NEWSLETTER
The Chicago Bears aren’t out of the woods just yet, but there is a sense of optimism surrounding the prognosis of a pair of players who left with injuries before the conclusion of Sunday’s NFC North clinching win against the Green Bay Packers.
"I don't think we're there for either one of them" Matt Nagy says when asked if Eddie Jackson and Aaron Lynch's injuries could be season-ending.
— JJ Stankevitz (@JJStankevitz) December 17, 2018
That sound you heard was a loud, collective sigh of relief from Bears coaches, players, and fans who are hoping for a healthy team entering the postseason.
Safety Eddie Jackson and outside linebacker Aaron Lynch were undergoing further evaluation and testing when Bears Head Coach Matt Nagy addressed the media at Halas Hall on Monday. But the most encouraging thing here is that Nagy believes neither injury is a season-ending one. That’s good news for a Bears defense that looks good enough to ride through a contention window.
After intercepting an Aaron Rodgers pass late in the fourth quarter, Jackson suffered an ankle sprain at the end of his return. Jackson limped off the field and was seen wearing a walking boot in the locker room after the game. But as we noted earlier, Jackson was reported to be in good spirits when asked about his status in the locker room.
Lynch suffered an elbow injury in the third quarter after playing a total of nine defensive snaps and never returned. It’s taken some time, but Lynch has grown into a rotation role as a pass-rushing outside linebacker alongside Khalil Mack, Leonard Floyd, and Isaiah Irving. Lynch has three sacks, eight quarterback hits, and four tackles for loss in his role as a situational defender. He has played in 13 of the Bears’ 14 games and has come a long way since being plagued by injuries during training camp and a non-factor during the preseason.
The Bears won’t release an injury report until Wednesday, so it’s possible updates regarding each player’s health will be kept under wraps until then. In the meantime, the best news is already out there if neither injury is believed to be one that ends either player’s season.
