You know it's almost football season when the first injury report of the year drops. Since the Chicago Bears are playing Monday night, theirs didn't arrive until Thursday afternoon. It certainly revealed certain details that shape the picture. First, the good news. Star cornerback Jaylon Johnson practiced in a limited capacity. That raises the possibility that he might be able to make it to the opener despite missing all of training camp with a groin injury. From there, things get a little more dicey.
The situation at running back continues to raise concerns. Right now, D'Andre Swift is still their only healthy body on the main roster. Kyle Monangai is dealing with a hamstring issue, while Roschon Johnson hasn't practiced for weeks due to a foot problem. It is hard to imagine the Bears not making some sort of move at running back in the next couple of days, be it a veteran signing or (more likely) elevating someone from the practice squad.
Lastly, it appears linebacker T.J. Edwards is in danger of missing the opener. He came up lame in practice last week and doesn't seem to have made progress. That would be a tough blow to their run defense.
The Chicago Bears face some tough challenges.
Losing Edwards is probably the biggest concern. They were already hurting at linebacker with Amen Ogbongbemiga going on Injured Reserve. This means 4th round rookie Ruben Hyppolite and former backup Noah Sewell could see serious action in this game. It could be problematic against Aaron Jones, who always gives the Chicago Bears trouble. As to the running back issue, head coach Ben Johnson has a track record of getting the most from whoever he has in the backfield. His system is proven and reliable. Swift should still be effective. The challenge is finding somebody who can give him a few plays off. Hopefully Monangai is healthy enough for that. Otherwise, Brittain Brown might be the name to watch.
