The Chicago Bears opened the preseason with a 19-14 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, where there were a number of young players who stepped up.
Pro Football Focus handed out player grades for those who took a snap in the Bears’ preseason win, and we broke them down by offense and defense, analyzing the three highest- and lowest-graded players on each side, as well as some other notable performers.
There were a few surprises in terms of the highest- and lowest-graded players, both on offense and defense. Including one rookie whose performance was grossly underrated.
Top 3 offense
- WR Tajae Sharpe – 93.3
- OT Shon Coleman – 80.7
- WR Darnell Mooney – 79.7
Tajae Sharpe continues to take advantage of his opportunities with injuries at wide receiver, and it’s clear he’s a favorite to make the 53-man roster. Sharpe caught both passes thrown his way for 44 yards, including an impressive sideline catch from Justin Fields. Sharpe had an impressive 92.3 passing grade but struggled in run blocking (59.0). Offensive tackle Shon Coleman was the highest-graded offensive lineman, receiving high marks in both pass blocking (76.3) and run blocking (80.6). Darnell Mooney only played 18 reps, but he earned solid passing (74.4) and run blocking (80.7) marks. Mooney caught the one pass thrown his way by Fields for a 26-yard pick-up.
Bottom 3 offense
- C Doug Kramer – 36.3
- OG Zachary Thomas – 48.7
- TE Chase Allen – 49.7
It was a rough outing for rookie offensive linemen Doug Kramer and Zachary Thomas, who were the two lowest-graded players on offense according to PFF. Kramer had a dismal 15.1 pass blocking grade. He was significantly better against the run, but not by much (44.8). Thomas also received a poor mark in pass blocking (31.2) and was noticeably better in run blocking (53.8 run). Chase Allen was targeted just once (a reception for two yards), but he received a 51.3 passing grade. He was slightly better in run blocking with a 55.0 mark.
Top 3 defense
- LB Jack Sanborn – 94.6
- LB DeMarquis Gates – 92.4
- DT Trevon Coley – 82.8
The Bears top three defensive players from Saturday’s game should come as no surprise. Jack Sanborn led all Bears with a 94.6 grade, where he thrived in coverage (92.6), run defense (85.5) and tackling (78.9). Sanborn had a banner day with five tackles, one-tackle-for-loss, an interception, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup. DeMarquis Gates wasn’t far behind Sanborn with a 92.4 grade, where he received high marks in run defense (93.9), tackling (77.6) and coverage (74.8). Gates had three tackles, including one tackle-for-loss. Then there’s Trevon Coley, who had two tackles, two sacks, three QB hits and a pass breakup. Coley had a 78.5 pass rush grade but was marked down in tackling (69.1) and run defense (60.0).
Bottom 3 defense
- LB Nicholas Morrow – 31.4
- DT Justin Jones – 41.9
- DB Michael Joseph – 42.3
The starting front seven struggled against Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City’s starters on their lone possession, which is why Nicholas Morrow and Justin Jones are among the lowest-graded Bears on defense. Morrow, who had two tackles, earned a solid 77.0 grade in tackling. But he struggled run defense (31.1) coverage (53.9) and pass rush (59.9). Jones also earned his highest mark in tackling (66.8) but also struggled against the run (46.6) and pass rush (53.1). Michael Joseph, who left Saturday’s game with a hamstring injury, received a 43.3 coverage grade.
Other notables
- QB Justin Fields – 72.0
- OT Braxton Jones – 64.9
- S Jaquan Brisker – 50.8
PFF grades are always a cause for controversy, and it’s because of grades like Jaquan Brisker’s dismal 50.8. That grade doesn’t come close to reflecting the impact Brisker had in his rookie debut. Brisker had four tackles, including one tackle-for-loss, and a pass breakup. More than that, Brisker was a dominant force on the field and even forced a three-and-out on his own. Brisker received low marks against the run (61.4), tackling (46.6), pass rush (58.7) and coverage (51.4).
Considering it was a preseason game, Justin Fields looked solid in his limited action. Fields completed 4-of-7 passes for 48 yards. PFF gave him a modest 72.0 grade, including so-so marks in passing (64.6), run game (65.6) and run blocking (60.0). But Fields seemed to check the boxes, whether it was making some nice downfield throws to Darnell Mooney and Tajae Sharpe or using his legs to keep a drive going. It’s preseason and he still has room to grow (including getting rid of the ball quicker), but Fields’ outing was encouraging.
Braxton Jones had an impressive debut, where he often looked like he was a veteran rather than a rookie. Jones showed good awareness and athleticism, although PFF didn’t seem too high on him. Jones had the seventh-best grade among offensive lineman, where he received so-so marks in pass blocking (67.0) and run blocking (62.6).
