NEWSLETTER
The last thing the Chicago Bears needed was another injured receiver, but that’s exactly what they got on Thursday.
Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times reported that wide receiver Josh Bellamy (ankle) was listed as one of two Bears – along with RB Benny Cunningham – who did not practice on Thursday. However, the Bears shifted gears and later said Bellamy was only limited in practice, according to ESPN Chicago’s Jeff Dickerson. In either case, Bellamy finds himself on the injury report leading into the Bears’ Week 2 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Bears entered the 2017 season with question marks throughout the wide receivers room and things have only gotten worse since then. The team is already without the two receivers projected to be starters this season with Cameron Meredith (ACL) and Kevin White (shoulder) on injured reserve. And Markus Wheaton, who underwent an emergency appendectomy during training camp, looked to be on a quick road to recovery, before he broke his pinkie finger and had surgery during the last public practice at Bourbonnais. Oh, and then there’s Rueben Randle, who was recently released by the team, played one preseason game before landing on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. And now Bellamy is battling ankle problems.
It just feels like it’s going to get worse before it gets better, doesn’t it?
Bellamy was targeted four times by quarterback Mike Glennon and caught three passes for 27 yards. Among Bellamy’s snags was a 14-yard catch on 4th-and-3 from the Falcons 42-yard-line that extended the team’s final drive. Of course, it’s easy to forget that when the final throw that went his direction went off his fingertips in the end zone. Despite his battle with drops, Bellamy was probably going to play some kind of important role among Bears receivers this year. Unfortunately now, an ankle injury is going to make his immediate future a bit cloudier.
As far as other injured Bears are concerned, Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune reports running back Jordan Howard, left guard Kyle Long, and cornerback Prince Amukamara join Bellamy and Wheaton as limited in practice. Safety Adrian Amos returned as a full participant after missing Wednesday with a personal matter.
