The Chicago Bears’ first injury report isn’t as crowded as it has been in recent weeks.
That feels like good news, so let’s take a moment to check it out:
#Bears Wednesday injury report: pic.twitter.com/hRL59t2eHk
— Chicago Bears (@BearsPR) December 18, 2019
Even though tight end Ben Braunecker and inside linebacker Danny Trevathan have been placed on injured reserve since last Friday’s report, a bunch of other Bears who were banged up leading into the Packers game aren’t on today’s iteration – among them: defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris (foot), wide receiver Javon Wims (knee), cornerback Prince Amukamara (hamstring), and jack-of-many-trades Cordarrelle Patterson (head).
The most notable name not on the injury report, however, is defensive lineman Akiem Hicks. The Bears had been without Hicks since the early part of their Week 5 loss to the Raiders, when an ugly elbow injury took him out for the game and was enough to put him on injured reserve. Nearly 70 days later, Hicks returned to the lineup and played on 61 percent of the defense’s snaps last week. And while that number represents a noteworthy reduction in playing time for a player who was in on 74.1 percent of defensive snaps last season, it still felt like a lot for someone who hadn’t played meaningful football since October.
Even still … don’t be fooled by the empty space on the injury report. It stings to see right tackle Bobby Massie (ankle) and receiver Taylor Gabriel (concussion) still on the mend. And the Bears still have eight players (Braunecker, Trevathan, Trey Burton, T.J. Clemmings, Kyle Long, Sherrick McManis, Adam Shaheen, Roquan Smith) on injured reserve, so it isn’t like they’re playing with a full deck. Then again, who is at this point of the season?