NEWSLETTER
Slowing down Patrick Mahomes with a full cast of characters in the secondary is demanding enough, but it’s possible the Bears won’t even have that going for them on Sunday.
Here’s the latest from the injury report:
#Bears Thursday injury report: pic.twitter.com/Zs07qPADlY
— Chicago Bears (@BearsPR) December 19, 2019
Cornerback Prince Amukamara was downgraded to a limited participant in Thursday’s practice. Ostensibly, that’s a setback after not appearing on Wednesday’s injury report. This is Amukamara’s first time as a limited participant in practice after being a full-go in practice leading up to the Packers game. Then again, seeing Amukamara’s name pop up on this injury report isn’t much of a surprise.
Last week, Amukamara split time with second-year cornerback Kevin Toliver II. The reasoning was simple enough, the Bears didn’t want Amukamara to be pressed into a full snap share against the likes of Davante Adams knowing that he was just 10 days removed from sitting out of the team’s Week 14 win against the Cowboys because of a hamstring issue. Amukamara was limited to 28 total snaps (or a 47 percent share), while Buster Skrine (36 snaps, 61 percent) and Toliver (31 snaps, 53 percent) saw a growing chunk of the action.
Considering what we discussed earlier about the 2020 season being more valuable than a pair of games that aren’t of any consequence in the 2019 season, the Bears are better off not risking it with an injured Amukamara. And if it gives the team a window to better evaluate Toliver, Skrine, and other defensive backs on the roster, then it would be better for the big picture if Amukamara sits this one out. Even if it comes against a Chiefs team that has weapons that can destroy a defense at every level.
