The Chicago Bears are trying to get veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen back on the field as soon as possible, but head coach Matt Eberflus is not ready to say whether he will play in Week 3’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.
“[Allen’s] still working through his heel situation there,” Eberflus said on September 18. “Again, we’re trying to get him back on the grass as fast as possible. That’s where he is.”
Allen — a six-time Pro Bowler with the Los Angeles Chargers — has been dealing with a heel injury since the final week of training camp in August. While he played through it for the Bears’ season opener against the Tennessee Titans, he missed the entire week of practice in Week 2 and could not suit up against the Houston Texans in prime time.
Allen also continued to miss time at the beginning of Week 3, sitting out of the team’s first practice on Wednesday. When asked if the team has a timeline for Allen’s return, Eberflus indicated his return hinges on his pain tolerance regarding his heel injury.
“It’s just working it day to day and see what it is day to day,” Eberflus said. “Again we’re obviously wanting him to come back as fast as possible, but it’s got to be right for him.”
Will Rome Odunze Rise to Occasion If Keenan Allen Sits?
The Bears will have two more practices to help them determine whether Allen can play for them on the road against the Colts in Week 3. If he cannot play, though, the team should once again lean on first-round rookie Rome Odunze for an increased workload.
The question is: Can Odunze make more of an impression than he did in Week 2?
Odunze played nearly every snap (66) on offense in the loss to the Texans and caught two passes for 33 yards, but he also had three additional targets he could not secure. One of those targets was a would-be touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Caleb Williams from two yards out that, while contested, hit Odunze right in the hands.
Odunze is certainly not to blame for all of the misses as the Bears offense struggled to get much of anything going with the Texans consistently pressuring Williams in the game. Despite what ESPN talking head Dan Orlovsky has said, Odunze has also gotten about the same average separation (2.7 yards) as D.J. Moore (2.8) and ranks fifth-best among rookie receivers in separation win rate (19%), according to Fantasy Points Data.
Still, the Bears will need more from Odunze if Allen continues to miss time. They will also have to hope his own injury — an MCL sprain that he sustained in Week 1 — will not hold him back as they look to bounce back from their first loss of the 2024 season.
The Bears limited Odunze in Wednesday’s first practice for Week 3, but it is a step in the right direction after he missed two practices at the beginning of Week 2’s prep.
Bears Also Hold Out 3 Others to Begin Week 3 vs. Colts
Allen was not the only notable Bears player sidelined for Wednesday’s first practice. Chicago also held out fullback Khari Blasingame (hand/knee), left guard Teven Jenkins (deep thigh bruise) and defensive tackle Zacch Pickens (groin), the latter of whom went down with a new injury in the third quarter against the Texans last Sunday night.
Eberflus gave the impression that Jenkins’ injury is more precautionary than anything, but he spoke with less certainty about the injuries to Blasingame and Pickens. It could take the full week of practice for the Bears to determine which among them will play.
The Bears also limited rookie offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie (quad), defensive tackle Andrew Billings (groin) left guard Nate Davis (groin), defensive ends Montez Sweat (elbow) and DeMarcus Walker (foot) and Odunze (knee) in Wednesday’s practice.
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Bears Provide Grim Update on Keenan Allen Ahead of Colts Game