5 Bears to watch for in preseason finale vs. Kansas City

The Chicago Bears will play its preseason finale against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night.

Head coach Matt Eberflus has stated that most of the starters — including quarterback Caleb Williams — will sit out of the final exhibition matchup as the regular season opener against the Tennessee Titans is right around the corner on Sept. 8.

Related: Caleb Williams, most Bears starters to sit out final preseason game

As for the Chiefs, starters are also expected to sit out this game.

The game will feature a lot of players on the roster bubble getting an extended look, as final roster cuts are yet to be made.

Here are five Bears to watch for on Thursday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:20 p.m. CT on NFL Network.

Daniel Hardy

Leading all other players this preseason with 3.5 sacks, Hardy is competing to not only make the final roster but perhaps get some regular reps on the defensive line this season.

The 2022 seventh-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams appeared in six games as a rookie, with 41 snaps played on defense and 128 snaps on special teams. Last season, he spent the entire year on Chicago's practice squad.

Hardy, 25, has been nothing short of impressive this preseason and could be solidifying a role on the team if he performs well yet again Thursday night.

However, he's competing with a few other young defensive linemen who will also see plenty of playing time Thursday night.

Dominique Robinson

The defensive end could have been in a much different scenario if the Bears ended up trading for edge rusher Matthew Judon. Instead, Robinson will still have a shot at securing a roster spot.

The 26-year-old is competing with other edge rushers, such as Austin Booker and Khalid Kareem to back up Montez Sweat and DeMarcus Walker.

The 2022 fifth-round pick has played in 28 games the past two seasons for the Bears, making seven starts, while tallying 42 tackles, three tackles-for-loss and two sacks.

It may come down to either Robinson or Hardy securing a final spot over the other, so both players will be worth keeping an eye on.

Velus Jones Jr.

The wide receiver has been getting some snaps at running back this preseason while also still returning kicks for the Bears.

Because of Jones' ability to offer talents in multiple ways, the third-year player could find his way onto the 53-man roster.

He hasn't amazed in the backfield this preseason as there's still some learning to do, but Jones obviously has the size and speed to potentially become an additional weapon for offensive coordinator Shane Waldron.

Jones probably won't see a lot of time at wide receiver as the position is loaded, so if he does make the team, he'll likely be the fourth man on the depth chart for running backs behind Roschon Johnson, Khalil Herbert and D'Andre Swift.

Related: Bears' Velus Jones Jr. looks up to former do-it-all NFL athlete

Dante Pettis

The former 2018 second-round pick has made his mark this preseason as he tries to fit into the Bears' crowded wide receiver room.

Pettis caught two touchdown passes in last week's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He has a total of five catches for 98 yards in three preseason games.

The 28-year-old has bounced around the league since he was drafted, playing for the San Francisco 49ers, New York Giants and Bears. He was last on Chicago's roster in 2022, playing in all 17 games and finishing with 19 catches for 245 yards and three touchdowns.

Pettis was placed on injured reserve before being released with an injury settlement in September 2023 and didn't play at all for the year.

The wideout is competing with DeAndre Carter, Collin Johnson and Jones, although the latter is seeing more reps at running back.

Ian Wheeler

Another running back looking to make the final roster, Wheeler will be competing with Jones for the final spot in the positional group.

If he makes the team, he likely will be used mostly on special teams unless one of the other running backs go down with injury.

Wheeler scored two touchdowns on the ground against the Buffalo Bills in the second preseason game, finishing with five carries for 43 yards. However, he wasn't much of a factor last week against the Bengals, finishing with two carries for four yards. He also added two catches for 14 yards.

The 22-year-old could also be placed on the Bears' practice squad, which would provide the team another roster spot for someone else.