Chicago Bears: 3 Things we learned from Hall of Fame Game
The Chicago Bears suffered a one-point loss in the 2018 Hall of Fame Game, but what can we take away from their defeat at the hands of the Ravens?
As expected, the Chicago Bears didn’t let any of their high-profile players participate in the 2018 Hall of Fame Game on Thursday night against the Baltimore Ravens. A bit more surprising, however, was how few players that we might’ve expected to at least get some work weren’t on the field for this team.
Yes, Mitchell Trubisky, Allen Robinson, Jordan Howard and unsigned rookie linebacker Roquan Smith were never going to be on the field. But to also see so little (or none) of guys like Adam Shaheen, Tarik Cohen, Anthony Miller and many others was a bit surprising.
Even still, we caught a glimpse of some lesser-known players fighting to make the Bears 53-man roster or trying to carve out roles in the rotation come the regular season. With that, let’s take a look at three big things that we learned from Chicago’s loss in the Hall of Fame Game.
3. Javon Wims already showing potential
Many fans raised an eyebrow in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft when the Bears used the 224th overall pick on wide receiver Javon Wims out of Georgia. Though he wasn’t a top-tier player, he possessed intriguing size and potential as a prospect, measuring at 6-4, 215 pounds. On Thursday night — largely in the second half — Wims gave everyone a reason to be excited about his potential.
The seventh-round rookie was the most targeted pass-catcher for the Bears (10) and hauled in a game-high seven receptions and 89 yards. While he didn’t find the end zone, Wims showed his ability to win at the catch-point and to be a real weapon.
This is suddenly a deep receiving corps in Chicago heading into 2018, but Wims has the potential to crack the 53-man roster if he can continue to show out like he did in the Hall of Fame Game. He offers the size and skills that no one else on the roster does, which could make him a valuable asset if he continues to come along and develop quickly.