Chicago Bears: Emanuel Hall injury puts him behind 8-ball

Emanuel Hall was going to have a hard time making the roster. Adding an injury is not going to help his chances

When Emanuel Hall fell to a UDFA it was a major surprise. However, it quickly got reported that off of the field questions were the reasons why. As we slowly learned more, questions about his ability to come back from injuries became a highlight note.

So, when news came out that Emanuel Hall was not active in OTAs, the question had to be was it injury related? It was. In fact, Matt Nagy mentioned that it was surgery, a similar procedure to the one Trey Burton had.

It means that there is a chance Hall can be ready for training camp but this puts Hall in a tough spot. As a UDFA, you have a chance to earn a roster spot on the field. However, nobody can deny that UDFAs have less margin for error.

Kevin Toliver made the roster last season with on-field talent and off of the field questions. However, Toliver aced every portion of the offseason. He shined in OTAs, made noise in training camp and saw preseason action to earn his spot.

Hall failed to set himself apart in OTAs, and now his hoping to recover quick enough to make noise in camp. At least this. will test what was reported to be one of his biggest questions in college.

Still, on top of being behind the progression of Toliver last season, Hall is also in a more difficult position to make the roster. The Bears brought back a good group, added Cordarelle Patterson and drafted Riley Ridley, who have both turned heads in OTAs. He was facing an uphill battle that just got even higher.

However, there is a silver lining to this. The Bears may completely redshirt Hall for his rookie season. Coming back from an offseason procedure bakes in an excuse to potentially push Hall to the IR if he takes too long to get adjusted in training camp. The team would be able to rehabilitate Hall, potentially help him recover from other college injuries and have him come back fresh next season when the depth chart is not as loaded.

Nonetheless, the chances of Hall making the roster have decreased greatly, even if Hall does not miss training camp time. These are valuable snaps for a player who needs every last one and losing out will push back his progression.