Down Bear: White to IR, Freeman with Two Injuries, Howard OK, Cunningham Ankle Sprain

Mondays after a loss are always a drag, but the Chicago Bears lost Sunday’s game and a handful of contributing players.

The injury report will be updated throughout the week, but Sunday’s battle is already starting to cut into some of the depth the team built during the offseason …

  • Wide receiver Kevin White didn’t suffer a broken collarbone after all, but his injury was still – quite literally – a tough break. Head coach John Fox confirmed White has a broken scapula, and surgical repair has not yet been ruled out. However, either way, White will be ruled out once again as he will be moved to injured reserve. If White doesn’t come back and play again, he will have missed 43 of the first 48 games of his professional career since being taken with the seventh overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. After entering Sunday’s game against the Falcons with just four receivers dressed, the Bears will need to address a clear need with a quick fix.
  • Zack Pearson notes that Fox added the team will evaluate their options at the position. The free agency pool is thin, but the Bears could always turn to Tanner Gentry to fill the void of some of the snaps White leaves behind. At this point, the Bears don’t even have enough healthy bodies to run a five-receiver set.
  • The Bears couldn’t avoid the injury bug on the defensive side of the ball either, with inside linebacker Jerrell Freeman sustaining two injuries. Freeman self-reported a concussion and suffered a pectoral injury (Larry Hawley). The Bears can’t stand to be without a linebacker who graded among the best last year by Pro Football Focus’ standards. Second-year Nick Kwiatkoski filled in for Freeman and Danny Trevathan last year when both missed time, so he’s the next man up if Freeman can’t give it a go against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
  • Running back Jordan Howard avoided serious injury after landing awkwardly on his shoulder after his touchdown run, and Fox said the Pro Bowl back will be fine. (Adam Hoge)
  • Third-string running back Benny Cunningham was another Bears player who left Sunday’s action early, suffering a high-ankle sprain. Cunningham handled kickoff responsibilities early but played just four snaps on offense. Howard and Tarik Cohen handled the biggest bulk of the opportunities in the backfield, while Cohen also tacked on some additional time on the field as a punt returner. If Cunningham has to miss time, waiver wire addition Taquan Mizzell – who was on Sunday’s inactive list – is lined up to fill in.
  • written by

    Luis C. Medina, who you can find on Twitter at lcm1986, has been covering the Chicago Bears at Bleacher Nation since 2017. Since then, he has written about 3 head coaches, 5 play-callers, and 11 starting quarterbacks. Previously, Luis wrote about the Cubs and MLB at BN (2015-16) and worked in the Chicago Tribune sports department (2011-16). He also co-hosted a Cubs postgame show, Outside the Ivy, in 2019.

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