Bears’ injury luck took a turn for the worse before turning the page to Week 1, despite one starting defender returning to practice
Chicago Bears edge rusher Austin Booker was spotted back in pads and on the practice field on Tuesday for the first time since August 20 after dealing with a groin injury. But, the Bears had two offensive weapons leave practice early with injuries.
For the second day in a row, it seemed like the Chicago Bears were going to get good news on the injury front involving starting players that were dealing with injuries.
On Wednesday, starting outside cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson (arm) and Tyrique Stevenson (leg) returned to practice for the first time since last Thursday’s joint practice after dealing with injuries described as day-to-day.
On Thursday, defensive end Austin Booker was back in pads and returned to practice, a significant step toward suiting up for next week’s Week 1 opener against the Carolina Panthers.
However, things took a turn for the worse on the injury front when running back D’Andre Swift and wide receiver Rome Odunze left practice early in some pain.
Rome Odunze, D’Andre Swift left practice early on Thursday
Thursday’s practice was expected to be a physical one similar to the tough days of camp to serve as one final tune up before turning the page to Week 1. However, with those intense practices, there’s going to be the risk of injury.
Wide receiver Rome Odunze and running back D’Andre Swift both left the field early with injuries, adding some concern for the offense. Odunze tried to push through his injury before walking off the field with a trainer during the first hour of practice and seemed to be favoring his right leg/foot (not the foot Odunze injured last year). Swift left the field toward the end of the session holding his stomach/core, according to Sean Hammond of the Chicago Tribune.
Update: Dan Wiederer of The Athletic said that “preliminary indications are that Bears WR Rome Odunze should be all good.” As for Swift, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported he was only dealing with a cramp.
Austin Booker’s return to practice is at least some good news looking ahead to Week 1
Booker had been sidelined since the Cincinnati Bengals joint practice on Aug. 20, and Bears head coach Ben Johnson said last week that the third-year pass rusher was dealing with a week-to-week groin injury.
The timing of Booker’s return to the field Thursday is encouraging. Chicago will be off Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for Labor Day weekend before coming back to the building on Monday to prepare for next Sunday’s regular season opener in Carolina. That gives Booker plenty of time ramp up his workload and prove he’s ready to go.
When Booker first went down, there was real concern this could linger into the regular season. A week-to-week designation late in camp rarely inspires confidence, and Booker’s history only added to the worry. He missed multiple weeks early last season, and the Bears felt his absence on the edge.
But when he came back, he showed what a force he can be on the defensive line opposite Montez Sweat. Booker provided a massive boost to the team’s pass rush totaling 5.5 sacks and 14 QB hits during the second half of the season and into the playoffs.
Getting Booker back healthy is critical for the Bears’ defense heading into the new season. The Bears need that kind of production off the edge opposite Sweat, and Booker has the potential to be a breakout player that can disrupt an entire game plan for opposing teams that would ideally plan to double-team Sweat.
We still don’t know what Booker’s workload looked like on Thursday and how much of a workload can he handle before the Panthers game. The fact that he’s already back in pads is a great sign, but the Bears will need to see sustained participation before we can pencil him into the Week 1 lineup with full confidence.
