As the Chicago Bears have gone through their mid-summer practices, one of the pressing concerns for some has been who wasn’t attending. Offensive guard Nate Davis and cornerback Jaylon Johnson sat out voluntary OTAs for personal reasons. Each has since returned as practices became mandatory. However, concerns remained about the absence of two major keys to the team’s success this season. They were wide receiver Darnell Mooney and safety Eddie Jackson.
Both failed to finish the 2022 season because of injuries. Mooney broke his ankle, while Jackson suffered a Linsfranc fracture in his foot. It wasn’t certain if either of them would be ready for training camp. That is no longer the case. Head coach Matt Eberflus stated that Mooney’s rehab has been on schedule. Barring any setbacks, he will be available when camp opens next month. Even better news was the sighting of Jackson on the practice field, signaling his full return to activities.
The Chicago Bears are close to full strength.
Their secondary is already in place. Johnson and Jackson are back. Jaquan Brisker and Kyler Gordon are healthy and more experienced. Now it appears 2nd round rookie Tyrique Stevenson is making an early push for the last starting spot. Mooney is the only notable name that hasn’t yet returned to practice. Once he does, the Bears will get their first good glimpse at how the roster was meant to look. From there, all one can do is hope everybody stays healthy until the real action begins.
The preseason schedule also came into focus. Both Chicago Bears home games will be at noon, while their visit to Indianapolis is an evening affair at 6:00 p.m. That is a rather unusual shift for a team that often plays most of their preseason games at night. Not that anyone is complaining. Earlier games should make for a fun atmosphere. It will be interesting to see how much playing time, if any, Mooney and Jackson get when the time comes. Matt Eberflus and the coaches may decide to put them on ice for opening day against the Packers.
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Well, it’s about time to have a spirited debate about whether starters should play at all in the preseason. Where’s Melus with the stats on this?
against the Packers