The Bears raised some eyebrows with the reported elevation of running back Lamar Miller from the practice squad to the active roster for Monday’s game against the Vikings.
But that transaction might be the first in a wave of reinforcements on their way, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune hints that changes are on the horizon:
Should note it could also be Eric Kush at LG if Cody Whitehair returns but coaches seemed pretty positive in regard to how Alex Bars performed at center last week at Tennessee.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) November 16, 2020
#Bears did not process any transactions today. Would expect DL Daniel McCullers to be promoted from the practice squad Monday and OL Eric Kush & RB Lamar Miller loom as good possibilities as well. Maybe S Marqui Christian too. Should be multiple moves Monday.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) November 14, 2020
The Bears we see on Monday Night Football could look much different compared to the team we last saw in Week 9. Most notably, center Cody Whitehair could return from the COVID-19 list.
Whitehair was nursing a calf injury when he went on the reserve/virus list and hasn’t played since Week 7. Whitehair’s return could kick Alex Bars out to left guard, which essentially would upgrade two spots on the line in one fell swoop. Pretty sweet, indeed. But the game of musical chairs might not end there.
Biggs opens the door to the possibility of offensive lineman Eric Kush joining the game day roster.
Additionally, the Tribune’s Dan Wiederer tweets: “Don’t be surprised if Eric Kush steps in Monday night as the Bears’ fourth starting center in as many games with Alex Bars bumping out to guard.” I imagine that being the backup plan if Whitehair isn’t cleared to play on Monday, so keep an eye out for that possibility. Kush has experience at guard and center, thus making for an intriguing addition should the Bears find it necessary. And what does that do for Arlington Hambright? Do the Bears remove him from the rotation altogether after making his first start? What happens with Rashaad Coward? He has started at two different places on the line, but hasn’t had much success at either.
In other words, there are so many moving parts here. And to think, this is where a numbers game begins.
Chicago can call up just two players from the practice squad to join the game day roster. With Miller and Kush penciled in for promotions, the Bears need to make moves in order to add others. For instance, Biggs offers the idea of promoting nose tackle Daniel McCullers. This would make sense considering the Bears just placed Roy Robertson-Harris on injured reserve. But Biggs also mentions safety Marqui Christian as a possible call-up. Christian returned to the practice squad weeks ago. And with special teams ace/defensive back Sherrick McManis out with an injury, tossing Christian into the mix would be sensible. In what’s a simple numbers game, someone must be squeezed out to make it all fit.
In conclusion, Miller’s promotion could be the first of some real changes ahead of the Bears’ biggest game of 2020.
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— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) November 16, 2020