Head coach Ben Johnson told his Bears before the preseason opener that the game versus Miami may not count, but it matters.

That was true for players who are trying to secure a roster spot, earn a role, or for the more established, ramp up toward the regular season.

Johnson’s statement retains value throughout the preseason slate, though the third game’s generally lighter in weight. Players with large regular-season roles usually sit out. And there’s so much practice and game tape available on roster-bubble types that this final evaluation point rarely makes or breaks.

Friday night’s game against Kansas City is a bit different. Bears starters will play in this one, which kicks off at 7:20 p.m. CT at Arrowhead Stadium. So will the Chiefs starters, including quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

It’s not clear exactly how long frontline guys will play, but the full squad will get a chance to impress. All that makes this more important than a typical preseason finale. Here are five things to watch in the last contest before they count:  

Caleb Williams, Bears offensive encore

Bears starters played two series in Sunday’s exhibition against the Bills. The first was near-perfect, a seven-play, 92-yard touchdown drive that ended in Olamide Zaccheaus’ 36-yard touchdown catch-and-run.

Quarterback Caleb Williams was on-time and accurate in that drive, connecting with Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet, DJ Moore and Zaccheaus on a march to the end zone. The national television audience raised an eyebrow at that series, wowed by Williams in particular. The second series didn’t go as well, but the cameo offered optimism that Johnson and Williams were starting to iron out kinks after a summer of offensive starts at stops.

One asterisk: All that came against the Bills backups. Friday’s affair will come against far stiffer competition. The Chiefs defense was good last season and should be again, offering a tougher test for however long starters are out there.

No matter how long the offense plays — probably a series or two — it should be viewed as another ramp-up, not a performance worthy of passing judgment. Don’t forget that Johnson’s running a race to Week 1, and everything that comes before is part of a larger plan.

Defense vs. Patrick Mahomes

The Bears frontline defense didn’t play much against the Bills. Just three plays and two Buffalo false starts, as a matter of fact. The unit forced a three-and-out and called it a night, so there wasn’t much to glean from a short stint against reserves.

Facing Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and Kansas City’s offensive machine will be a much tougher test. It will be good to see the starters – the Bears are still without top cornerback Jaylon Johnson – work against such competition. The unit isn’t at full strength, but the talent required to compete is there.

Keep an eye on safety Jaquan Brisker as well as defensive ends Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo to see if they can create havoc while they’re on the field. Don’t panic if things don’t go perfect. They’re facing an elite quarterback, meaning there will be learnings to emerge from it, no matter what.

Last call on left tackle battle

All signs point to Braxton Jones being named the Week 1 starting left tackle, though nothing’s official yet. Jones took all first-team reps against the Bills and did so again during Wednesday’s padded practice.

Ozzy Trapilo and Kiran Amegadjie are seemingly out of the current competition – Johnson said one may restart during the season – though Theo Benedet’s still battling. Jones should seemingly be able to cement his spot with a solid outing against Kansas City. Some serious struggles may alter things in a prolonged situation where coaches want someone to grab hold of the starting job and not let go.

One more roster push

Bears coaches have conducted 20 training camp practices and completed two preseason games heading into Friday night’s exhibition finale. That’s a lot of tape to review. Now add dozens of position-group and team meetings, plus a full offseason program. They knew these players well and what they’re capable of doing.

A full body of work gets evaluated when making tough roster decisions, so a final game won’t move the needle a ton. Ending on a high note can’t hurt a bubble player’s odds of making the 53-man roster or the practice squad.

The back end of this game will be full of players trying to find a foothold in the NFL, on this Bears team or another. For others, it may be the last time they play professional football. This is a final chance to prove a worthy fit for what the Bears want to assemble on the active roster or below it.

There are some tough cuts ahead. Finishing strong can’t hurt.

The injury tent

All NFL sidelines have an exam table that gets covered with a blue tent if a player’s getting treated by trainers. Austin Booker, Dominique Robinson and Deion Hankins, among others, went under it last week and haven’t practiced since. Cornerback Terell Smith didn’t go to the tent and was carted off instead, eventually lost for the season.

Losing talent in preseason games is always rough, especially with just over two weeks before the regular season begins. For the team and all players, health is the most important thing to maintain as the preseason ends.