Sunday was the first showing of the 2025-26 Chicago Bears despite a number of key starters in street clothes on the offense and defense. But what was produced by the second and third string players, was enough to raise some eyebrows during Sunday’s performance.

It was also the debut of head coach Ben Johnson and his coaching staff, and got a glimpse of the potential personality Johnson could be giving off this season.

Bears’ defense makes strong debut under Dennis Allen

Chicago’s front seven showcases their ability to get the Miami’s quarterbacks on Sunday totaling six sacks, three of which came from second year defensive end Austin Booker.

Safety Austin Cook came upon with one sack on a blitz send by defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, defensive tackle Zacch Pickens also added one sack, and defensive end Dominque Robinson just before the end of the first half came up with a sack setting up Cairo Santos’s 57-yard field goal.

Despite not seeing Montez Sweat, Dayo Odeyingbo, the two presumed started for Allen on each side, come week one, the production the second unit provided in preseason week one, was reassuring knowing there is potential for depth at the position.

Last season the Bears finished tied 16th in the league with 40 sacks and saw limited production at times from their defensive ends.

Not only did the Bears front line show it has taken the offseason seriously, so did the linebackers and secondary of the second group.

Noah Sewell showed his command of the defense on Sunday, and instinct to fly to the ball with helping the Chicago defense make back-to-back goal line stands.

Cornerback Josh Blackwell who resigned this offseason back with Chicago showed his ability to make himself a potential regular on the defense. He played 32 snaps on Sunday the most of the any Bears’ cornerbacks, and only Tre Flowers played more with 47, according to Pro Football Focus.

Blackwell who rose onto the scene last season in special teams as the teams punt returner, also showed Sunday that he could matchup and when targeted, which happened three times on Sunday, as he broke up pass plays, made tackles and played sticky coverage.

Austin Booker rises his stock

Last season when Chicago had four scheduled draft picks, General Manager Ryan Poles felt he needed to make one more move, and traded back into the fifth round drafting Booker 144th overall.

As a raw talent, Booker finished his rookie season appearing in all 17 Bears games, with 1.5 sacks, a total of 21 tackles and four QB hits.

In his first action of the 2025 season Booker showed his growth and over improvement at the position. Booker finished with three sacks on Sunday, one that resulted in a forced fumble giving Chicago the ball inside the redzone.

Booker finished with a PFF passing-rushing grade of 94.7, highest among all players in preseason week 1, and the second highest overall defensive player grade at 95.3, according to Pro Football Focus.

At just 22-year-old, Booker is as young as they come at the defensive end position, and with Chicago looking for a consist presence opposite go Sweat, Sunday’s performance was encouraging from Booker.

After Sunday’s 24-24 tie to the Miami Dolphins Booker addressed the media for the first time since the spring and provided insight on his work in the offseason.

“Playing weight, I probably put on eight pounds total, and finding where I belong with the offseason,” Booker said. “I have a good spot that I go to in Fort Myers. But also the Bears, the nutrition took extra steps, the weights coach took extra steps, the new weight staff has been great.”

Booker also touched on the transition from his rookie season to the start of year two in Chicago.

“I feel like maybe (the game) slowed down a little bit, but I feel like I just took a look in the mirror and improved myself, and came back did what I did,” Booker said.

Jahdae Walker makes an impression

Undrafted rookie wide receiver Jahdae Walker finished Sunday with three catches for 41 yards and added his first NFL tochdown and a viral touchdown celebration.

Walker started his college career at Grand Valley State a Division II program after two season made the move to the SEC and finished his collegiate career at Texas A&M.

Signed shortly after the 2025 NFL draft, Walker at 6-foot-4, has the work cut out for him in an already loaded Bears offense, but made steps forward making an impression on Sunday.

In the fourth quarter on Sunday, from inside the 20-yard line, veteran Case Keenum threw Walker a fade route to the corner of the end zone, and tracking the ball with a defender on his back, Walker caught his first NFL touchdown, and got up to celebrate with the Jubi slide from the Bears end zone all the way to the side line.