Being hurt is a big part of life – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Being injured is a huge part of football. Players can be injured but remain emotionally and spiritually tough – allowing them to play through that injury. The first injury reports that come out during an NFL week are typically the vaguest for players on the bubble of being injured vs. hurt. But, if we look closely we can glean some useful hints about the Bears’ injuries.
Starters: WR – Allen, DE – Sweat
You hate to hear this about Keenan Allen. Not only because it’s a foot injury to a key offseason acquisition, but because it was a heel injury that kept Allen out for the final four weeks of last season with the Los Angeles Chargers. Playing through heel pain can be tough for a wide receiver, given all the jumping and hard cuts necessary to play at a high level.
It hasn’t been specified yet whether it’s the same heel Allen hurt at the end of last year, but regardless, this is very concerning for his availability in week one. The good news is that Keenan Allen was listed as LP (limited participant) in practice on Wednesday and Thursday. Allen injured his heel on August 24 in practice due to an alleged issue with his cleats.
Montez Sweat has been tending to an injury to his toe for several weeks throughout training camp and it has carried over into week one preparations. The Chicago Bears staff has implied that the injury is minor, and the team anticipates Sweat to be available for Sunday’s home open versus the Tennessee Titans. Sweat’s inclusion on the injury report appears more precautionary than reactionary.
Key Rotational Players On Report
DT Zacch Pickens may not be listed as a starter on the Bears’ first official depth chart, but he is the most concerning on this list due to the need for depth on the Bears’ defensive interior. Pickens injured his groin in the Bears’ final preseason game in Kansas City against the Chiefs on August 22.
At that time, it was anticipated that Pickens would need to go on IR and miss the first four weeks of the 2024 season. However, as each day has gone by since then, the Bears have chosen not to make that move. Pickens being a limited participant in practice bodes well for him being healthy enough to play for the Bears in some capacity on Sunday.
Running Back Roschon Johnson saw some decent playing time last year. But, with the addition of starter D’Andre Swift in the offseason, the Bears now have Johnson listed as their third-string RB behind Khalil Herbert. Johnson has been dealing with a toe injury as of late, but it has not been considered very serious by those close to the situation.
If Johnson needs to miss playing time this Sunday, it could lead to added snaps for Swift and Herbert. If anything happens to one of them, we could see a snap or two at RB for lead kick returner Velus Jones Jr. or fourth-string RB, Travis Homer. Velus Jones Jr. was a star in the preseason and gained some notoriety on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” as a player the coaches love and want to find ways to get him the football.
Conclusion
Through two injury reports, the initial week-one vibes for the Chicago Bears indicate that their starters should play. Typically, there’s not much difference between injury reports issued on Wednesdays vs Thursdays. We saw the same LP (limited participant) designation for Keenan Allen, Montez Sweat, Zacch Pickens, and Roschon Johnson on both days. Pay close attention to Friday’s injury report which states each player’s official injury designation for the game leading into the Bears’ Sunday’s matchup with the Titans.
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