The Chicago Bears had a new injury keep one of their All-Pro starters off the practice field on Wednesday as they began their preparation for the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2.
The Bears officially added All-Pro right tackle Darnell Wright to their injury report and listed him as a non-participant following September 16’s first practice of Week 2, raising concerns about the availability of their $110 million offensive lineman against the Vikings on Sunday.
Wright played all 75 offensive snaps for the Bears in their 59-37 win over the Carolina Panthers and finished as Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded overall offensive tackle (84.0) in Week 1, providing elite run-blocking to help pace Chicago to a league-leading 291 total rushing yards.
While Wright has two more practices to clear the injury report, his initial DNP in practice could pose a problem for the Bears as they prepare to face a blitz-happy Vikings defense under Brian Flores.
Darnell Wright Injury Could Leave Bears Thin at Tackle
The Bears have a backup plan in place in case Wright does not play against the Vikings on Sunday, but resorting to it would leave them dangerously thin at the tackle positions for Week 2’s matchup.
Right now, Theo Benedet is the backup right tackle on the Bears’ depth chart and the natural candidate to start in Wright’s place if the team cannot clear him before Sunday’s kickoff. Part of the reason why Benedet is the clear next man up, though, is that the Bears essentially have no one else suited for the job.
Braxton Jones is currently starting at left tackle for the Bears while Ozzy Trapilo — who ruptured the patellar tendon in his left knee in January — continues to work back from his injury, but they are the only other tackles on the team’s 53-man roster outside of Benedet and Wright as of September 16.
Caden Barnett, who impressed in training camp, could come up from the practice squad to help out. He has experience from college playing at right tackle and could serve as an emergency backup, but an unproven UDFA is hardly a top-notch alternative.
Bears Add Several Key Players to Week 2 Injury Report
Wright is the most significant new addition to the Bears’ Week 2 injury report, but he is not their only notable contributor dealing with a new injury ahead of their matchup with the Vikings.
The Bears also added defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo (shoulder), cornerback Malik Muhammad (ankle) and both of their running backs — D’Andre Swift (ankle/knee) and Kyle Monangai (hamstring) — to their injury report on Wednesday afternoon, limiting them all in the day’s practice.
Neville Gallimore also sat out Wednesday’s practice, but he is dealing with an illness, which makes it more difficult to forecast whether the Bears will have him ready by Sunday’s kickoff.
The Bears also kept Trapilo (knee) and safety Xavier Woods (groin) limited in the first practice of Week 2 after injuries held out each player against the Panthers in Week 1, but they also cleared backup quarterback Tyson Bagent and wide receiver Rome Odunze of their injuries.
The Bears will kick off against the Vikings at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 20.
Bears’ $110 Million Starter Suffers New Injury Before Vikings Game