Six Predictions for the Chicago Bears in Their Preseason Game Against the Bengals

The Chicago Bears take on the Cincinnati Bengals in their second preseason contest later today. A few key storylines will bear watching over the final two exhibition contests.

Some hoped the starters would see some action on offense, but that seemingly won't be the case. They had a grueling two-hour practice against Cincinnati on Thursday, and that will probably keep them out of the lineup later tonight.

While it's usually difficult to gauge how the preseason will go, there are a few bankable players heading into their matchup against Cincinnati. Which ones stand out as the most significant?

Kaden Davis has another big game

All four of Kaden Davis' catches last week came with Tyson Bagent under center. They clearly have a strong rapport. With Bagent nursing a hamstring injury, that could mean bad news for Davis. I don't think it will, though.

Davis will need to keep the positive momentum going if he wants to stick around as the sixth wide receiver. We're still not convinced that the team will keep six receivers, but the motivation will be enough for him to bring his A-game. Like last week, he'll probably play a healthy number of snaps. Davis will finish the contest with another five catches and 70 yards.

Salvon Ahmed makes a bigger impact in the running game

Salvon Ahmed running with the ball — Aug 15, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears running back Salvon Ahmed (36) runs the ball in for a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Salvon Ahmed had an electric 49-yard catch-and-run against the Browns last week and added two more grabs. He's always shown signs of being a solid pass-catcher throughout his career, but he also showed impressive vision on the play.

The Bears got extremely pass-happy in the second half with assistant head coach Antwan Randel El calling the shots (a former WR being pass-happy... shocker). Despite playing with a lead throughout much of the game, they threw it 40 times and finished with only 21 attempts. Ahmed had only two carries for 17 yards. I think they'll want to see if he can handle a heavier workload, and they might give both him and Roschon Johnson ten attempts this week. Whoever does the most with them could wind up being the RB3 when it's all said and done.

The left tackles perform much better this week

Neither Jedrick Wills Jr. nor Kiran Amegadjie had a strong showing against the Browns. While the former looked much worse on the eye test, the latter actually graded out significantly worse according to PFF.

Braxton Jones returned to practice this week, and he should cement his status as the best starting option until Ozzy Trapilo is officially game-ready. Theo Benedet also got more work on the left side (another testament to just how bad Amegadjie and Wills played last week). Unfortunately, he's not exactly smelling like roses after a disappointing performance against the Bengals' first-team defense on Thursday. He'll probably perform much better against their backups, though.

Jordan van den Berg gets his first sack

Jordan van den Berg celebrating a sack — Oct 25, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg (99) reacts after a tackle against the Syracuse Orange in the second quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jordan van den Berg showed flashes last week against the Browns. He may be a rookie, but his grown-man strength was on full display on a few different plays. As was his quickness. That potent profile, combined with the fact that they'll want to get him as many live reps as possible ahead of the season opener, will see him get his first sack against Cincinnati's porous offensive line.

The Georgia Tech product is a safe bet to continue on his current upward trajectory. He's already one of the team's biggest x-factors on their defensive line. I think we'll be even more excited about him at this time tomorrow.

Jack Sanborn leads the team in tackles

Jack Sanborn on the field — Jul 31, 2026; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears linebacker Jack Sanborn (57) runs with the ball during Training Camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jack Sanborn was tied for third on the team with five tackles. However, with Ruben Hyppolite II, who led the team with seven tackles, potentially being sidelined with a shoulder injury, he will have less competition to rack up tackles in the middle of Chicago's defense. I think he'll take full advantage of that fact.

Sanborn's ability to thrive on special teams gives him a solid chance to make the active roster. The fact that he can also hold his own in a pinch on the defensive side of the ball doesn't hurt either, though. He should have a strong showing against Cincinnati's backup offense.

Malik Muhammad II puts his stamp on the nickelback position

Malik Muhammad celebrating an interception — Oct 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive back Malik Muhammad (5) celebrates after an interception during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Malik Muhammad II showing that he can make an early impact would be a huge development for Chicago's defense. He's been cross-trained both on the perimeter, where he played in college, and at nickelback. The team will desperately need him to hold his own in the latter, as Kyler Gordon seemingly has no timetable to return from the soft-tissue injury that's sidelined him since OTAs.

Muhammad showed flashes against Cleveland, knifing through a screen pass and getting an impressive TFL on one play. I think he'll have a similar performance against Cincinnati. He might not be Kyler Gordon, but he's an immensely talented player who should've been long gone by the fourth round.

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