Bears’ Matt Eberflus: All but 1 hurt starter on pace to face Packers
Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus stands on the sidelines during the second quarter against the Buffalo Bills in a preseason game at Soldier Field on Saturday.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
The Bears expect all but one starter to healthy enough to face the Packers in Week 1, head coach Matt Eberflus said Tuesday.
Teven Jenkins, who has a walking boot on his right foot, remains “week-to-week,” Eberflus said. Everyone else is in the Bears’ injury recovery program and on pace to be cleared by the Sept. 10 opener.
The list of players who have missed practices due to injuries is long: safeties Eddie Jackson and Jaquan Brisker; edge rushers Yannick Ngakoue and DeMarcus Walker; middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds; receiver Chase Claypool; center Cody Whitehair; guard Nate Davis; and right tackle Darnell Wright, the Bears’ first-round pick this season.
Edmunds missed practices all month but returned last week and played six snaps Saturday. Ngakoue also played against the Bills after ramping up the past few weeks.
Claypool hurt his hamstring during practice earlier this month. Wright has a right ankle issue. Davis has spent most of training camp unable to participate.
Backup center/guard Lucas Patrick, who is likely to start with Jenkins out, has practiced once since getting hurt during Family Fest on Aug. 6.
The Bears don’t have to release their first NFL-mandated injury report until Sept. 6.