Thursday’s Chicago Bears injury report is OUT … and it brings me a bag of mixed emotions.
I’ll start with a bit of good news: Montez Sweat was upgraded from a non-participant on Wednesday to practicing in a limited capacity on Thursday. Sweat was kept out of Wednesday’s walk-through because of a shin injury he suffered late in the team’s Week 8 loss to the Washington Commanders. The shin issue was serious enough to keep him off the field for Washington’s Hail Mary end-of-game heave, so part of me has been worrying about Sweat’s status going into the upcoming game against the Arizona Cardinals. But I find it encouraging that Sweat is trending in the right direction.
On the other side of the coin, I have a newfound concern about Teven Jenkins‘ availability after seeing that he did not practice on Friday. Jenkins was limited on Wednesday’s participation report because of a knee injury. If you’ll recall, Jenkins missed time in Chicago’s loss to Washington because of a knee injury. We have seen Jenkins bounce back from DNPs and limited participation days to play on Sunday this season, so there is a part of me that is hoping this is just a maintenance day for Chicago’s starting left guard. Here’s hoping a Friday update brings a step in the right direction.
Here is a list of notable Bears who did not practice due to injuries on Thursday: Cornerback Kyler Gordon (hamstring), safety Jaquan Brisker (concussion), left tackle Braxton Jones (knee), and offensive lineman Kiran Amegadjie (calf). I truly wish there was something I could write that could get it through the skulls of folks who don’t (or can’t) understand that not all concussions are the same. Brisker has been sidelined due to concussions before, so perhaps it makes sense that things are a little slower on that front regarding the safety’s return. Tight end Marcedes Lewis had Thursday off with a veteran’s rest day.
WEEK 9 MATCHUP: Bears Offensive LIne vs. Cardinals Defensive Line
Offensive lineman Ryan Bates (shoulder) remains limited in his second practice since the team opened his 21-day practice window after designating him for a return from injured reserve. Fellow lineman Larry Borom (ankle) was a full participant for a second consecutive practice. If Jones and Amegadjie can’t give it a go against the Cardinals, Borom represents a logical choice to step into the starting lineup.
Chicago Bears Thursday Injury Report โ Week 9
This is what Thursday’s Bears injury report looks like in full. Hopefully, some more encouraging news will surface on Friday: