Ryan Poles has put together a promising roster on paper for the Chicago Bears. Unfortunately, football is a violent sport. Injuries happen. The hope is they don’t pile up so much that it ruins your season. The GM had to make two tough decisions on Tuesday. It starts with Terell Smith. Hopes were high that the young cornerback would be the team’s fourth option in the secondary behind Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, and Tyrique Stevenson. He’d been having a great training camp. Then, a nasty-looking moment against Buffalo in the preseason saw him get carted off. It has now been revealed that he suffered a torn patella tendon. He is done for the year.
That wasn’t all, though. It was also reported that Deion Hankins, the Bears’ undrafted rookie running back, suffered quad and shoulder injuries in that same game. He, too, is done for the season. With Roschon Johnson still out with a foot injury, Poles was forced to find reinforcements on the free agent market. The Bears added veteran Royce Freeman, a former 3rd round pick from Denver who’s bounced around the league over the past few years. He has a strong, tough running style that fits head coach Ben Johnson’s aesthetic.
Ryan Poles has some interesting decisions ahead.
Right now, the running back position still seems straightforward. D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai are locks. Johnson should be if the injury isn’t serious. One can safely assume Travis Homer gets the nod for his special teams prowess. Maybe Freeman can change that, but he may not have enough time. His best hope is probably angling for the practice squad. The Smith injury is more problematic. It leaves the bottom half of the depth chart at cornerback less certain. Josh Blackwell is probably in due to his special teams ability. Nahshon Wright is a veteran who has looked good in camp and the preseason. That leaves one spot left with Tre Flower, Nick McCloud, and 5th round pick Zah Frazier all realistic options. Not an envious position for Ryan Poles to be in.
