For the first time in two weeks, Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen is not among the team's inactive players for their game on Sunday.
Allen is expected to return to the Bears' offense against the Los Angeles Rams today, and his exclusion from the team's list of inactive players is confirmation of what Matt Eberflus said the expectation was on Friday.
Full Inactives List for Chicago Bears
Player | Position |
|---|---|
Zacch Pickens | Defensive tackle |
Terell Smith | Cornerback |
Dominique Robinson | Defensive end |
Bill Murray | Offensive lineman |
Velus Jones Jr. | Wide receiver |
Khari Blasingame | Full back |
Key Absences and Their Impact
Offensive Impact
- With Keenan Allen active, it's no surprise that Velus Jones Jr. is inactive for the third consecutive week. At this point, with no role on offense and losing the return spot to DeAndre Carter, one may have to wonder if Jones is in his final days on the Bears' roster. Once the Bears have roster decisions in the coming weeks with players such as Ryan Bates coming off IR, Jones is an easy candidate to be cut.
- It's disappointing to see Khari Blasingame. Given his return health, it seemed like he would be an ideal addition to the backfield to provide an extra blocker for the run game.
Defensive Impact
- There was some fear early in the week when the Bears had both Andrew Billings and Kevin Byard on the injured list. Both players entered Sunday as a game-time decision. Billings has emerged as the anchor on the Bears' defensive line while Byard has been an improvement over Eddie Jackson at safety.
Special Teams Impact
- The Bears will be without Terell Smith for this game. While Smith has proved to be a worthwhile depth option for the Bears in their secondary, his loss will be felt most on special teams.
- Returning to Jones, it is telling that the Bears no longer feel the need to keep him active for special teams purposes.