The Bears opened Week 1 prep with a mostly encouraging injury report, even if one important name was still missing.
After a rough end to the Labor Day weekend - when wide receiver Rome Odunze and running back D’Andre Swift both left practice early - Chicago got a clearer picture on its first workout of the week before facing the Carolina Panthers. The biggest takeaway: the Bears avoided any fresh setbacks.
ESPN Bears reporter Courtney Cronin laid out the scene from practice:
"Bears held a 40 minute practice (mostly indy and group drills) that opened with the “Raise Up” all cities remix. Fitting ahead or their opener at Carolina.
Welcome back, Kyle Monangai. D’Andre Swift was also back at practice after leaving Thursday’s session due to cramping.
Full attendance minus Rome Odunze."
That update brought good news on the backfield. Swift was back on the field after Thursday’s issue, and Monangai also returned after dealing with a hyperextended knee. The Bears have been easing him back into practice since the injury.
Odunze, though, remained the one concern. He was not on the field for the start of the week, which stands out after he missed the final five games of last season with a foot injury and had finally gotten back to full health before this latest problem.
There was some optimism over the weekend that Odunze would be fine, and the light nature of Monday’s session helps explain why the absence isn’t automatically alarming. Still, if he stays out of team drills as the week goes on, it will become a much bigger storyline.
For now, the Bears can at least point to the positives. Swift and Monangai both looked available, and Chicago got through the day without adding anyone else to the injury list. After a training camp filled with absences, that alone is a welcome development.
In Other News...
Bears Fans Now Have The Official Word On Matt Suheys Death
Chicago Bears fans who remember the hard-nosed days of the 1980s got sad news recently with the death of former fullback Matt Suhey, a dependable piece of one of the franchises most celebrated teams. Suhey was found unresponsive in his Deerfield, Illinois home and later pronounced dead, closing the book on a career that included a key role in the Bears Super Bowl XX championship run, when he scored the opening touchdown in the title game.
The Lake County Coroners Office said there were no suspicious circumstances and reported that Suheys death was due to natural causes tied to a significant medical history. For Bears followers, it is a reminder of how much that era still means, and how quickly the teams icons from that championship team are moving into the realm of memory rather than game-day presence. [Read more 🡒]
Rome Odunze Gives Bears Fans A Reason To Worry Early
Rome Odunzes early-week status is suddenly worth watching for Bears fans after head coach Ben Johnson said the receiver is day-to-day and will sit out practice because of a foot injury. Johnson was careful to note this is not the same issue as the stress fracture Odunze dealt with last year, but anytime a young pass catcher has to miss work in camp, it naturally raises eyebrows in Chicago.
The Bears are still holding out hope Odunze can suit up against the Carolina Panthers, which at least keeps the door open for a quick return. Even so, the foot remains a familiar concern for a player who has already talked about changes in its structure since last seasons injury, so this will be one of the more closely watched storylines as the week unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Fans Are Mourning A 1985 Champion As More Is Confirmed
The Bears lost one of their 1985 champions this week when former fullback Matt Suhey was found unresponsive in his Deerfield, Illinois home and later pronounced dead. The Lake County Coroners Office said there were no suspicious circumstances and indicated the death was expected to be listed as natural causes because of a significant medical history.
Suhey spent 10 seasons with Chicago and carved out a lasting place in franchise lore, including scoring the opening touchdown in Super Bowl XX. For a generation of Bears fans, his name is tied to that title team and to the rugged identity of an era that still looms large in team history, making the news hit especially hard. [Read more 🡒]