The Chicago Bears got a lift in the morning and a scare by the end of practice.
Just one day after their preseason opener turned into a blowout of the Cleveland Browns, Chicago announced that starting left tackle Ozzy Trapilo had been taken off the PUP list and returned to practice. For a moment, that was the kind of update that can make an offense feel like it’s finally getting some good news.
Then came the late-session punch to the gut.
Running back Kyle Monangai left practice early after suffering a right knee injury on a play where he was tackled by Grady Jarrett and both players went to the ground. The severity of the injury is not known, and the Bears will likely need head coach Ben Johnson to provide an update before anyone has a clearer picture.
It’s the second time Monangai has been banged up in camp. Earlier in training camp, he dealt with a soft-tissue injury that cost him a few days of practice. That makes this latest setback especially unwelcome with the 2026 season only a few weeks away.
Monangai has become an important part of Chicago’s offense after rushing for 783 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie last year. A seventh-round pick, he emerged as the biggest surprise on the roster and worked his way into the role of the Bears’ power runner before D'Andre Swift.
Now the backfield picture gets a little more complicated. Roschon Johnson and Salvon Ahmed both had strong showings in the win over the Browns, and that could push them up the depth chart if Monangai misses time.
There was at least one encouraging sign: Monangai was able to move on his own power. For a Bears team that has already dealt with plenty of injury frustration during camp, that detail matters.
The hope now is that Monangai will be ready for Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers. Until then, Chicago has every reason to be careful with one of its most important young pieces.
In Other News...
Bears Just Turned Two Last Roster Battles Into Tough Decisions
The Bears have started trimming the edges of their roster picture with a pair of moves that say plenty about how the final week of decisions is shaping up. Chicago added edge rusher Marcus Davenport and defensive back Denatre Prince, while moving on from running back Coleman Bennett and tight end Nikola Kalinic, a set of transactions that helps sharpen the competition in a couple of crowded spots.
Coleman Bennett had been part of a four-man battle for the third running back job, so his departure narrows that race and puts more pressure on the remaining contenders to separate themselves before the roster is set. Kalinics release with an injury designation brings another layer of uncertainty to the tight end group, and with those two situations now clarified, the Bears can move deeper into the final phase of roster choices. [Read more 🡒]
Malik Muhammad Just Crashed A Bears Battle That Suddenly Matters
The Bears got an early look at a couple of training camp names in the preseason opener, and Malik Muhammad was right in the middle of it. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen used the game to see how standouts like Jordan van den Berg and Muhammad would hold up when the speed and spacing changed, which is usually where camp buzz either hardens into a role or fades back into the depth chart.
Muhammads appeal is obvious for Chicago, because the cornerback picture is still unsettled by injuries and uneven play. He took on multiple responsibilities in that first test and showed enough promise to stay in the conversation, even with the kind of rough edges that come with a young defender trying to prove he can be trusted when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Suddenly Have A Backup Quarterback Question Behind Caleb Williams
The Bears quarterback depth chart already has an added layer of uncertainty after Tyson Bagent was slowed by a hamstring injury in Saturdays preseason game against the Browns. The backup quarterback did not practice afterward, leaving Chicago to monitor a spot that matters more than it might in a typical August week, especially with Caleb Williams firmly installed as the starter and the team trying to sort out its insurance policy behind him.
Chicago has not offered an official update on Bagents condition, and the absence only sharpens the question heading into the Bengals game. With the preseason schedule moving quickly, the Bears may need to lean on the next man up sooner than expected if Bagent cannot get back on the field in time. [Read more 🡒]