIX.

The @ChicagoBears are on the board!

: @ProFootballHOF Game on ESPN/ABC
: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/al5is67yt2

— NFL (@NFL) August 2, 2024

While I still think Bagent will end the summer as Caleb Williams’ backup, Rypien certainly made the quarterback room more interesting.

Winner: Roschon Johnson, RB

Roschon Johnson has a lot of work to do to unseat Khalil Herbert as D’Andre Swift’s primary backup, but he took a big step toward proving he can be the Chicago Bears’ RB2 during the Hall of Fame game.

Roschon Johnson doing Roschon things pic.twitter.com/sJHlo8yvQL

— Nash (@NashTalksTexas) August 2, 2024

Johnson ended the game with six carries for 24 yards, and while his final stat line seems a bit pedestrian, he certainly passed the eyeball test. He looked more confident and decisive as a runner, and the fact he has three seasons left on his rookie contract, the Bears would probably prefer him to win the backup running back competition.

Loser: Bears pass rush

It’s way too early in the preseason to worry about any one part of the team, but the Chicago Bears’ pass rush was non-existent Thursday night. Indeed, defensive coordinators aren’t game-planning or showing their favorite blitzes during the summer, but it’s still important to see individual victories along the defensive line.

Austin Booker, the rookie fan-favorite edge rusher who the Bears selected with the 144th overall pick, was the only player with a pulse. He recorded a sack in his first pro game. Booker’s stock will continue rising.

#Bears Rookie Austin Booker with a sack in his NFL preseason debut. pic.twitter.com/dJRczSsf5r

— ImBearingDown (@ImBearingDown) August 2, 2024

Hopefully, another young edge defender will emerge in training camp and finish the preseason strong, giving the team confidence that they have depth at what is always a critical element to any defense.

Winner: New kickoff rule

I wasn’t sure I’d like the new kickoff rule. I’m a traditionalist when it comes to football. But, man, I loved it. Kickoffs are BACK, and how fitting is it that they return to relevancy with Devin Hester entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

The Chicago Bears will continue having a training camp battle to determine their primary kick returner in 2024.