The Chicago Bears were super impressive in their preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns, dominating them 34-10.
While it was tied at 10-10 going into the third quarter, the Bears turned it up a notch in the final 30 minutes. Their second-half 24 points and over 200 yards of offense, along with three turnovers in the game, set the tone for the victory.
Bears players delivered a ton of great performances across the field. One performance stood out as a glimpse into what the future could look like for one of their 2025 draft picks if he keeps trending in the right direction.
Ruben Hyppolite II looked great in Bears' preseason win over the Browns
It was great to see Hyppolite look so good as he entered his second NFL season. He ended up being the leading tackler with seven. Hyppolite was also impressive with one tackle for loss and one pass deflection in the win.
What made the performance stand out is that Hyppolite is finally starting to look like the linebacker Bears fans were excited about selecting last year in the fourth round. His 4.39-40 yard dash time he ran before the draft showed the speed and versatility he could bring to the table.
Unfortunately, Bears fans never got to see that become a reality in 2025. He only played in seven games and started one, racking up six tackles. Hyppolite played just 7% of the defensive snaps and 42% of the special teams snaps. A shoulder injury during the season derailed any hope of building momentum.
Entering the 2026 season, Hyppolite isn't 100% a lock to make the 53-man roster. The Bears added competition at linebacker, including Devin Bush, Jack Sanborn, Tony Fields II, and rookie Keyshaun Elliott.
Hyppolite needed a strong game against the Browns to start building hype around his name. This was a good start for a linebacker trying to make some noise. He still has two more games to add to his resume before the Bears have to make their final decisions on the roster.
The speed and versatility mentioned about Hyppolite earlier showed up in the preseason game. It was encouraging to see him improve as a tackler and find the ball carrier by using his quickness to get there. He's got a rare gift as a linebacker that Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen would love to take advantage of.
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That's only a warning; a lot can change over the next two weeks before the Bears finalize their 53-man roster. Hyppolite took a massive step, though, to stay in the conversation to make the team and contribute in the 2026 season.
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