After defeating the Browns 34-10 last weekend at Soldier Field, the Bears face Ohio's other team, the Bengals, Saturday night in Cincinnati. Here are six players to watch in the preseason contest at Paycor Stadium:
Offense
The Bears are eager to see how the rookie third-round pick from Stanford progresses from preseason game one to two. Against the Browns, he played 23 snaps, was an effective run blocker and caught two passes for 15 yards. Said offensive coordinator Press Taylor: "Sam made his presence felt in the run game, which is something we wanted to see. I think there's still opportunities to grow in the pass game. He had a ball come his way that we would have probably liked to see a better ball, but we talked through with Sam the coaching points of how we could potentially run the route a little bit better. And that's something that's just going to continue to grow and expand in his game." Working with the No. 2 offense in Thursday's joint practice with the Bengals, Roush caught a screen from quarterback Case Keenum but dropped another pass later in the workout.
The first-year pro has arguably been the most pleasant surprise on the Bears' roster this summer, consistently producing impact plays throughout training camp and the preseason opener. Davis led the Bears with four receptions for 88 yards versus the Browns and will look to build on that performance Saturday night. Working with the No. 1 offense in Thursday's joint practice with the Bengals, Davis made a diving touchdown catch just inside the right front pylon from quarterback Caleb Williams. Asked what has keyed Davis' success, Williams said: "Him being able to come in and learn the plays pretty fast; where to line up, how to line up, how to run the routes, things like that. And then just being in the right position. He's made plays for us so far, whether it's in practice or in the game. He's been explosive. He's been fun to watch."
Brown made the most of a rare opportunity to play last season in Cincinnati, rushing for 37 yards on five carries, including his first NFL touchdown on a 22-yard scamper in a 47-42 win. He was activated for the contest due to an injury to starting running back D'Andre Swift. Brown returns to Paycor Stadium again looking to take advantage of expanded playing time, with Kyle Monangai back in Chicago recovering from a knee injury he sustained in last Sunday's practice. Brown is locked in a battle for the third running back position with Roschon Johnson and Salvon Ahmed. Their performances on special teams will also play a key role in determining who wins the job.
DEFENSE
Gallimore flashed in the preseason opener with two tackles-for-loss and will look to pick up where he left off against the Bengals. The 6-2, 307-pounder signed with the Bears this year after spending his first six NFL seasons with the Cowboys (2020-23), Rams (2024) and Colts (2025). Last year he appeared in all 17 games with eight starts for Indianapolis, establishing career highs with 38 tackles and 3.5 sacks. Early in training camp, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen described Gallimore as "a big, powerful guy" who has "a little bit more suddenness and quickness maybe than what I originally anticipated." Added veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett: "He's a heck of a competitor. He brings an edge to our defense as a whole. You can tell he loves his job. He definitely brings life to the room. He's a worker first and he's going to be a highly productive player. I'm happy that he's with us."
The rookie fourth-round pick from Texas has shown promise lining up outside at cornerback as well as inside at nickel back. He made an excellent play late in Thursday's joint practice with the Bengals, breaking up a Joe Burrow pass to tight end Mike Gesecki on an out route along the sideline. Muhammad, who appealed to the Bears in the draft because of his length and speed, will look to make more plays like that in Saturday night's preseason game. Asked what he wants to see from Muhammad, Allen said: "It's cliché and it's simple, but just continue to get a little bit better each and every day. He's got the right mindset. He's got some confidence. He's aggressive in coverage. This will be a great test to go up against these receivers and see where we're at."
In his second year in Allen's defense, the speedy 2025 fourth-round pick from Maryland appears to be playing faster and more fluidly. In the preseason opener, he led the Bears with seven tackles while also compiling one tackle-for-loss and one pass breakup. The TFL came when he teamed up with linebacker Nephi Sewell to drop Browns running back Ahmani Marshall for a one-yard loss on third-and-1. Hyppolite will be given the opportunity to build on that outing versus the Bengals while also getting a chance to show what he can do on special teams. The Bears allowed a 98-yard touchdown on the opening kickoff of last year's game in Cincinnati and are focused on improving their special teams play Saturday night.
