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Bears' stock up and stock down in first half vs Chiefs

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI
By Pete Martuneac | Last updated Aug 22, 2025 10:06 PM ET

In the first half of Friday night's preseason finale between the Chicago Bears and the Kansas City Chiefs, one team was in the midst of a rebuild while the other has won two of the last three Super Bowls, and it was very obvious which team was which. The Bears clearly still have a long way to go before they can hang with the NFL's big boys.

But that's okay. No one expected a Super Bowl season in 2025. This year is all about seeing real growth from quarterback Caleb Williams and putting up more wins than the last couple years. But that's all for the regul ar season which starts in a couple of weeks. For now, who looked good against Kansas City and who might need some extra work?

Stock Down: Caleb Williams

Don't panic yet, Bears fans. Stock down doesn't mean Williams is on his way out, it just means he didn't look nearly as crisp as he did last week. He held the ball too long on one play, resulting in his first sack of preseason, and was off-target other times. He scored a touchdown, but not until the Chiefs had pulled their starters.

All in all, not a great day for No. 18. Luckily this is still just the preseason and, as head coach Ben Johnson confirmed, Bears fans haven't seen his real offense yet.

Stock Up: D'Andre Swift

Swift had a decent day against a dominant Chiefs' defense. He picked up 28 yards on seven carries, plus six yards on one reception. He also had the best play of the half when he hurdled clear over a defender and nearly picked up a long first down.

.@DAndreSwift cleared him

: FOX32 pic.twitter.com/M3UFXMDtt5
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 23, 2025

Stock Down: Defensive Ends

It's still preseason, but it's officially time to worry about Chicago's pass rush situation. Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo were complete nonfactors in the first half, giving Mahomes all the time he needed to pick apart a secondary decimated by injuries. They are going to need to be much better when the regular sea son starts or this defense will get bulled on a weekly basis.

Stock Up: Tory Taylor

You know it was rough when you have to include the punter on a stock up, but Taylor did look good, averaging 51 yards per punt on two attempts.

Stock Down: Nahshon Wright

This was a night to forget for Wright. After a great training camp, he capped off the preseason with a stinker, getting called for two penalties early (though one was highly questionable) and getting burned for a deep pass on the next drive. His roster spot is very much in peril.

Stock Up: Rome Odunze

Last week, Odunze's only target ended up being a bad drop on third down. He looked much better in the first half against the Chiefs, corraling three of four targets for 45 yards and the Bears' sole touchdown. Hopefully Williams and Odunze continue to connect early and often once the regular season begins.

This article first appeared on Chicago Bears on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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