Bears Face Steelers with Significant Defensive Injuries
The Chicago Bears are preparing for a crucial matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday, but they will do so with a significant disadvantage: the absence of their entire starting linebacker unit.
Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, and Noah Sewell have been ruled out for the game after being unable to participate in practice all week. Edwards is still recovering from hand surgery and is also suffering from a hamstring injury. For his part, Edmunds injured his groin in the final quarter of Chicago’s 19-17 victory against Minnesota.
Sewell also suffered an elbow injury during the game against the Vikings.
Faced with this situation, the Bears will have to turn to backup linebackers D’Marco Jackson and rookie Ruben Hyppolite II, who have played a total of 50 defensive snaps this season. The team also has Amen Ogbongbemiga and Jalen Reeves-Maybin, the latter added to the practice squad this week. Ogbongbemiga has only participated in special teams since returning from the injured reserve list, while Reeves-Maybin has yet to play a snap this season.
Regarding other players, left tackle Theo Benedet (quadriceps) and safety Jaquan Brisker (shoulder) are listed as questionable for the Week 12 game. Benedet participated fully in Wednesday’s practice but was then limited on Thursday and Friday. Brisker, for his part, participated fully in Thursday and Friday’s practices.
Although cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson (groin) and Kyler Gordon (calf) remain on the injured reserve list, both fully participated in Friday’s practice and are also listed as questionable for the game against the Steelers. The Bears have until December 5 to activate Johnson and until December 10 to activate Gordon.
