Chicago Bears Stock Report: Post Hall of Fame Game Edition
By Erik Lambert
The Chicago Bears stock report comes in with its latest update, this one courtesy of their performance in the 2018 Hall of Fame game.
The game itself was predictably flawed and sloppy, per usual with the preseason. Chicago refused to show their hand all night, playing a mostly vanilla game plan on both offense and defense. This was a night meant for player evaluation. The final score of 17-16 meant little. So in that context, the Bears came away with plenty of positives to work with, along with some lingering headaches.
Which players were able to take advantage of the opportunity and which felt flat on their face? Here’s who is up and who is down with the first of five preseason games in the books.
Down: Dion Sims
The Bears kept the veteran tight end because they felt having depth at such a key position was important. Sims had a rough 2017 season, battling consistency issues. However, his experience and versatility still meant something to the team. By most accounts, he was having a decent training camp too. Suffice to say his first attempt to gain praise in game action failed.
It was a rough night for Sims. Things began badly when he had a miscommunication with quarterback Chase Daniel that led to an interception. Just moments later he was flagged for a holding penalty that set the offense back again. He also had a drop later in the game. If he wants playing time this year, that’s not the way to get it.