Chicago Bears fans receive soul-crushing news regarding one of their starting linebackers T.J. Edwards on Saturday.
Bears head coach Ben Johnson spoke with the team as he shared that Edwards is being considered "doubtful" for the Monday night showdown against the Minnesota Vikings, according to ALLCITY NFL Analyst Adam Hoge. Johnson instead said that rookie linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II will be playing on the field on defense.
Ben Johnson says linebacker T.J. Edwards is doubtful to play Monday and confirms rookie Ruben Hyppolite will see the field on defense. #Bears
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) September 6, 2025
It's been over a week plus since Edwards has last practiced, as he has been dealing with a hamstring injury and has been on the injury report this week. He is expected to be one of the starters at linebacker alongside Tremaine Edmunds.
How will the Bears' linebackers look without Edwards against the Vikings?
This has become a big moment for Hyppolite to get shouted out like that by Johnson. Whether that means he will start or be in the rotation is unknown.
One fascinating aspect of training camp that everyone was monitoring was the relationship between Hyppolite and Noah Sewell, and whether the Bears would line up with three linebackers, and if so, who would be out there. Hyppolite and Sewell played well in the preseason as well.
Sewell had a standout first game against the Miami Dolphins with six tackles, one tackle for loss, and a forced fumble. On the flip side, Hyppolite led the Bears in tackles in the preseason with 16.
What the Bears love about Hyppolite is his pure speed, as he was the fastest linebacker in the NFL Draft with an insane 4.42-second 40-yard dash. There's some development needed in terms of consistency, but he looks like he could be a great outside linebacker.
The other side of the argument is that Sewell is more experienced and has played meaningful snaps in the NFL. Bears fans were excited about his play in the preseason, as he had great vision for finding the ball carrier.
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Edwards looks to be a long shot and pretty much is gone for the Vikings game. It's Hyppolite and Sewell's time to step up and play well.