Out of nowhere, the Chicago Bears delivered some bad news regarding their Week 17 showdown against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Bears announced multiple moves, activating rookie offensive lineman Luke Newman from the IR. He will be able to play. They also announced the waiving of defensive lineman Jonathan Ford and have elevated defensive back Dallis Flowers and wide receiver JP Richardson from the practice squad.
Chicago's most notable move, though, was that they added starting right tackle Darnell Wright to the injury report with an illness. Wright did not travel with the team and is now considered questionable for the game.
Bears might be in trouble on the offensive line without Wright
Many Bears players have been showing up on the injury report with illnesses and are recovering. Bears head coach Ben Johnson had stated the team was doing everything to avoid it, from washing their hands to wearing masks, to prevent it from spreading.
Wright has been a major contributor on the line and has taken significant strides with his play. According to Pro Football Focus, he is graded at 79.5, which ranks 15th among offensive tackles in the NFL. He has allowed three quarterback hits, two sacks, and been penalized 11 times.
If Wright does not play, it would be the second game he misses all season, as he dealt with an elbow injury in the first half of the season. Replacing him would most likely be Theo Benedet, who has played both right and left tackle for the Bears this season.
Wright has been one of the catalysts for the offensive line's success, as he is the only starter from the 2024 line still in the lineup in 2025. He has improved, with many believing he was snubbed from the Pro Bowl.
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The Bears will have some challenges with running the ball without Wright, as he has been stellar in run blocking. Chicago hopes he can travel later and help the team win a division title.