Bears running back D’Andre Swift played well as the starter for the first seven games of the season, but when Swift missed last week with a groin injury, backup Kyle Monangai responded with a huge game, carrying 26 times for 176 yards. So if Swift returns on Sunday against the Giants, who will get the bulk of the work?
Head coach Ben Johnson says it may be a matter of letting the running backs alternate series to start, and then going with the one who’s having the better game.
“I think normally it’s been by series, this guy’s going to start us off by series, but a longer drive we might need to sub someone in,” Johnson said. “I think we’ll find that right balance.”
Johnson said he won’t hesitate to stick with one running back who looks like he’s feeling it.
“I do believe in a guy having a hot hand, so one guy, if he’s feeling it and giving us a spark, we might lean on that a little longer,” Johnson said. “We’ve got a really good room. Travis Homer, even he brings something to the running back room that you might not see. Everyone talks about Monangai and Swift, but with Homer and hopefully getting Roschon [Johnson] back, those guys will add another flavor as well, so I’m excited to see it.”
Swift is listed as questionable this week and Johnson said everyone on the Bears knows Monangai is capable of doing what he did last week.
“No one was surprised to see that,” Johnson said. “When you come to the building like he does and have his approach every single day, in meetings and walkthroughs and practice, you know what your’e going to get. He’s a very consistent player.”
And he’s a player who could still get the bulk of the carries on Sunday, even if Swift is back.
Bears Clips
Bears running back D’Andre Swift could be back in the lineup against the Giants this weekend.
Swift missed Week 9 with a groin injury, but he has been listed as questionable to play on Sunday. Swift was up to full practice participation on Thursday, but missed practice Friday for personal reasons.
Kyle Monagai ran 26 times for 176 yards last weekend and head coach Ben Johnson said at his press conference that he plans to ride the hot hand when both backs are available.
The Bears ruled linebacker T.J. Edwards out after he had hand surgery this week. They also ruled out defensive back Josh Blackwell (concussion) and defensive lineman Dominique Robinson (ankle) while tight end Durham Smythe (calf) joins Swift in the questionable category.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll said that he expects Younghoe Koo to handle the kicking role against the Bears when he spoke to reporters on Friday and the team’s injury report made it official.
Graham Gano has been ruled out with the neck injury that kept him out of practice this week. Koo will be called up from the practice squad to take part in his first game since he missed a game-tying field goal attempt for the Falcons in Week 1.
The Giants also ruled out cornerback Paulson Adebo (knee), wide receiver Beaux Collins (neck), defensive lineman Chauncey Golston (neck), linebacker Darius Muasau (ankle), and center John Michael Schmitz (shin). Linebacker Victor Dimukeje (shoulder) is also set to miss the game after being listed as doubtful.
Right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor (pec) and safety Jevon Holland (knee) are listed as questionable.
Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards has been out of practice this week and head coach Ben Johnson gave an update on his condition at a Friday press conference.
Johnson said that Edwards had surgery to repair a broken hand this week. Edwards will not go on injured reserve and there’s hope that he can play with a club on his hand at some point, but he’s also dealing with a hamstring injury and there’s a good chance he’ll miss this Sunday’s game against the Giants.
Edwards has 31 tackles in five games for the Bears this season. Noah Sewell has seen the bulk of the work at Edwards’ spot during Edwards’ previous absences from the lineup.
The Bears’ full injury report for the Giants game will be released later on Friday.
Younghoe Koo hasn’t kicked since Week 1, which was his last appearance for the Falcons.
He is now set to get a new shot this weekend.
With Graham Gano dealing with a neck injury, Koo is in line to be elevated off the practice squad to handle the kicking duties in the Week 10 matchup against the Bears.
Head coach Brian Daboll told reporters in his press conference that Gano is still not set to kick in practice on Friday after he missed Wednesday and Thursday’s sessions.
“I would assume it’s going to be Koo,” Daboll said, via Jordan Rannan of ESPN.
Koo missed what would have been a game-tying, 44-yard field goal wide right at the end of Atlanta’s Week 1 loss to Tampa Bay, which induced the Falcons to cut him. Koo missed nine field goals last season, finishing just 25-of-34.
He’s made 85.8 percent of his career field goals and 96.2 percent of career extra points.
Gano has hit 9-of-10 field goals and all nine of his extra points in the five games he’s kicked this year. Jude McAtamney has also hit 2-of-2 field goals but only 9-of-12 extra points in his four games.
The fathers of 2024 first-round receivers are suddenly calling out their sons’ teams.
Earlier this week, Hall of Fame receiver Marvin Harrison Sr. had some pointed criticisms of his son’s team, the Cardinals. More recently, the father of Bears receiver Rome Odunze vented about his team’s offense on social media.
Marvin Harrison Jr. was the fourth pick in the 2024 draft. Rome Odunze was the ninth overall selection.
