Undrafted Rookies Fueled Chicago Bears Win In Preseason Opener

Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus had to be happy with the Chicago Bears' preseason opener. Justin Fields concluded his only two drives of the game with touchdowns. D.J. Moore delivered the first one on a 62-yard catch and run. Even better was seeing the defense not only post nine sacks in the game but also pitching a shutout in the 2nd half. Several players made contributions to those efforts, but the biggest standouts were, surprisingly, a group of undrafted free agents.

Nobody stood out more than Jalen Harris. The defensive end from Arizona played six seasons of college football. While he had nice flashes during those years, he never had a true breakout season. Apparently, the Bears unlocked something because the rookie had two sacks in the second half and three quarterback hits on top of that. Fellow defensive end D'Anthony Jones from Houston also had multiple pressures. Linebacker Micah Baskerville from LSU added five tackles and a sack of his own.

The decisive blow came in the final seconds when safety Bralen Trahan picked off Will Levis to end the game.

The Chicago Bears have some young talent to work with.

That much is obvious. The 2023 draft class stole the show in the first half. Zacch Pickens had a sack. Tyrique Stevenson led the team in tackles and had a nice pass breakup. Darnell Wright threw two key blocks. Roschon Johnson showcased his versatility. Noah Sewell and Travis Bell also had sacks. To see the undrafted guys step up down the stretch shows that Eberflus and his coaching staff have done a great job developing them. They hustled, played with intensity, forced turnovers, and (for the most part) played smart.

Harris might be the most interesting one to watch moving forward. He's 6'5 with an NFL-caliber frame. There is some good burst and strength in his game. His primary issue was also leg drive and leverage. This game showed progress in both departments. Trahan also built on his recent surge in training camp. The Chicago Bears always knew he was a ballhawk. It was about whether he could handle the speed of the pro level. So far, so good. Quarterback Tyson Bagent is also one to watch. He executed some nice throws late in the game.