Injury Bug Bites at Chicago Bears on Day 4 of Training Camp
Jul 26, 2013; Bourbonnais, IL, USA; Chicago Bears tackle Jermon Bushrod (74) blocks defensive end Shea McClellin (99) during training camp at Olivet Nazarene University. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Don’t panic by the picture used at the top of the post. Yes, Jermon Bushrod did suffer a mild calf strain but it’s not as bad as the season ending blown Achilles that defensive end Turk McBride sustained.
Bushrod was seen in a walking boot and coach Trestman called him “day to day.” McBride is done for the season.
Cheta Ozougwu sat out with a hamstring injury while Brandon Marshall took a veteran’s day off to nurse that sore hip that was surgically repaired during the offseason. As these guys miss time, it means other guys need to step up. Hit the jump to see how the dominoes fell:
On the offensive line, Bushrod’s absence makes the OT position look awfully familiar, but with a twist. It was J’Marcus Webb manning the right tackle spot while Jonathan Scott swung over to the left side. Scott was supposed to be competing with Webb for the starting right tackle gig, with the loser of that competition expected to become the swing tackle.
While Webb and Scott took the reps with the first team, Cory Brandon took some reps at left tackle while rookie Jordan Mills had some extra reps on the right side.
The interior of the line stayed the same as on Day 3, with James Brown and Kyle Long splitting reps at RG while Matt Slauson and Roberto Garza held it down at LG and Center.
On the defensive line, losing McBride isn’t a devastating blow as he wasn’t expected to start, but it certainly hurt and challenges a group that was already dangerously thin. It adds to a growing list of players who’ve been lost for the season, most notably Jeremy Maclin (ACL) and Dennis Pitta (Dislocated Hip). Kyle Moore and rookie Cornelius Washington took reps with the second team.
To step in for Brandon Marshall, Joe Anderson got some extra reps at wide receiver and responding with a touchdown grab early in the day. Coach Trestman singled him out as having a good camp. It looks like he’s sitting in that #4 wide receiver spot right now.
Other notes (as reported via Twitter):
- Call it progress. Jay Cutler completed his first pass of the day. Yay!!!
- Corey Wootton has been getting a few reps inside at DT. It could just be part of the “Nascar” package, where the D-line is pass rusher-heavy on obvious passing downs or it could mean the Bears want Wootton to fill the Izzy Idonije role as a swing DT/DE.
- Charles Tillman was said to have put on a clinic with four passes defensed.
- Zack Bowman also had a nice practice with a couple of PD’s.
- Isaiah Frey had a nice pass defended coming on the heels of an INT in Day 3 of practice.
In general, it looked like the defense is still ahead of the offense. Let’s see if Marc Trestman can get the offense on going. The Bears have a scheduled day off on Tuesday, but stick around for more updates.