Bears announce no starters will play in Hall of Fame Game

The Chicago Bears are gearing up for their first preseason game when they face the Houston Texans in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on Thursday night. But don't expect to see any key contributors on the field.

Head coach Matt Eberflus told reporters that starters will not play in the Hall of Fame Game, which is a bonus exhibition contest. That includes rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, who on Monday expressed his desire to play as much as he can in the preseason. But he also understood that the decision is out of his hands.

"I always think there’s more pros than cons, if anything, especially for a young guy like myself," he said. “Reps are always paramount for a young guy like myself."

With Williams not playing, it'll be second-year quarterback Tyson Bagent getting the starting nod when the Bears take the field in Canton.

“It’s a great opportunity for the role players we have on our team,” Eberflus said.

But Williams will still see plenty of on-field snaps ahead of the regular season opener. The Bears are expected to let Williams play 45-65 snaps between the final three preseason games after the Hall of Fame Game. They modeled that based on how much last year's rookie quarterbacks played in the preseason last summer.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears announce no starters will play in Hall of Fame Game