The Chicago Bears released their final injury report ahead of Sunday night’s Week 9 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and three players carry a questionable designation. All three are major contributors for this team, which makes their status something to watch going into the weekend.

There was also good news on Friday. Two starters who picked up injuries in last Monday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks ramped back up and were full participants in practice.

Kyle Monangai returns to full practice for the first time since Week 4

The biggest name on the report is running back Kyle Monangai, who has missed the last four games with a turf toe injury. Monangai was a full participant on Friday for the first time since suffering the injury in Week 4 against the New York Jets.

That’s a positive sign that Monangai might be back in action against Tampa Bay. However, the Bears could still rule him out going into Sunday night’s game. Even if that’s the case, Friday’s practice suggests Monangai is on track to return after the Week 10 bye and be ready for Week 11.

“(He’s) getting better, so like I said last time we brought him up, each injury is a little bit different, and you try to get a timeline, an approximation of what you think it could be, and some guys come back a little bit sooner, some guys take a little bit longer, so those toe injuries, those can be fickle at times, and that’s what this one’s proved to be,” head coach Ben Johnson said on Friday.

Considering the Bears would like to keep their players fresh for the late-season push, it would make sense to give Monangai one more week of rest. Fortunately, Chicago has liked what it has gotten from D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson the last couple of weeks. The yards-per-carry mark isn’t quite where the staff wants it, but the duo has produced enough to keep the Bears among the top rushing offenses in the NFL.

Questionable tags thin out the Bears’ cornerback depth

The other two questionable players are both in the secondary. Rookie cornerback Malik Muhammad II is still dealing with a toe injury that kept him out of last week’s game. Muhammad was limited throughout the entire week, which mirrors his situation from a week ago.

Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson also popped up on the report with a thumb injury, a new issue for him this season. Stevenson was limited on Friday.

Stevenson has struggled at times this season, both production-wise and while battling different injuries. He leads the NFL with five touchdowns allowed, including two last week against Seattle. Still, losing him would further limit the depth at a position that hasn’t played well.

That puts a lot on the plate of Jaylon Johnson, who will be out there as the team’s top corner. But, Johnson has struggled as well. Depending on which database you look at, he ranks among the Top-5 in receiving yards allowed and has had a hard time catching on with the scheme. Injury is no longer a concern or an excuse for him. He simply needs to be better, and the Bears expect him to be better.

If Muhammad and Stevenson can’t go, I would imagine Clark Phillips III starts on the outside opposite Johnson with Kyler Gordon manning the slot.

Good news for Grady Jarrett and Theo Benedet

Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett came out of Monday’s game with a groin injury, but he ramped back up as a full participant on Friday. There’s no issue with Jarrett being out there, and that matters. Chicago needs the veteran on the interior next to Jeffery Simmons, and having two experienced players there will help against a talented Buccaneers run game that has been going off the last couple of weeks.

“He’s feeling some things as well, so when you get to the halfway point of the season, everybody that’s been playing, they’re dealing with something at this point,” Johnson said. “Grady’s tough, I know he wants to be out there, and he knows how big this one is for us.”

The same goes for left tackle Theo Benedet. Benedet checked in with the medical team after Monday’s game with a shoulder injury, but he was a full participant on Friday and carries no injury designation going into Sunday night.

That’s a big relief for Chicago. Losing Benedet would have put the Bears in a bind and potentially forced them to start Ozzy Trapilo, who hasn’t been called on to start yet as he slowly works his way back with limited action. I don’t think Trapilo would have been quite ready for a full starting role.

Overall, it’s a positive Friday report for the Bears. That being said, questions remain with Monangai and at cornerback, and the status of those three players will be the storyline to watch before kickoff against Tampa Bay.