2 Bears who played themselves off the roster, 1 who saved their spot in final preseason game

NFL roster cutdown day is around the corner, and so is the 2024 NFL regular season. But before then, we must get through the preseason.

We're entering the third and final week of exhibition contests. These games typically hold a lot of weight because it's the last chance for players to showcase their talents before squads get nearly halved.

The Week 3 preseason slate began on Thursday, featuring two matchups. For this writing, we'll be focusing on one: The Kansas City Chiefs against the Chicago Bears while concentrating on the latter team.

Chicago convincingly defeated the Chiefs 34-21. It was a wire-to-wire victory for the Bears, who had some standout efforts -- in a good and bad way.

Following the warmup match between Chicago and Kansas City, these three Bears had the most noteworthy performances, for better or worse.

2 Bears who played themselves off the roster, 1 who saved their spot in final preseason game

RB Ian Wheeler puts up a stinker

Thanks to Chicago's packed backfield, the odds were already stacked against undrafted rookie Ian Wheeler. But his dud in Kansas City was the icing on the cake.

Wheeler ran for five yards on five carries, though his longest rush went for six yards. So, in other words, his other four totes yielded negative one yard. Moreover, he was a non-factor in the receiving game, not even drawing a target.

The Bears paid D'Andre Swift handsomely this offseason to be their starter. They also have 2023 fourth-rounder Roschon Johnson, veteran Khalil Herbert and third-down/special teams expert Travis Homer. Not to mention, Chicago converted third-year pro Velus Jones Jr. from wide receiver to tailback, a role he's fared well in thus far.

As you can see, the running back depth chart is filling up quickly. Wheeler all but shattered his hopes by flopping versus the Chiefs.

Brett Rypien didn't do enough to usurp Tyson Bagent for QB2 spot

Brett Rypien was the only Bears quarterback not to score a touchdown in the blowout victory against the Chiefs. Nevertheless, he had a decent outing, but his backup counterparts outplayed him en route to successful scoring drives.

Rypien went 9-of-13 for 106 scoreless yards, taking zero sacks. His 11.8 yards per completion and 69.2 accuracy rate are solid counting stats. Be that as it may, undrafted second-year pro Tyson Bagent started the game, suggesting he's higher on the depth chart than the veteran journeyman. The latter did nothing to relinquish that status with his showing in Kansas City.

Considering it's unlikely the Bears devote a third roster spot to a signal-caller, Rypien presumably finds himself on the chopping block. His only saving grace is the experience he could offer their youthful quarterback room, featuring rookie phenom Caleb Williams and Bagent. Still, that seems unlikely.

WR/RB Velus Jones Jr. punched his ticket on the Bears 53-man roster

Chicago spent a third-round pick on Velus Jones Jr. in 2022. Originally selected as a wide receiver, he's struggled as a pass-catcher since entering the league. So, the Bears have begun transitioning him to running back this offseason, a position he's looked comfortable in.

Jones has reinvented himself in his newfound role. He showed how explosive he can be with the ball in his hands on this shifty 39-yard touchdown run against the Chiefs:

The speed and vision were apparent on this play. Jones has talent and playmaking ability, which he demonstrated routinely in the win at Kansas City, ripping off chunk gains constantly. His 13 carries and 111 rushing yards were game-highs by a considerable margin for either team.

Perhaps Jones' fit in the backfield is a better way to showcase his skill set. The proof certainly seems to be in the pudding. He gained almost as many rushing yards in this game against the Chiefs as he did receiving yards in his first two NFL seasons.

Jones' draft pedigree made it hard to part ways with him in the first place. Considering how deep Chicago is at both positions, he'll be buried on the depth chart regardless of whether he's a running back or wideout. Nonetheless, he proved he belongs with his roster-clinching outburst, contributing immensely to the Bears dismantling the Chiefs.