Bears injury report: What Darnell Wright injury means for O-line originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Bears’ offense has been one of the NFL’s worst units through three games, and it has nothing to do with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, who is doing his best to keep them afloat.
The Bears have been unable to run the ball (31st in rush EPA) and have struggled to protect Williams (30th in pass-block win rate).
In short, the offensive line has been leaky and littered with missed assignments over the past three weeks, and now they could be without a key starter Sunday when the Los Angeles Rams visit Soldier Field.
Right tackle Darnell Wright did not practice Wednesday due to a back ailment. Head coach Matt Eberflus said the Bears are hopeful Wright will be able to push through and play Sunday, but they will spend the week tinkering with different combinations in case the second-year tackle is sidelined.
If Wright can’t play, the Bears likely will have Matt Pryor play right tackle with Nate Davis at right guard.
“He’s the guy that we have flexibility with,” Eberflus said of Pryor on Wednesday. “He’s got some flexibility so that’s what we have to work through. We have to see where we are. That’s what I was talking about in the opener in terms of where we need to flex and move around based on the health of Darnell.”
The Bears inserted Pryor into the starting lineup at right guard in place of Davis during Sunday’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Davis tweaked his groin during practice last week. He was active in Indianapolis, but the Bears started Pryor in what appears to be a “soft benching.”
When asked if he knew where he was starting Sunday, Pryor confirmed that the plan, for now, is for him to slot in between center Coleman Shelton and Wright.
“As of right now, I’m at guard,” Pryor said Wednesday at Halas Hall. “I’ve trained everywhere, though, in the offseason. So if it comes down to it, I’ll be able to switch out if need be.”
If the Bears don’t want to kick Pryor outside, they could also look to third-round pick Kiran Amegadjie. Amegadjie missed most of the offseason program and training camp while rehabbing from a quad injury suffered last season at Yale, but the Bears like what they have seen from him since getting cleared to return in late August.
“Kiran’s looked really good,” Eberflus said. “He is one of our options [at right tackle]. And he’s looked good. He’s continuing to improve. He’s a guy that’s super smart in terms of the mentals and the technique is improving every single week and we’re working hard to get him there.”
With the offense lost and Williams taking too many hits, it’s hard to envision the Bears realistically entertaining, giving Amegadjie the nod Sunday vs. the Rams.
If Wright can’t go, I’d expect Pryor at right tackle and Davis to return at right guard.
However, Wright wasn’t the only key offensive lineman dinged up in the loss to the Colts.
Left tackle Braxton Jones left the game briefly after being rolled up on. He returned to finish the game but was limited in Wednesday’s practice with a knee injury.
Wednesday’s injury report wasn’t all negative for the Bears, though. Veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen returned to practice for the first time in two weeks. He was a limited participant as he continues to work his way back from a heel injury.
Full injury report for Wednesday’s practice:
DNP: Darnell Wright (back), Darrell Taylor (illness), Zacch Pickens (groin), Terell Smith (hip)
LIMITED: Keenan Allen (heel), Braxton Jones (knee), Montez Sweat (elbow), Nate Davis (groin), Andrew Billings (knee), Khari Blasingame (hand/knee)
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