Bears vs. Dolphins: 4 players who could break out for Chicago in Preseason Week 1

The Chicago Bears will kick off their 2025 preseason on August 10 against the Miami Dolphins in front of a (kind of) national audience on NFL Network.

It will be the first time fans get a look at the Ben Johnson Bears, even if starters are held out following joint practice sessions with the Dolphins. While it'd be nice to see Caleb Williams for a series or two, we'll have to wait until closer to kickoff to know what Johnson's preseason paln is.

But what we do know is that several of this team's younger players will get their first crack at proving to the coaching staff that they not only deserve to be on the 53-man roster, but also warrant gameday reps.

Here are four Chicago Bears players who will benefit from a successful NFL preseason debut.

Colston Loveland

Indeed, Loveland doesn't have to worry about his roster spot. And he doesn't have to worry about playing time (in general), either. As the Bears' first-round pick, he'll be a big factor in Ben Johnson's game plan.

But what he can do in his preseason debut is prove with a flash play or two that he was the right pick and that he deserves to be the team's primary pass-catching tight end over veteran Cole Kmet.

I doubt we'll see Loveland for more than a series or two (if at all). Remember: he just came back from an offseason shoulder injury. The Bears could decide to hold him out entirely. But if he takes the field, expect him to get a fair share of intentional targets.

Kyle Monangai

Monangai has the most to gain from Week 1's preseason game against the Dolphins. He has a very real chance to begin the 2025 season as the Bears' RB2, but he has to prove on the field that he's more than just a practice player.

Monangai's blend of quick feet, good pad level, and deceptive power will serve him well in the pros, and his ceiling appears to be much higher than Roschon Johnson's at this point. But, again, he has to prove it between the white lines.

Olamide Zaccheaus

Perhaps no player has had a more eye-opening training camp than Zaccheaus, who continues to hold off rookie Luther Burden from that coveted WR3 role opposite DJ Moore and Rome Odunze.

The best way for Zaccheaus to keep the rookie at bay is by having a big performance against the Miami Dolphins. It'll set the table for another week in which he's running with the first team, making Burden's chances to unseat him before Week 1 pretty low.

Austin Booker

Booker has a fantastic opportunity in 2025. He can prove to the Chicago Bears that edge rusher isn't a weakness after all. If the 2024 fifth-round pick establishes himself as a quality third pass rusher behhind Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo, his outlook will be very bright under coach Johnson and company.

More Chicago Bears News:

Packers player issues challenge to Caleb Williams and the Bears

Pro Football Focus: Caleb Williams is already a blitz killer

One reason why the Bears are going to be a first quarter nightmare for defenses

Two overlooked Bears could play pivotal roles in Dennis Allen's defense