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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Curt Popejoy

Bears top rookies sit out Hall of Fame game

If you tuned into the Hall of Fame game to get your first look at Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze, you will be disappointed.

Both players dressed for the game and went through pregame warmups but neither player saw the field in the first half and won’t be playing at all. Instead, Brett Rypien got the start for Chicago.

The Bears went all-in on Williams in the 2024 NFL draft. After using the No. 11 overall pick on Justin Fields in 2021, the Bears traded Fields away to the Pittsburgh Steelers and committed fully to Williams as their quarterback of the future.

The Bears then used their second first-round pick on former Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze. This gave the Bears a potent one-two punch for the future. Hopefully we will get the NFL debut of Williams and Odunze in the Bears second preseason game when they travel to Buffalo and take on the Bills on August 10.

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