2024 NFL Hall of Fame Game: Matchups to watch

• Kamari Lassiter is tabbed to start at cornerback for the Houston Texans: After receiving glowing reports from camp, the former Georgia Bulldog looks set to start opposite Derek Stingley Jr. in the Texans secondary.

• The Chicago Bears’ backup QB battle: Tyson Bagent and Brett Rypien are locked in a competitive battle to determine who will get to back up Caleb Williams this season.

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Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

The 2024 NFL Hall of Fame Game will kick off in just a few short hours — NFL football is back.

There is no better way to celebrate than to break down the potential matchups to watch when the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans square off on Thursday, Aug. 1 at 8 p.m. ET.

The first exhibition game of the NFL preseason rarely features key players and starters (if at all), and the teams have yet to indicate their approaches to personnel usage. That said, here we will try to peel back the layers on interesting camp battles to note and potential in-game matchups that could go a long way toward deciding final roster cuts.

These are the top matchups to watch when the Bears take on the Texans in the 2024 NFL Hall of Fame game.

Bears WR Rome Odunze vs. Texans CB Kamari Lassiter

This matchup undoubtedly hinges on whether the teams decide to play their projected starters. But given that both teams feature young players tabbed to play key roles this season, we may see some limited snaps from a few, though that may just be wishful thinking on my part. 

After being coined “a dawg” by head coach DeMeco Ryans, Lassiter has received glowing reports early out of Texans camp and is listed as a starter in the team’s unofficial depth chart. In his final season at Georgia, Lassiter earned an 87.2 coverage grade due largely to his excellent instincts and anticipation. 

On the other side of the line stands the Bears’ top-10 pick at receiver, Rome Odunze, who will play a sizable role in this Bears offense. Odunze possesses an explosive ability that can take the top off of defenses and the play strength to play through contact. The former Washington star put up a 95.2 receiving grade on contested targets last season, the highest mark in the 2024 draft class.

Texans LG Kenyon Green vs. Bears DI Gervon Dexter Sr.

With the departure of former defensive tackle Justin Jones this offseason, the Bears will look to their second-round draft pick in 2023, Gervon Dexter Sr., to step in and play an increased role in this defense.

Chicago is in dire need of supplemental pressure after finishing 30th in pressure percentage this past season, and the team will be hoping that Dexter can take the next step to provide that on the interior.

As for who will be tasked with standing up against that Bears pass rush for the Texans, look no further than Kenyon Green. Following a poor rookie campaign in 2022 and a shoulder injury in the 2023 preseason that landed him on IR, Green makes his return to the fold heading into this camp, hoping to live up to his lofty draft status.

Despite going into his third season as a pro, Green is just 23 years old and drawing praise from veterans like tackle Tytus Howard. Protecting C.J. Stroud is obviously a priority for this team, and that offensive vision could go a long way if Green were to make strides in his game.

QB Tyson Bagent vs. QB Brett Rypien

This isn’t exactly a direct matchup you’ll see on the field. Instead, it’s a camp competition to watch play out between Bears passers vying for the team’s backup quarterback position.

At the time of this writing, the Bears have yet to announce their plans on playing Caleb Williams, and while the first overall pick did tell reporters he “would love to get out there and play,” it seems unlikely that we will see him just yet. 

Instead, seeing who the Bears tap as the first option between Bagent and Rypien will be very telling. Both are listed in contention for the job in the team’s unofficial depth chart and have quite a bit to prove after a turbulent 2023. 

As the Bears’ incumbent backup, Bagent may have his foot in the door, but he far from controls the job with new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron at the helm. Last season, in his five-game spell under center, Bagent totaled just two big-time throws compared to 11 turnover-worthy plays, an alarming rate for even a depth player. 

On the other hand, Rypien doesn’t carry massive promise either, despite having marginally more experience than his counterpart. Last year with the Rams, Rypien totaled just 47 dropbacks, contributing three turnover-worthy plays and no big-time throws.

If either can take a step forward, it could mean a lot for this team’s security under center.