The biggest Bears injury news out of Week 2 practice came from right tackle Darnell Wright, who went from a Wednesday absence to a limited return on Thursday.
That’s a welcome turn after Wright sat out the first practice of the week with a knee injury. By Thursday, he was back on the field, and for Chicago that’s the kind of update that changes the mood in a hurry.
Left guard Joe Thuney was the only other player unavailable, but that was simply his weekly rest day. The rest of the injury report was a mix of limited work and a couple of full returns as the Bears kept building toward their Week 2 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings.
Kyle Monangai, Malik Muhammad, Dayo Odeyingbo, D’Andre Swift, Ozzy Trapilo and Xavier Woods were all limited for a second straight day. Wright joined that group after missing Wednesday. Neville Gallimore, who had been out Wednesday with an illness, was back as a full participant, and Grady Jarrett also moved from a rest day on Wednesday to full participation on Thursday.
Swift and Monangai staying limited for back-to-back practices fits with what the Bears may want to do after both backs topped 100 rushing yards in the 59-37 Week 1 win over the Carolina Panthers. There’s no reason to push them harder than necessary this early in the week, especially with Minnesota ahead.
Woods’ second straight limited practice is another encouraging sign after he missed the Panthers game. If he can’t go, Cam Lewis would likely be the next man up again after handling the job well and earning praise for stepping in when needed.
The return of Gallimore and Jarrett also gives Chicago more stability on the defensive interior. That’s a useful development after both missed Wednesday, even if neither absence looked especially alarming.
But the headline remains Wright. With the Bears already sorting through the left tackle competition between Braxton Jones and Theo Benedet, getting their right tackle back on the field is a major lift. Chicago wants to head into its first NFC North game of the season as healthy as possible, and Wright’s status is a big piece of that picture.
The Bears still have Friday ahead before Sunday’s kickoff, but for now the early-week scare has given way to a much better outlook.
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