The Chicago Bears are eager to get running back Kyle Monangai back on the field, but it may not happen before they play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9.
Monangai has missed four straight games for the Bears with a thumb injury and a turf toe issue, both sustained during the team’s October 4 win over the New York Jets.
The Bears initially hoped Monangai would return within a four-week window, which is why they didn’t place him on short-term injured reserve and kept him on the roster.
Four games later, though, Monangai still hasn’t returned to practice, giving The Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs reasons to suspect that they won’t rush him back into the backfield mix for Sunday Night Football against the Buccaneers in five days.
“I’m skeptical they would have Monangai back for two practices — max — after missing a month and then add him to the mix Sunday night against the Buccaneers,” Biggs wrote Tuesday. “Maybe Monangai can get some light work at the end of this week and aim for a return Nov. 22 versus the New Orleans Saints at Soldier Field.
“Everyone knows how valuable Monangai is to the offense and rushing attack, and the Bears need him for the stretch run. Some extra time with the bye on the other end of the Bucs game might make the most sense at this point.”
Bears Need Kyle Monangai Back for Second-Half Stretch
The Bears have won three of four games during Monangai’s absence, but their backfield has sorely missed his presence and production in the month-plus he’s been sidelined.
Chicago remains the No. 2 rushing offense in the league through eight weeks of the 2026 season, having found degrees of success with Roschon Johnson as the change-of-pace partner for veteran D’Andre Swift during Monangai’s prolonged absence.
Even still, the Bears have struggled situationally on short-yardage downs when they would have normally turned Monangai’s hard-charging rushing style to pick up the necessary yardage. It showed on several of Swift’s third-down touches in their Monday night win over Seattle, during which Swift averaged a season-low 2.6 yards per carry.
Johnson has been serviceable as the No. 2, but he hasn’t shown anywhere near the same takeover ability as Monangai, who hit 100 yards twice in the first four games.
All that to say, Biggs is probably right: keeping Monangai out until after Week 10’s bye might make the most sense for the Bears’ long-term season goals.
Bears News: Zavier Scott Could Play Against Buccaneers
The Bears might not have Monangai on the field when they meet the Buccaneers in prime time, but head coach Ben Johnson has suggested another back could soon start getting some run alongside Swift and Johnson in their backfield.
Before Week 8’s win over the Seahawks, the Bears signed running back Zavier Scott from their practice squad to their 53-man roster, making the move after burning through the last of his three elevation opportunities in the previous week.
Johnson also indicated that the promotion could come with offensive playing time in the near future — though Scott remained in a strictly special teams role in Week 8.
“We’ve had him up for the last three weeks here, and it’s just been a matter of … that trust level,” Johnson said Saturday. “Wasn’t here for training camp, and so the time on task is not quite the same as everybody else, but we see growth each and every week through the practice reps — because he is getting more of them. Does that mean he’ll get more burn? Possibly. Possibly will, particularly if this play-time trend that we’ve had over the past few weeks continues to be a thing.
“If that continues to be a thing, I think we’re going to need all three backs to play for us.”
Bears Insider Casts Doubt on RB Kyle Monangai’s Return for Week 9