The Vikings will head into Week 2 against the Bears without Kyler Murray, and that changes the whole shape of the matchup. Minnesota has ruled Murray out after he suffered a concussion in the Week 1 win over the Green Bay Packers, leaving Carson Wentz to step in at quarterback.
Wentz closed out that 39-22 victory by going 12-of-19 for 133 yards and three touchdowns. Now he’s the name Chicago has to prepare for, and the Bears suddenly have a much cleaner read on how to attack Minnesota.
That read got even easier when the Vikings lost another key piece. Starting running back Jordan Mason went on IR with a thumb injury after putting up 59 yards and a touchdown against Green Bay. So Minnesota is now without Murray and Mason, and that leaves Wentz and Aaron Jones as the top two names in the backfield picture.
For Chicago, that changes the defensive math. The Bears don’t have to spend nearly as much attention on the run game, which opens the door to putting more resources on Justin Jefferson. Jefferson has already carved up Chicago, and the Bears can’t let him do it again.
That’s where Jaylon Johnson comes in, with help behind him. Chicago can lean on support coverage and bring a safety down to help double Jefferson, while the linebackers or the lone safety handle anything that pops up in the middle of the field. Minnesota is also without Jauan Jennings, which means the slot spot won’t have its starter either.
The Vikings have now lost three starters at skill positions, and that works in the Bears’ favor even with Chicago dealing with injury concerns of its own. One boost is that safety Xavier Woods is expected back for Week 2, giving the Bears one of their starters and more depth in the secondary.
In Other News...
Bears Face One Huge Question In Maxx Crosby Buzz
Bleacher Reports recent trade buzz put Maxx Crosby in the Bears orbit, naming Chicago as a possible suitor alongside Dallas if the Raiders ever entertained moving the star edge rusher. The fit is easy to see from a Bears standpoint: Crosby would instantly change the conversation about a defense that has been looking for more disruption up front, and his presence would be the sort of addition that alters how opponents game-plan for an entire game.
For now, though, the conversation is mostly hypothetical. Crosby has recently reaffirmed his commitment to Las Vegas, and there are no indications that Chicago and the Raiders are engaged in any active trade talks. Still, the fact that his name is even attached to the Bears is enough to keep the idea simmering, because if the door ever cracked open, this would be the kind of move that could reshape the roster fast. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Already Have One NFC North Rival To Worry About
The NFC North is crowded at the top, but the Bears still sit in the spot every division opponent is chasing. With Chicago tied for the lead, the more interesting question is which rival is best positioned to close the gap first, and the early answer points to a familiar foe that has spent the last few years trying to turn promise into something more durable.
Detroit, Minnesota and Green Bay all have reasons to believe they can make this a real race, with coaching stability, quarterback play and overall performance shaping the order of the threat list. For Chicago, the margin is thin enough that one hot stretch from the wrong opponent could change the feel of the division fast, even if the Bears remain the standard for now. [Read more 🡒]
Bears May Be Getting The Caleb Williams Protection Boost They Needed
Ozzy Trapilos recovery has become one of the more encouraging developments around Halas Hall as the Bears move toward their divisional matchup with the Vikings. After entering the year with expectations that a patellar tendon injury would keep him out for most or all of last season, Trapilo was listed as a full participant on Chicagos final injury report, a sign he may be ready to rejoin the mix sooner than expected.
For a team trying to settle the left side of its offensive line, that matters. Braxton Jones handled left tackle in Week 1, but Trapilos return could give Chicago another option in front of Caleb Williams and potentially shift how the Bears piece together protection moving forward, especially as the schedule begins to tighten in a divisional stretch. [Read more 🡒]