Chicago Bears: Hall of Fame Game gives young playmakers opportunity

The Chicago Bears will bring football back into the lives of fans in the Hall of Fame Game, but it’s also an opportunity for young skill position players.

The Chicago Bears and the NFL are finally back in the lives of football fans on Thursday night as they’ll take on the Baltimore Ravens in the annual Hall of Fame Game. Of course, there are some things to remember. First is that this is the preseason, so that means it’s nothing like a regular-season contest in almost any capacity. The second is that the Hall of Fame Game is an even more extreme case of that than other preseason matchups.

Because it’s an extra preseason game, it’s highly unlikely that we’ll see much — if any at all — of the high-profile starters for the Bears on Thursday night. The likes of Mitchell Trubisky, Allen Robinson, Jordan Howard and so on won’t be heavily featured in the interest of health. Coaches know what these players are and there’s no need to risk them getting injured.

While that may be disappointing for some, there is a silver lining. Not only does this allow fans to familiarize themselves with more of the roster, but the players themselves also have an opportunity to showcase their talents. And that’s incredibly prescient for the Bears, specifically as it pertains to their offense.

Even with Chase Daniel at quarterback in lieu of Trubisky, the Hall of Fame Game will allow guys to prove their value to this offense. Three players in particular with big-time opportunities to shine are running back Tarik Cohen, tight end Adam Shaheen and rookie wide receiver Anthony Miller.

In the case of Cohen, everyone saw what the Human Joystick was capable of a season ago. However, the explosive back was somewhat limited by the play-calling of previous head coach John Fox. Between a lack of touches and mundane calls, Cohen wasn’t fully unleashed. With Matt Nagy now at the helm of the team though, that could change in a big way. Thursday night will be the first glimpse of that.

The same thing can be said of Shaheen, though his case is a bit different than Cohen’s. Shaheen didn’t see much of the field last season, largely because the then-rookie needed time to hone his craft after playing college football outside of Division I. Still, he’s a dynamic talent at the tight end position with all the tools to be a red zone nightmare with more to offer than just that. Even with Trey Burton ahead of him on the depth chart, he can play a big role for this team and will have a chance to show his progression in Canton.

Then there’s Miller, who has been the apple of Chicago’s eye in training camp. Reports have been glowing about the Memphis product’s ability, getting the hype-train up and rolling. The second-round pick was a dynamic and versatile reception-monster in college and, while he won’t be a No. 1 for the Bears, he could play an integral part of the offense right away. Just how ready he is to do that, however, will be on display in the Hall of Fame Game.

Obviously these aren’t the only players with opportunities to prove themselves on Thursday night for the Bears. However, the trio of Cohen, Shaheen and Miller could play key roles once the regular season rolls around. But how they handle themselves in the preseason, starting with the Hall of Fame Game, will go a long way in proving just how big their roles will be.