The final week of exhibition games means little to most fans and established players because the battles that are being fought are typically for back-up spots on the roster. When you watch the fourth game of the preseason, you don't expect to see many regulars getting significant playing time, if any playing time at all.

For the Chicago Bears, Thursday night's game will be a big one for former Vikings running back and kick returner Lorenzo Booker, who is battling for the No. 3 running back job with Armando Allen.

Booker helped himself in the second game of the preseason with a 105-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

Bears coach Lovie Smith told the Chicago Tribune: "When you get a chance, you need a splash play to make everybody take notice. The kickoff return did that. He has a history in the league too. In every situation we've put him in we've seen something special from him. He's a little bit different than our other running backs too — a quick guy — so he brings a different dimension."

Working against him, though, is the fact that the Bears have Devin Hester returning kicks and also signed Eric Weems as a backup in that role. Allen is seen as a better receiver than Booker, although Booker caught four passes when the Bears rallied past the New York Giants' reserves to win 20-17 on Friday.

Here's the Chicago Tribune report on the battle.

And here's a story from the Daily Herald.