Biggest Takeaways from Chicago Bears' Preseason Week 1 Loss

The Chicago Bears are the perfect example of how a team's national outlook can change in an instant. 

Most Bears fans went into the team's first preseason game of 2017 with a full understanding of the rebuild's pace. Rookies and new faces after an aggressive trip to free agency meant an upbeat tone not matching the national vibes around a team coming off a three-win season. 

Then Mitchell Trubisky happened. 

The Bears didn't emerge winners in a 24-17 home mishap against the Denver Broncos, but the final score doesn't mean a thing compared to the hints of the future displayed over four frames at Soldier Field.

It's important not to overreact to the preseason, but it's also hard to ignore the feeling things could move quicker in the Windy City than anticipated. 

Let's dive right in and look at the biggest takeaways from Chicago's first exhibition of the year.

So Far, so Good on the Injury Front

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Chicago Bears head coach John Fox talks on the headset during the second half of an NFL preseason football game against the Denver Broncos, Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Other than the season-ending injury to backup guard Eric Kush, the Bears have emerged relatively unscathed after several days of camp and a preseason game. 

It was easy to overreact to the Bears having a few mishaps early in camp, none of which turned out too serious before the Kush setback. Fans have every right to be jumpy about this, of course—the Bears finished last season with some of the most cap space on injured reserve across the league. 

Still, Chicago left the game against Denver only down a few players. Running back Ka'Deem Carey came up limping but should be fine, wideout Josh Bellamy injured his ankle and linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski suffered a concussion.

No injuries would be ideal, but the fallout here could have been worse—as Bears fans understand quite well. The key now is simply navigating the rest of the preseason without any major issues.  

Hold that breath, Bears fans.

Good Luck Keeping Eddie Jackson off the Field

G-Jun Yam/Associated Press

Before the Denver game, we wrote about rookie Eddie Jackson's ability to steal a starting gig and keep it—quickly. 

Jackson? He responded as advertised. 

The Alabama product's name didn't show up a ton on the stat sheet outside of punt returns, but he flew around the field when on it, showing off range, his best trait when paired with the quick-twitch athleticism that has the Bears deploying him on punt returns. 

"He missed a lot of the offseason, being a rookie, but he's got a really good football IQ," head coach John Fox said, per Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times. "I think you saw his return skills are capable. We averaged 10-plus yards in our punt return, which was a non-factor a year ago. All in all, I think he's just going to continue to improve."

In a let-them-play season that is 2017, the 24-year-old should see plenty of snaps in a rotation with Adrian Amos and others. The biggest concern, even above general rookie defensive back struggles, is health—which knocked him down to the fourth round in the first place. 

So far? Jackson's grabbing attention and won't let go.

Kyle Fuller Might Be on His Way out

G-Jun Yam/Associated Press

It was only natural cornerback Kyle Fuller would experience some rust in his first real taste of game action in a long time. 

Fuller struggled at times, to say the least, while playing with the second team. In the aftermath of the loss, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune dropped an interesting comment:

"The consensus in talking to people around the league is the Bears will likely attempt to trade cornerback Kyle Fuller before roster cuts are due at 3 p.m. on Sept. 2. That's what I gathered after speaking with a variety of folks from other cities over the last week." 

Of course, such a situation wasn't too hard to see coming. The Bears declined his fifth-year option, pursued some of the market's biggest names such as Stephon Gilmore and then turned around and signed both Prince Amukamara and Marcus Cooper. 

The ball, as they say, is in Fuller's court. He's a first-round talent who missed all of last year, and he's looking at a three-game trial here over the course of the next month or so.

If the 25-year-old shakes off the rust and can rediscover his rookie form, cornerback becomes one of the team's deepest spots. If not, the Bears will have a hard time finding a trade partner with so many teams already understanding Fuller's time in Chicago might already be up.

The Situation at WR Is as Hard to Figure out as Expected

G-Jun Yam/Associated Press

Chicago Bears wide receiver Victor Cruz (80) during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the Denver Broncos, Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017, in Chicago. (AP Photo/G-Jun Yam)

Wideout, as expected, is a mess. 

Like cornerback, the Bears attacked the position over the summer, adding Markus Wheaton, Kendall Wright and Victor Cruz. 

Cruz, the veteran, predictably blew up against vanilla defenses in the team's first exhibition, catching three passes for 11 yards and the team's only receiving touchdown. 

After that? Wright caught one pass, Wheaton couldn't play and Kevin White didn't record a catch. Deonte Thompson wound up leading the team in receiving and targets with five catches for 64 yards on eight looks from the quarterbacks. 

So, no, the wideout corps didn't come any closer to making the coaching staff's decision any easier. Thompson still went back for kick returns, so the first week stands as a major win for him.

Moving forward, it will be interesting to see if the infusion of Wheaton into the mix changes anything and whether White can shake off rust of his own and get in on the action. 

For now, the lack of separation behind Cameron Meredith beside the expected outburst from Cruz is a good problem to have. If it drags on into the season, the tone of the discussion shifts.

Tarik Cohen Is the Real Deal, Though Benny Cunningham Shouldn't Go Ignored

G-Jun Yam/Associated Press

Any concern about Tarik Cohen can go out the window for good. Slam the window and lock it tight. 

Cohen, one of the team's fourth-round picks, seemed like a nail-biter of a decision because he hailed from a small school by the name of North Carolina A&T and is all of 5'6" tall. 

Against Denver? The small, small-school prospect took seven carries for 39 yards, good for a 5.6 per-carry average. 

Doesn't sound like much, but any concerns about his shifty, speed-based game or body being unable to translate to the pros can go away. His role as a complement to starter Jordan Howard seems assured at this point, though it's important to note the seven carries for 41 yards and a touchdown from Benny Cunningham. 

Cunningham fell under the radar as an add by the team this offseason and can serve much of the same purpose as the rookie while also perhaps deploying as a returner. 

Meaning, the Bears have options—but so far, it looks like general manager Ryan Pace's approach to plucking talent wherever he sees it regardless of level is again working out well.

Situation Under Center Is Already Trending in a Way Fans Will Like

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

After the draft, most fans likely wanted to see Trubisky as opposed to Mike Glennon—even if Pace's well-documented plan all along has been starting the veteran for a year, barring a stunning turn of events. 

Against Denver, well, a stunner of sorts happened. 

In his first drive as a member of the Bears, Glennon trotted out and threw an interception that went back for a touchdown in a game his team lost by seven points, finishing the exhibition 2-of-8 for 20 yards.

Funnily enough, it was Glennon's first pick-six of his career, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

Fans probably know what the rookie did once he entered the game. Trubisky looked poised, working his way toward an 18-of-25 mark for 166 yards and one touchdown, with another 38 yards as a rusher. 

Fox, of course, isn't changing his stance on the situation right now. 

"Our depth chart is not going to change after one game, particularly a preseason game," Fox said, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). "That's a really good defense our first unit went against, probably one of the top three defenses in the league."

If this keeps up over three more preseason games, the Bears will have a tough decision on their hands. Starting a veteran so the rookie doesn't feel much pressure is a nice idea in theory, but if he's the best man for the job, well, he's the best man for the job.  

With Trubisky, we've known he looks the part, has a live arm and the ability to move in pockets and take off down the field. Seeing it in action this early—against a vanilla defense or otherwise—is a good sign.

If there was one thing that could change the established plans in Chicago, it's the above. Now it just needs to keep happening.  

All contract information courtesy of Spotrac unless otherwise specified. Stats courtesy of NFL.com. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.