What we learned from Hard Knocks: ‘Poor man’s Maxx Crosby’ stands out

If the Chicago Bears are to drag themselves out of the NFC North cellar and become a regular playoff contender in the NFC, they’ll need more players than just 2024 first-round draft picks Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze to emerge as major contributors.

While fans wait for the Williams-to-Odunze connection to blossom, there are other lesser-known players aiming to be key fixtures on the Bears’ roster.

Enter the team’s fifth-round draft choice, defensive end Austin Booker.

The second episode of ‘Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears’ spent a lot of time showcasing the highlights of the team’s impressive 33-6 win over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday. Booker might have been the player of the game.

The Bears traded back into the fifth round to draft Booker (giving up a 2025 fourth-rounder in order to do so), but the former Kansas Jayhawk still will need to have a huge August in order to make the 53-player, regular-season roster.

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Against the Bills, the pass rusher billed as ‘a poor man’s Maxx Crosby’ (remember, Crosby was a fourth-round pick in 2019) made himself a regular in the backfield. He registered 2½ sacks on five quarterback pressures.

Booker wasn’t the only youngster who impressed against the Bills, and ‘Hard Knocks’ was sure to point out two running backs who are vying for precious roster spots:

➤ Velus Jones Jr. is a wide receiver-turned-running back who is entering his third NFL season. Switching positions can be a challenge — he got asked ‘are you a running back?’ when he entered the huddle against the Bills. Jones’ favorite player growing up was Percy Harvin, a Swiss Army Knife of an offensive threat who excelled as a receiver, kickoff returner and occasional running back. Jones, who is trying to make the Bears roster as a running back and return specialist, scored a touchdown and finished the preseason game with 34 yards rushing on six carries.

➤ Running back Ian Wheeler is an undrafted rookie from Howard who was accepted to med school but is attempting to make an NFL roster. Wheeler was a standout against the Bills, rushing for two touchdowns and 43 yards on five carries. Jones and Wheeler are trying to crack a Bears depth chart that already includes D’Andre Swift, Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson and Travis Homer.

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Here is more of what we learned from the second episode of ‘Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears’:

Caleb Williams has impressive preseason debut

Even before the game, the Bears’ brass noticed the vibes around their top pick had changed.

‘He looks different today,’ Bears general manager Ryan Poles said.

‘Like in a rhythm?’ Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham said. ‘He knows he’s playing.’

Williams was one of last weekend’s preseason standouts, completing 4 of 7 passes for 95 yards. His first completion was a first-down pass to receiver DJ Moore on third-and-12. His most impressive play might have been a short shovel pass to running back D’Andre Swift while under pressure in the pocket.

After the game, Williams expressed excitement over just being back on the football field again. It had been more than eight months since his last game at USC, a 38-20 loss to crosstown rival UCLA (Williams sat out the Trojans’ Holiday Bowl win).

‘Last time I was out there on a field other than practice was November 18th,” Williams said. “You go that long without something, it’s tough. But no, it’s been great.’

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Keenan Allen vs. Jaylon Johnson

Star player on offense going one-on-one against star player on defense is a classic ‘Hard Knocks’ plot. We saw it last year with the New York Jets, with wide receiver Garrett Wilson going up against cornerback Sauce Gardner. This year, it’s newcomer and six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen going up against 2023 Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson in practice.

You can figuratively see iron sharpening iron as these two star players go head-to-head at training camp.

Jaylon Johnson unfazed by NFL Top 100 snub

Despite a breakout 2023 season, Johnson did not make it into NFL Network’s annual countdown of the league’s top 100 players. There were five cornerbacks who did make the Top 100 list for 2024, however: Miami Dolphins’ Jalen Ramsey, Dallas Cowboys’ DaRon Bland, New York Jets’ Sauce Gardner, Denver Broncos’ Patrick Surtain II and Seattle Seahawks’ Tariq Woolen.

‘There ain’t no way. I don’t how you make Pro Bowl, All-Pro and you’re not a ‘Top 100′ guy. I could have been 101, I guess,’ Johnson said. ‘Aaron Rodgers didn’t even play in the season and he was voted (in). Everybody makes mistakes. It ain’t just the media. Players, clearly, they voted for this. They made some mistakes.

‘It is what it is. End of the day, I know the truth. It’s ok, I got some more for them.’

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