NEWSLETTER
Some people get geeked up about counting down to the new year, others don’t. And while I’m in the “others” camp these days because I’d rather get a full night sleep than spend gobs of money for a “meh” time on a cold Chicago night, I’ll admit that other countdowns make my bull run.
For instance, counting down the final injury reports of the season is an absolute treat. To be free from the pain of following the pain of others will make for a joyous occasion. Thankfully, it is coming soon:
#Bears Wednesday injury report: pic.twitter.com/FrOkAMwld4
— Chicago Bears (@BearsPR) January 5, 2022
The first injury report of the week is OUT. Which means the last “first injury report of the week is OUT” post is here. And as expected, quarterback Justin Fields was a full participant. Bears Head Coach Matt Nagy said that would be the case earlier today, and it turned out to be true. Should Fields continue to be healthy as the week goes on, he’ll start Sunday’s game against the Vikings.
Unfortunately, a trio of high-profile names were unavailable for practice. Meaning that with the good news of Fields’ newfound good health comes a pair of bummers.
Firstly, a pair of 2021 Pro Bowlers did not practice due to their respective injuries. Pass-rushing outside linebacker Robert Quinn was a non-participant due to a shoulder injury. Quinn is coming off a game in which he set a new single-season franchise sack record. So, if anyone was deserving of a day off, there is a good case to be made for Quinn. It’s just that it would be neat if it didn’t come because of a shoulder issue.
Joining Quinn on the injury report with an ankle injury was fellow Jakeem Grant Sr., a fellow Pro Bowler. Grant’s exploits on offense and special teams have been providing sparks of joy since his arrival via trade in October. And while I’ll never turn down the opportunity to watch a Pro Bowl caliber return ace, it wouldn’t be the worst thing if the team shut down Grant, gave him a pat on the back for a job well done, and allow Khalil Herbert (kicks) and Dazz Newsome (punts) to gain some valuable experience at the end of their rookie seasons.
A third high-profile name who wasn’t practicing on Wednesday was defensive lineman Akiem Hicks. The 32-year-old 2018 Pro Bowler was in on 62 percent of the Bears’ defensive snaps in last week’s win against the Giants. That came after Hicks was unavailable to play in Week 16 against the Seahawks while in COVID protocols. Few people take division rivalry games as seriously as Hicks. With that in mind, it would be neat to see him one last time in a Bears uniform. But if the Bears chose to give Hicks a breather as a thanks for the work he put in from 2016-present, then I’d find it understandable.
Only two more of these left. We’ll see if there are any positive updates on some of these banged up Bears later in the week.
