Chicago Bears: Justin Fields leads winners, losers from Preseason Week 1

The Chicago Bears won their preseason opener to the Miami Dolphins, and some players stood out while others faltered. 

There was a high level of optimism off Lake Michigan as the Chicago Bears opened their preseason against the Miami Dolphins. Though the heat was making its presence, the fans in attendance were given a cool refreshment of victory as they witnessed a 20-13 Bears win against the visitors, moving them to 1-0.

This game may not count towards the standings come the regular season but it raises several questions; notably, the first half, whereas the offensive execution (or lack thereof) was nowhere to be found. In the second half, however, it was a different story; both sides of the ball seemed to come out with a different mentality, thus leading to the win.

Still, one preseason game doesn’t tell the whole story, and neither will the list of players who stood out in that particular game. However, it does give an idea as to who is trending towards making the 53-man roster and who needs improvement to sustain their chance of avoiding their playbooks being confiscated in a couple of weeks.

That said, here are the players that had a moment to shine in Week 1 and those who took the field but left with empty results.

Chicago Bears winners from Preseason Week 1 vs. Dolphins

Justin Fields, QB – To be fair, anything Justin Fields did that was positive would have earned him a winner status. But two touchdowns, including a rushing score, to start the second half and dig the Bears out of a deficit? That most certainly deserves props.

Taken in the first round in 2021 out of Ohio State, Fields was acquired via trade, with the Bears sacrificing a part of their future to secure a player whom the organization believes to be their franchise quarterback. Fields proved that his dual-threat ability can be a headache for defenses.

Though Andy Dalton is still on track to be the starter in Week 1 in Los Angeles against the Rams, Fields indeed closed the gap between the two. Should he continue to progress through the preseason, No. 1 may be on the field faster, provided his coach gets him on the field.

Rodney Adams, WR – Adams isn’t one of the primary receivers on the Bears roster, but his name will be mentioned this week among the team’s circles. With the Bears likely to keep six receivers on their roster and four of those spots already taken, the other two are up for grabs, one of them potentially going to rookie Dazz Newsome; Adams certainly made an excellent first impression.

Four catches for 59 yards and having the confidence of Fields throwing him the football and keeping drives alive is worthy enough to keep him around. Since being drafted in 2017 out of South Florida, Adams has bounced around the league. If he continues to improve and enhance his chemistry with Fields and the rest of the Bears’ quarterbacks, he will have the assurance of being spared from relinquishing his playbook during roster cuts.

Alec Ogletree, LB – One of the more underrated signings of the free agency period, Ogletree made his debut with the Bears and certainly flashed the potential of not only sticking around but also starting in Week 1 against an aggressive Los Angeles Rams team, the same team that drafted him out of college when the franchise was still in St. Louis. Three solo tackles and one tackle for loss, combined with aggressive coverage play, are sure to please defensive coordinator Sean Desai.

Ogletree is an interesting player, matter of fact. He was drafted in the first round in 2013 out of Georgia and spent the last three seasons with the Giants after being with the Rams for five years. In 2020 however, he was released from the team. Upon signing with the Bears in late August, he made an immediate impression in training camp. With his performance today, he likely is trending towards starting status, but he can only reach that pinnacle provided he continues to thrive.

Duke Shelley, CB – Six tackles and a pass deflection isn’t all that bad for Shelley. In fact, it helps his stock. Besides Jaylon Johnson, no definitive player will be on the opposite side, given how Kyle Fuller was let go in the offseason and signed with the Denver Broncos. Chicago does have Desmond Trufant and Thomas Graham Jr as possibilities, but Trufant didn’t play in the preseason opener, and Graham was primarily limited.

Shelley’s size will likely make him stick to being a slot cornerback, but he showed out in Week 1. First impressions matter, but they aren’t the end all be all. It will take more than this game to confirm a roster spot, but he is well on his way to doing that.

Chicago Bears losers from Preseason Week 1 vs. Dolphins

Javon Wims, WR – Wims has the size and the large hands that are coveted in the NFL, but his production has not been there, and he has often been on the wrong side of plays for much of his career, whether it be a drop, or attacking an opposing defensive back. Given his performance in Week 1, with zero catches and only one target, his chances of making this team are getting slimmer.

Nick Foles, QB – Andy Dalton will be the starter and Justin Fields is the backup who will someday take over. What is left for Foles other than a spot on the bench or even a chance to play elsewhere? The former Super Bowl LII MVP is currently the third-string quarterback on the depth chart and went 1/3 for eight yards against Miami and spent most of his time handing the ball off to Ryan Nall and Artavis Pierce.

Foles is a long way removed from the night he played one of his greatest games and brought joy to Philadelphia, but there are other teams out there that could potentially thrust him into their lineup if needed. For now, he’s on a list of players who didn’t necessarily perform well in the preseason opener.

Joel Iyiegbuniwe, LB – “Iggy,” as they call him, has been chiefly relegated to special-teams duty. However, with Alec Ogletree essentially being signed off the street and coming in and flashing, the former fourth-round pick may be on the edge of being cut by the end of the preseason.

Just one tackle against Miami isn’t necessarily going to cut it. Furthermore, other players have stepped up, leaving him on the outside looking in for now.

Jon’Vea Johnson, WR – Having a fumble on a punt return that pushes the team near the endzone and giving them a long field to cover isn’t necessarily a good thing, and as such, Johnson ended up on this list. That’s not to say he can’t recover, though, but with a crowded wide receiver core, he will need a bounce-back in some way.