As the Chicago Bears prepare for their Week 10 game against the New England Patriots, the early indications are that the Bears will be short-handed. Matt Eberflus met with reporters at Halas Hall on Wednesday and in his update on the team's injuries, there is a lot of concern.
Bears head coach Matt Eberflus says Jaquan Brisker is likely out again this week.
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) November 6, 2024
DT Andrew Billings will be having surgery on his injured pec.
LT Braxton Jones and RT Darnell Wright won't practice today.
Kyler Gordon and Montez Sweat will be limited today.
Andrew Billings being forced to undergo surgery due to his pec injury is a devastating blow to the Bears' defensive line. The Bears struggled against the Cardinals' running game in their loss on Sunday and Billings being sidelined for the foreseeable future won't help.
After signing a contract extension with the Bears last offseason, Billings had become an anchor on the Bears' defensive line. His loss could not come at a worse time for the Bears as they will begin NFC North play following Sunday's game against the Patriots.
First Chicago Bears injury report for Week 10
It remains a large concern that Jaquan Brisker has yet to resume football activity since suffering a concussion against the Carolina Panthers on October 6. Speculation over the weekend was that the earliest Brisker could return would be the Week 11 game against the Green Bay Packers.
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It's also a major concern that both of the Bears' starting tackles, Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright, will not be practicing on Wednesday. Jones' replacement last Sunday, Larry Borom, was a glaring weak spot for the offensive line. Ryan Bates will likely be activated from IR prior to Sunday's game. Bates' return could see him inserted as the team's right guard while Teven Jenkins shifts to left tackle. The injuries to Jones and Wright are likely part of the reason why Nate Davis was not moved at the NFL Trade Deadline.
The good news for the Bears is that Montez Sweat and Kyler Gordon are practicing on Wednesday. With Billings out, the Bears will need a healthy Sweat to be the difference maker on the defensive line.