Following Chicago’s 47-42 win over the Bengals — during which Rome Odunze had no catches on three targets — his father, James, reposted a social-media message asking whether the Bears would trade Rome “to a team that will actually throw to him.” James Odunze reposted another message that said Rome “should be seeing at least 10 targets per game.” James Odunze also reposted a graphic containing one of Marvin Harrison Sr.'s quotes about the Cardinals with this message: “Good for Sr.”
Rome Odunze addressed the situation with reporters on Thursday.
“I don’t make a big deal out of it,” Rome Odunze said, via Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com. “Obviously, he has his opinions, and I have mine. And he feels like he needs to voice those things on social media. That’s his prerogative. But he speaks for himself. I speak for myself.”
Rome Odunze also made it clear that he has no issues with the Bears.
“I’m happy,” Rome said. “I’m just trying to do my job within this organization as a leader, as a person, as an individual and then as a football player. So, trying to excel at a Hall of Fame level in those aspects. That’s all I’m focused on.”
Sunday’s game was an aberration. Through eight games, Rome Odunze has 59 targets (most on the Bears), 31 catches (tied for most on the Bears), and 473 receiving yards (the most on the Bears). He has a chance to add to the current average of 7.375 targets per game against the Giants on Sunday.
The Bears activated linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga from injured reserve on Thursday, the team announced.
Ogbongbemiga was placed on injured reserve on Aug. 26 with a knee injury and has yet to play in the regular season. He was a full participant in both practices this week.
The five-year veteran appeared in all 17 games for the Bears last season and shared the team lead with a career-high 11 total special teams tackles.
The Bears cut linebacker Carl Jones Jr. in a corresponding move.
Jones played seven games, making 10 tackles on 117 special teams snaps. He had not played a down on defense.
The Bears got two of their top receivers back on the practice field on Thursday.
D.J. Moore (hip/groin) and Rome Odunze (ankle/heel) were both limited on Thursday after they both did not participate in Wednesday’s session.
Odunze and Moore are No. 1 and No. 2 in receiving yards for Chicago, with 473 and 403, respectively. Odunze also leads the club with five touchdown receptions.
Defensive back Kevin Byard (back/ankle) also returned to practice after he did not participate on Wednesday as a limited participant.
Running back Roschon Johnson (back) remained limited.
Defensive back Josh Blackwell (concussion), linebacker T.J. Edwards (hand/hamstring), defensive lineman Dominique Robinson (ankle), and offensive lineman Joe Thuney (rest) did not practice.
Tight end Cole Kmet (concussion), running back Kyle Monangai (ankle), and running back D’Andre Swift (groin) were all upgraded from limited to full. Receiver Luther Burden (concussion) and linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga (knee) remained full.
Kicker Younghoe Koo has not appeared in a game since signing to the Giants’ practice squad earlier this year, but that could change in Chicago this weekend.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll said at his Thursday press conference that the team is getting Koo ready to kick against the Bears because Graham Gano is dealing with another injury. Daboll said Gano reported a neck injury early this week and that he will miss his second straight practice on Thursday.
Gano missed four games earlier this season with a groin injury and the Giants used Jude McAtamney in his place. McAtamney was waived after missing two extra points in the Giants’ collapse in Denver and re-signed to the practice squad, but the Giants are planning to go in a different direction this time.
Koo had a strong five-year run with the Falcons before his play slipped in 2024 and he was released after missing a game-tying field goal attempt in Week 1 this season.
Developing quarterback Caleb Williams after the top pick of the 2024 draft’s rocky rookie season was seen as the top reason why Ben Johnson got hired as the Bears’ head coach and the halfway point of their first season together is a good time to check in on that process.
Williams closed out the first half with one of his best games as a pro. He threw three touchdowns, including the game-winner in the final minute, and caught another in a 47-42 win over the Bengals that moved the Bears to 5-3 on the season. That matches the number of wins that Williams and the Bears managed in 2024 and head coach Ben Johnson called winning “the No. 1 thing” when asked about how Williams is progressing during his Wednesday press conference.
The quarterback’s play in a Week 8 loss to the Ravens wasn’t as successful, but Johnson said the overall body of work has shown the kind of growth he wants to see from Williams and that he thinks that progress is going to lead to even more over the rest of the season.
“I do think he’s getting better every week,” Johnson said. “There’s ups, and there’s downs. And some weeks are better than others, which we knew. But he’s in a lot better place now with his process than he was to start the season. The week isn’t necessarily smooth sailing always, but I think that’s to be expected with Year 1 in a new system. So he’s learning, and he’s spending a lot of time at it. I’m very pleased with his approach. I think we’ve got the right group of guys around him to help support him. And so, I think we’re going to continue to see him take off here in the second half of the season.”
If Williams pulls that off, it will happen against a stiffer schedule than the one they’ve faced to this point in the year. Only one of the Bears’ first five opponents currently has a winning record, but six of their final nine opponents are currently on the right side of the ledger and that number will go up to seven if the Vikings win in Week 10. Beating teams like that routinely is the next big step for the Bears and there will be few remaining questions about the quarterback if he does that.
