NEWSLETTER
Charles Leno Jr. has massed a grand total of eight (!) offensive snaps since the start of the 2016 season.
Which is why his appearance on Thursday’s injury report is enough to sound some alarms.
Bears Head Coach Matt Nagy told reporters that Leno was day-to-day with a toe injury. Leno injured his toe in Wednesday’s practice, then sat out Thursday due to soreness. How Leno’s toe responds on Friday will provide an inkling as to his status for Sunday night’s game against the Packers. If Leno can’t play, Chicago will be down to just two of its Week 1 starters along the offensive line. That’s troubling to think about.
And let’s not downplay Leno’s injury or the potential impact his absence could bring. The last time the Bears played, PFF graded him as the offense’s best player. Bryan Perez of Bears Wire notes that Leno’s 85.1 grade in Week 10 was his best of the year.
The Bears’ offensive line is in shambles. As things currently stand, Chicago is starting a converted defensive lineman at right tackle and an undrafted free agent at left guard. In case you’re curious, Jason Spriggs is the team’s second-string left tackle. Spriggs was originally set to become the right tackle in place of Bobby Massie, but a knee injury and a stint on the reserve/COVID-19 list has kept him out since Week 9. In short, the front five is a tangled mess.
As for the rest of the Bears’ injury report:
Happy Thanksgiving! #Bears Thursday Injury Report pic.twitter.com/whaEE98Uc0
— Chicago Bears (@BearsPR) November 26, 2020
Another day of DNPs for quarterback Nick Foles and defensive lineman Akiem Hicks. Meanwhile, Mitchell Trubisky put together another full practice on Thursday. Should this trend continue, expect Trubisky to start on Sunday Night Football — even if it’s not announced. Among those joining Trubisky as a full-go on Thursday include John Jenkins (ankle), Cordarrelle Patterson (calf), David Montgomery (concussion), and Sam Mustipher (knee).
Chicago is looking healthier now than it did at the start of the week. But being without Hicks and Leno could impact how the Bears play at the point of attack. Stay tuned for the last injury report of the week, which should come out later this afternoon.
