The Chicago Bears have been waiting patiently for running back Kyle Monangai to return to the field after his injury, but it looks like he'll be back soon.
Monangai got injured in the Bears' win over the New York Jets after rushing for nearly 150 yards. He has been dealing with thumb and toe injuries that have kept him out of the last four games.
Then came the biggest shocker: he returned to practice on Friday for the first time in nearly a month. Chicago released their injury report afterward, and he was listed as questionable for the game. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that he will return for their Week 9 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but have no fear; it will be the last one where he is out.
Kyle Monangai's timeline to return for Bears is official after latest news
The first sign of Monangai not playing came on Saturday, when the team elevated Salvon Ahmed from the practice squad to play against the Buccaneers. This will be Ahmed's first game this season, but he will essentially take Zavier Scott's spot after Scott was placed on IR with a wrist injury.
Then NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported early Sunday morning that Monangai wouldn't play Tampa Bay. The good news, though, is that Monangai is expected to be back after the bye week.
Monangai was a top-10 rusher in the NFL, rushing for 324 yards and three touchdowns before his injury. He currently ranks third in the league in yards per carry with 5.4, despite not being known as an explosive running back.
It's a shame that he won't be on the field against Tampa Bay since he is such a key part of this offense. This Bears team runs the football best when he is on the field. They averaged 196.3 yards per game before his injury and only averaged 105.3 yards per game since he's been hurt.
Bears are making the right call for Kyle Monangai long-term
The reality is that while the running game hasn't been as good as many Bears hoped, this unit is still humming. Quarterback Caleb Williams is the key to the Bears' offense, so as long as he's on the field, they are good. Since Williams came back from his hamstring injury, he’s completed 73.5% of his passes for 806 yards and four touchdowns
This offense wants to be as balanced as possible, but the passing game has been carrying the unit over the last three games. They have won those games, so that's the good part, but how much more dominant could this offense be with Monangai in it?
For the Bears, the temptation was probably there to play him since it would give them the boost they needed at running back. This was the right move to make for the franchise, though.
They have a bye week coming up that would give Monangai two extra weeks to recover from the injury, then return in Week 11 healthier and ready for the last eight games of the regular season. Chicago will need him for this final stretch to make a run for the NFC North and the playoffs.
Until then, the Bears are solid at running back, with D'Andre Swift as the speed back and Roschon Johnson as the power back. They have been a solid one-two punch so far and can hold their own.
Read more: Bears vs. Buccaneers: Baker Mayfield, Bucs run game and avoiding Jeffery Simmons
Still, this is an exciting update: Monangai will be back after the bye and ready to go. With his return, it might be one of the final pieces this team needs to show it's ready to make a Super Bowl run in 2026.
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