When meeting with the media on Wednesday afternoon, Chicago Bears head coach John Fox wouldn’t say whether or not left guard Kyle Long and cornerback Prince Amukamara would practice … but eventually the Bears’ injury report would answer that question:
#Bears injury/participation report: pic.twitter.com/iurZXNGH8h
— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) September 13, 2017
Three players who were inactive for Week 1 – Long, Amukamara, and receiver Markus Wheaton – each practiced on Wednesday, albeit in a limited capacity.
This counts as a sign of progress for Amukamara, who didn’t practice at all last week and has been kept off the field since leaving after the first play of the third preseason game with an ankle injury. Quarterback Matt Ryan played well against the Bears, but it’s not as though Julio Jones, Mohamed Sanu, or Taylor Gabriel was running wild behind the secondary on Sunday. Still, the Bears would surely love to have Amukamara back in the fold this week with receivers Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson lurking in Week 2.
Long has been slowly recovering from ankle surgery that ended his 2016 season, practicing as a limited participant on Thursday and Friday last week after being out of action a week ago at this time. Tom Compton earned a respectable 72.6 grade from Pro Football Focus filling in as a starter for the injured Long.
Wheaton took the field with the Bears on Sunday, but was ultimately placed on the gameday inactive list. The free agent receiver practiced catching Nerf balls early last week before upgrading to regulation NFL balls as he heals up from pinkie surgery. Quarterback Mike Glennon could use another receiver to throw to when returning to Tampa Bay after throwing 30 percent of his pass attempts to rookie running back Tarik Cohen. Glennon threw just one pass beyond 20 yards, which, of course, went to Cohen and not a receiver streaking down the field.
Joining Amukamara, Long, and Wheaton as limited participants in Wednesday’s practice were linebacker Christian Jones (back) and safety Deon Bush (hamstring). Running back Benny Cunningham was a non-participant at practice because of an ankle injury he suffered in Week 1 that limited him to four snaps. Second-string safety Adrian Amos also did not practice, but was out because of personal reason.