It has been 172 long days without football, and tonight that streak mercifully comes to an end. While we will not have the starting units for either team tonight, the Hall of Fame game will kick off from Canton, Ohio at 8:00 p.m ET and we will get four quarters of football.
For football sickos such as myself, this game provides several things: First of all, it fulfills the gaping hole in my life that opens when the Super Bowl has reached the end of its final play, but it also gives me a good look into the depths of these rosters and find diamonds in the rough so-to-speak. So with this in mind I thought it would be a good idea to share the names of the players that I will be keeping a special eye on tonight as the NFL preseason begins.
Chicago Bears
The Bears roster in this game is full of guys trying to make their mark on the team for possibly the last time tonight. Tyson Bagent, Brett Rypien and Velus Jones are running out of time to make an impression and they’ll get the chance tonight. Demetric Felton is going to try and make his case as well in the RB room, with D. Swift, K. Herbert, and R. Johnson all rested and T. Homer hurt. Austin Reed will try to show out where he can as the 4th string QB and I imagine he'll play a large portion of the 2nd half as the battle for 3rd string between him and Rypien continues.
CHI's 2nd unit offensive line is not too shabby, Larry Borom and Jake Curhan (formally of the Seahawks) handle the tackle positions and former Los Angeles Ram Coleman Shelton mans the middle at the Center spot.
Defensively, I will be mostly be watching their line play, as a lot of their 2nd string secondary players have seen NFL snaps (Elijah Hicks, Jonathan Owens, Greg Stroman, Josh Blackwell). On that DL, I will be keeping a keen eye on Austin Booker, who was selected 144th overall in April, he had 58 tackles and 8 sacks in 18 games in college and has already been put in some interesting pass-rushing rotations in training camp which has caught the eye of reporters. I expect to see a lot of Booker tonight with the team likely already knowing what they have in backup left defensive end Dominique Robinson, and I would not be surprised if he is the breakout star of the 2nd half on Chicago's defense tonight.
Houston Texans
HOU is resting their starters but not their second unit. Dameon Pierce is now on the 2nd unit and should get some time in the first quarter. Cade Stover will also get some reps in at tight end as a rookie, he has been fighting people in the last couple of days of camp and looks like he is ready to go into battle. Behind Dameon Pierce is Cam Akers, another guy eager to make his mark and prove that he is worth keeping around, the Texans will likely be pounding out carries all night out of the backfield.
WR Xavier Hutchinson will get reps as well, and even in a crowded WR room, he is more than capable of making a few plays that could lead to them keeping him around and active.
I will be focusing on the 2nd unit secondary for the Texans, as it has Jeff Okudah and Desmond King (or Myles Bryant depending on which website you look at), two guys capable of making an impact against a lackluster CHI 2nd offensive unit that may go to the 3rd unit in the 2nd quarter. FS Calen Bullock was drafted 78th overall in the draft this year and presents a long frame with ball-hawking abilities that he'll look to put on display tonight in the first half, just like he did in his college career with 149 tackles and 9 INTs at USC. While we likely won't get to see rookie CB Kamari Lassiter tonight, Bullock will attempt to make a name for himself on national television tonight and make life difficult for whichever QB the Bears have calling the snaps when he's out there.
Other Players to Watch:
CHI WR Tyler Scott
WR DeAndre Carter
DT Zacch Pickens
LB Jack Sanborn
HOU
WR John Metchie III
RB Jahwar Jordan (R)
LB Jamal Hill (R)
CB Kris Boyd
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