Bears roster bubble: Which players helped or hurt their cause in HOF game

The Chicago Bears defeated the Houston Texans, 21-17, in a weather-shortened Hall of Fame game Thursday night, where there were plenty of players who stood out — either in a good way or bad way.

The Bears will have to trim the roster from 90 to 53 players. Unlike previous years, there is just one cutdown date, following the final preseason game, on Aug. 27.

There were a handful of players who helped their chances of competing for a spot on the 53-man roster with strong preseason outings against the Texans, and there were others who might’ve hurt their chances.

Following Chicago’s Hall of Fame game win, here’s a look at which roster-bubble players helped or hurt their cause:

Helped: WR Collin Johnson

Johnson made a statement in the preseason opener with a strong offensive showing. After an early drop, Johnson bounced back with an impressive outing with three receptions for 56 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson, who stands 6-foot-6, showcased his impressive size and ability to go up and bring down some deep balls from quarterback Brett Rypien, including a 27-yard reception and another that was eventually ruled incomplete. With two receiver spots up for grabs, Johnson made a strong case for a roster spot. If he continues to showcase his playmaking ability this preseason, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him land on the 53-man roster.

Hurt: WR Dante Pettis

In a crowded receiver room, Pettis having a poor showing on the same night that Johnson balled out was less than ideal. Pettis, who had one catch for 11 yards on offense, muffed a punt in the third quarter right before the game was suspended due to inclement weather. While Matt Eberflus said the return specialist jobs are wide open, Pettis is going to need to need strong, consistent outings on special teams to pass up guys like Johnson, Velus Jones Jr. and DeAndre Carter for those final two roster spots.

Helped: QB Brett Rypien

Don't look now, but do we have a QB2 controversy in Chicago? Rypien had a strong outing against the Texans, where he made the most of his opportunities in place of Tyson Bagent. Rypien was part of the 1-2 punch with Johnson, as the pair connected for a pair of touchdowns. Rypien was efficient in his two-plus quarters of play, completing 11-of-15 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns for a 148.9 passer rating. While Bagent is still the favorite to back up rookie Caleb Williams this fall, continued strong performances from Rypien could certainly make things interesting.

Hurt: WR Velus Jones Jr.

The former third-round pick once again finds himself on the roster bubble, and his best chance to make it comes on special teams. Jones didn't see the field on Thursday night, but his chances at making the roster certainly took a hit following the emergence of Johnson. Following the game, Eberflus was asked if Jones' spot as a return specialist was secure after he didn't return a kickoff: "I think it's wide open." The message is clear: If you don't perform, you could be the odd man out among other wideouts like Johnson and Carter.

Helped: DT Byron Cowart

Behind Andrew Billings and Gervon Dexter, there's a concern about depth along the interior defensive line. While Zacch Pickens had a rough night, Cowart made the most of his opportunities and could be a key rotational player this fall. He had a strong showing both as an interior pass rusher and against the run, totaling three tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack and one forced fumble against the Texans. While Pickens is currently penciled in as that primary reserve, that fourth defensive tackle spot is certainly up for grabs, and more dominant outings like Cowart had Thursday night could help him contend for one of the final roster spots.

Hurt: LB Micah Baskerville

The Bears have a deep linebacker group with Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, Jack Sanborn and Noah Sewell, who are all expected to secure a roster spot. But there's competition for that fifth and final one between Baskerville and Amen Ogbongbemiga, who both had a costly mistake on the Texans' first touchdown drive. Baskerville was called for defensive holding (that gave Houston a fresh set of downs) and Ogbongbemiga got smoked by Davis Mills on a nine-yard touchdown to Teagan Quitoriano. Right now, Ogbongbemiga figures to get the edge given his contributions on special teams. But Baskerville can't afford mistakes if he hopes to push for a roster spot.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears roster bubble: Players who helped, hurt their cause in HOF game