NEWSLETTER
At Matt Nagy/Ryan Pace’s late-December press conference, the Bears announced that linebacker Roquan Smith, tight end Trey Burton, wide receiver Anthony Miller, and quarterback Mitch Trubisky require(d) surgery for their respective injuries.
Nearly two months later, Pace provided an encouraging update:
Pace says Training Camp is the goal for Trubisky, Anthony Miller, Trey Burton and Roquan Smith in terms of being “full go”. #Bears
— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) February 25, 2020
Trubisky, Miller, Burton, and Smith are all expected to be a “full go” when training camp begins in July. That’s welcome news for all parties. Trubisky, Miller, Burton, and Smith are starters at their respective positions, and each has a lot at stake in the year to come. So being healthy at the outset of training camp is quite important.
Burton was bothered by a groin injury since before the team’s postseason loss in January 2019. Then, in the early part of the 2019 regular season, a different groin injury popped up, slowed him down, and ultimately limited him to eight games this season. Burton, 28, still has two years remaining on the four-year contract he signed in 2018. And because there isn’t much to be saved in salary cap relief by cutting him before the start of the new league year, he’s expected to be on the team going into 2020.
Smith suffered a season-ending torn pectoral muscle in the Bears’ win against the Cowboys. The injury required surgery, but Pace insists Smith’s injury won’t keep him from being ready for training camp. Smith, 22, has two years left on his rookie deal (and possibly three, depending on what happens with the fifth-year option).
Miller, 25, finished the year dealing with another injury to his left shoulder after being injured on a kick return in the season finale. Yes, that is the same one that was injured during his rookie season and required offseason surgery to repair. Two shoulder surgeries in as many offseason isn’t ideal for anyone, let alone a wide receiver who could be instrumental to the team’s success in the passing game. The Bears have Miller under contract for the next two years of his rookie deal.
And then there’s Trubisky, who suffered an injury to his non-throwing shoulder in Week 3 of the regular season, missed just one start, but still needed to undergo offseason surgery for repair. The expectation is for Trubisky to be ready for OTAs, minicamp, and training camp.
