Bears RB D'Andre Swift, WR Keenan Allen expect to play Sunday
Despite being listed as questionable, Bears running back D’Andre Swift will play Sunday against the Vikings.
“No questions asked,” Swift said Friday.
Exactly how much, though, is a different question after new offensive coordinator Thomas Brown gave backup running back Roschon Johnson 10 carries, tying a career high, against the Packers. He often got carries in short-yardage situations.
Swift felt pain in his groin early in Sunday’s game but “finished the game and worried about it later,” the running back said. He ran 14 times for 71 yards and a 39-yard touchdown.
He was held out of practice Wednesday, was limited Thursday and practiced in full Friday.
“He looked good out there,” coach Matt Eberflus said after Friday’s practice.
Johnson said this week he was preparing the same whether Swift played or not. That’s a habit he learned at Texas, when he played behind all-world running back Bijan Robinson for three years.
“Whether who’s up, who’s up, I’m the same way every week,” Johnson said. “I definitely adapted that mindset in college.”
Allen rolls his ankle
Veteran receiver Keenan Allen rolled his ankle Friday and did not finish practice. He was listed as questionable for the Vikings game but said he’ll play.
“It was just a little stiff,” he said.
Eberflus said the Bears “don’t think it’s severe.”
Allen, who missed two games earlier this season because of a heel problem, has caught at least four passes in the Bears’ last three games and has 30 catches for 282 yards this season. That’s a far cry from his output with the Chargers. Allen had 108 catches for 1,243 yards last year, the fifth time in seven years he’d recorded at least 1,000 receiving yards.
J.J. vs J.J.
Vikings star receiver Justin Jefferson and Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson were drafted 28 spots apart in 2020 and play in the same division. Amazingly, though, they’ve only been on the field together for two games — and not since 2021.
Due to injuries to both players, they faced off in one game as rookies and one in their second season. That’s why Johnson was hesitant to get into too much detail about the Vikings’ star receiver this week.
“I haven’t covered him in a few years, so I don’t know,” he said this week. “I’ll see.”
Jefferson didn’t face the Bears last year because of a hamstring injury. In six games between 2020-22, he caught a whopping 41 passes for 585 yards and two touchdowns against the Bears.
Notes
• Teven Jenkins, who was a full participant for the second consecutive day after hurting his ankle two weeks ago, has no injury designation for Sunday’s game.
“It’s doing good enough to keep pushing through,” Jenkins said.
Guard Ryan Bates still hasn’t cleared concussion protocol and won’t play.
• With safety Elijah Hicks out with an ankle injury, the Bears will turn to Jonathan Owens at starter. He replaced Hicks after he left Sunday's game.
“He’s familiar in terms of being in that role,” Eberflus said, “and he’s done a good job communicating with (safety) Kevin (Byard) and everybody else in the secondary.”
• The Vikings’ Josh Oliver was ruled out with wrist and ankle injuries. Fellow tight end Nick Muse (hand) was ruled questionable, as was outside linebacker Gabe Murphy (knee), who is still on IR.
• Bears swing tackle Kiran Amegadjie is questionable as he continues to recover from a calf injury.
• The Bears will wear their striped navy helmet, striped white jersey, navy pants and striped socks Sunday.