Top Bears rookies headline five players who are set for a nice 2024 season after a great preseason showing

The Chicago Bears can finally begin preparations for the 2024 regular season after wrapping up the preseason with a perfect 4-0 record.

While the record doesn't mean anything, the level of play the Bears were able to show on the field definitely does. For the first time in a long time, this is going to be a deep roster in Chicago filled with high-end talent, both young and experienced.

From what we gained during the four preseason games, here are five players who are going to carry over their early momentum into the regular season.

QB Caleb Williams

The Bears rookie first overall pick is set to enter into the best situation a rookie quarterback has ever seen going into the regular season. On top of that, Caleb Williams already proved he's going to be a really special talent in 2024.

Williams looked super confident in handling the offensive scheme during his first NFL preseason and exceeded all of the lofty expectations placed on his head. In structure, Williams made precise decisions with the football and out of structure, he made incredible plays you'd expect to see from some of the top quarterbacks in the league.

The most impressive feats I noticed out of Williams during his two games this preseason was his ability to handle adversity. Whether it was problems with the headset, issues with cadence, or simply plays breaking down in front of him, Williams never missed a beat and showed why he can quickly become the guy for Chicago.

"His willingness to learn is second to none," head coach Matt Eberflus said . "He just wants to grab the information, learn and get better. When he does have adversity, he rises to the challenge and that's what you want from your quarterback."

DE Austin Booker

No one on the Bears defense had a better preseason showing than fifth-round rookie defensive end Austin Booker. For a player who was a rotational piece in college, Booker played 94 total defensive snaps across the four preseason games.

Booker was a consistent threat in the backfield when he was coming off the edge, showcasing his athleticism and long arms to get around opposing tackles. Earlier this week, Pro Bowl defensive end Montez Sweat claimed that Booker is "lightyears ahead of where a rookie should be."

Booker won't be challenging for a starting job off the edge, at least early in the season. But, he will get a considerable amount of snaps off the edge in a backup role and in various defensive formations.

P Tory Taylor

Tory Taylor is going to be a serious problem for opposing teams this season. The Bears rookie punter was already recently included in Peter Schrager's Top-10 Breakout Players list this week and for good reason.

Taylor is currently ranked second among punters with 5+ punts this preseason with a net yardage of 44.8. While there's still a lot of games left to be played this weekend, Taylor's ranking shouldn't change that much. Taylor also pinned two of his five preseason punts inside the 20-yard line.

Everyone inside the Bears' building has seen Taylor's power and accuracy on display during practice and training camp. The entire world got to see it last weekend against the Cincinnati Bengals after Taylor helped bail out the struggling first-team offense .

DT Gervon Dexter Sr.

Defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. is going to be a menace for the Bears' defensive line this season. The unit desperately needed an inside presence last season to take the pass rush to the next level and Dexter made it his goal to be that difference-maker.

While he only played 29 total snaps during the preseason, Dexter was able to show off some of the key traits everyone's been raving about on the practice field.

Dexter has consistently created pressure in the backfield during training camp and batted down multiple passes from the line of scrimmage. That kind of impact from the interior is exactly what defensive coordinator Eric Washington is looking to see.

“When Dexter comes on the practice field every day, when he comes into the meetings, for a young player, he’s got blinders on,” Washington said in July. “He is really focused on himself, what he needs to do in that particular practice. We kind of preview what we’re going to do on the field the day before. I can see that he has taken that meeting outside to the grass, and when he comes into the meeting, he’s ready to go. So the level of focus that he has as a second-year player is pretty uncommon.”

CB Kyler Gordon

It was a short lived preseason for nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon after missing time early in camp due to a lingering injury, but he made his presence known when he got onto the field against the Cincinnati Bengals last weekend.

Gordon was flying all over the field recording four defensive stops and a key sack on a blitz. Eberflus has been using a lot of blitz packages during the preseason, including a noticeable amount involving his defensive backs. Gordon's sack against Bengals quarterback Logan Woodside showed that could be something Eberflus keeps dialing up during the regular season. If it pays off, Gordon will be in for a breakout campaign .

"I'd say as far as comfortability wise, it's like, 'I'm going to make this next play,' " Gordon said . "Really, that's how I would say — elevate, try to make more turnovers, more big plays, more exciting plays. The slower it gets, the more opportunities I see."

Related: Determining who handles punt return duties headlines 3 questions the Bears still need to answer after the preseason