As has become common occurrence, the Chicago Bears held a walk-through on their first practice of game week. And with that being said, let’s remind each other that early injury reports are estimates.
However, I don’t like seeing Darnell Mooney, Roquan Smith, and Buster Skrine as non-participants to start the week.
Mooney was the team’s leading receiver in its Week 17 loss to the Packers. He suffered an ankle injury in the late stages of the game, and the passing game wasn’t the same without him. Smith, in the midst of an All-Pro worthy season, was injured chasing a ball-carrier early in the same game. The elbow injury was bad enough to keep him out of action for the. rest of the game. As for Skrine, he has missed the regular season’s final four games after suffering a concussion in the Bears’ Week 13 loss against the Lions. Again, this particular injury report is an estimation. But still … it’s not good.
And don’t expect to get an immediate update as to each of these players’ playing status for Sunday’s game:
Matt Nagy says that Roquan Smith and Darnell Mooney's game designations will come Friday. #Bears
— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) January 6, 2021
As for the entire injury report:
#Bears Wednesday injury report:
Please note today's practice was a walk-through, injury reports are estimations. pic.twitter.com/tBAW2acesx— Chicago Bears (@BearsPR) January 6, 2021
Here’s some good news: Rookie cornerback Jaylon Johnson would have been a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice. Johnson hasn’t played since suffering a shoulder injury in the second half of the Bears’ Week 14 win against the Texans. And even though Chicago won two of three games without Johnson in the lineup, the secondary still missed his presence. Seeing “limited” instead of “DNP” — even on an estimated injury report — leaves me with more optimism than I previously had when writing about his health.
Overall, the injury report isn’t looking bad. Seeing standout starters Khalil Mack, Allen Robinson, Charles Leno Jr., and Eddie Jackson among the full participants in Wednesday’s walk-through is encouraging, to say the least. Hopefully, we’ll have some more good news regarding the Bears’ injury report tomorrow.