NEWSLETTER
The Chicago Bears have already listed four players as OUT for Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers. HOWEVER, I would like to kick off this iteration of the injury report with some positive vibes.
Here you go:
Coach Nagy, on Akiem Hicks: “We like what we’re seeing with him.”
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 13, 2019
Still trending well… pic.twitter.com/NfI5nka3CT
— Mark Grote (@markgrotesports) December 13, 2019
"We want to get him out there." https://t.co/lwnH2qaYct
— Patrick Finley (@patrickfinley) December 13, 2019
Matt Nagy on Akiem Hicks: “I like what I’ve seen all week long from him.”
Look for that roster move to come at 3 p.m. Saturday.
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) December 13, 2019
The arrow is clearly pointing in the right direction regarding Akiem Hicks’ return to the Bears this Sunday against the Packers. So … Hooray!
Hicks has been out since suffering an elbow injury in Week 5 against the Raiders when the Bears faced them in London. If you include that matchup, Chicago has gone 4-5 without Hicks in the fold. So to say Hicks’ return will be welcome with open arms doesn’t do it justice. I want to throw a party because I get to see Hicks in the mix against the Packers.
To be clear, the Bears haven’t made an official decision on Hicks’ return. In fact, the team will need to remove someone from the 53-man roster once he is removed from injured reserve. Should the move be done by 3 p.m. CT on Saturday, Hicks will likely resume his spot on the starting defensive line. And if that is how the cookie crumbles, Hicks will be tag-teaming with Khalil Mack and friends en route to hassling quarterback Aaron Rodgers (among others).
As for the rest of the injury report, um …
#Bears Friday injury report: pic.twitter.com/oihLisg7sd
— Chicago Bears (@BearsPR) December 13, 2019
This is a mixed bag, to say the lest.
Right tackle Bobby Massie (ankle) and inside linebacker Danny Trevathan (elbow) remain out with their respective injuries. And so does Ben Braunecker and Taylor Gabriel, both of whom have been in concussion protocol for the better part of a month. Between the seriousness of head injuries and the fact that Gabriel has four documented concussion-related absences at this stage in his pro career, just know that the Bears are doing the right thing by keeping those players off the field until they are completely in the clear.
Because I am in an “all is well that ends well” type of mood, I’ll wrap this up with the *OTHER* positive reports from the injury report.
Cornerback Prince Amukamara (hamstring) and wide receiver/special teams star Cordarrelle Patterson (head) both practiced in full on Friday. That marks three consecutive full practices for Amukamara, who missed the Bears’ win against the Cowboys two Thursdays ago because of a hamstring issue that popped up after the team’s win on Thanksgiving against the Lions. As for Patterson, his listing as a limited participant in Thursday’s practice was a precautionary measure the team took after he landed hard while making a catch in practice. That sound you heard was a sigh of relief generated from the Bears’ special teams unit. All in all, both Amukamara and Patterson are good to go against Green Bay.
Wide receiver Javon Wims (knee) and defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris (foot) were both upgraded to limited participants in Friday’s practice. Neither player participated in practices on Wednesday and Thursday, so the Friday bump is a good thing. The plan figures to be to get Wims and Robertson-Harris as ready as possible for Sunday’s game, then make a game-time decision regarding their possible participation. With that being said, both are listed as “questionable” for Sunday’s game.
