Bears' Secondary Faces More Woes as Another Cornerback Sidelined by Injury.
Ahead of their Week 4 home clash with the Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears' secondary is grappling with escalating injury concerns.
On Friday, the Bears confirmed the placement of slot cornerback Josh Blackwell on the injured reserve list due to a hamstring issue. While he was already sidelined for the upcoming Broncos match, this move means a mandatory three-game absence, rendering him unavailable until Week 8 at the soonest.
With Kyler Gordon, the starting nickel corner, out since the season opener with a hand injury, Blackwell had been the go-to replacement. Despite his recurring hamstring challenges, which led him to miss the Week 2 game against the Buccaneers, he made a comeback in Week 3. As he recuperates, the responsibility now falls on Greg Stroman Jr., the team's third-choice slot corner.
Compounding the woes, the Bears have announced that primary cornerback Jaylon Johnson (hamstring) and free safety Eddie Jackson (foot) are both unavailable for the Broncos showdown. This leaves Jaquan Brisker and Tyrique Stevenson as the sole fit starters in their secondary.
Eberflus on his Rookies' Preparedness for Starting RolesIn his tenure spanning 14 NFL seasons, Coach Matt Eberflus remarked that he might never have mentored a secondary as youthful as the Bears' Week 4 lineup.
"Ranking them? This group could be the youngest," Eberflus humorously commented when probed on Friday.
Nevertheless, this Sunday offers a platform for the Bears to gauge the mettle of their rookie draftees, Stevenson and fifth-round selection, Terell Smith, against the Broncos' robust receiving corps.
Eberflus expressed, «Our young players are eager and up for the challenge. Having played numerous novices last season, I believe in their capabilities. It's intriguing to watch Smith and Stevenson in action full-time against a skilled set of receivers.»
While Stevenson has been a regular starter since Day 1, Smith recently got substantial regular-season playtime during Johnson's absence. Pro Football Focus noted that Smith had 57 defensive plays against the Chiefs in Week 3, predominantly on the perimeter. He held his ground, allowing just three receptions for 63 yards on seven throws, and registered his inaugural pass breakup.
Though Smith had initially vied with Stevenson for the secondary perimeter position before an injury interrupted his progress, facing an offense peppered with the likes of Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, and Marvin Mims Jr. remains a formidable challenge for the rookie.
| POLL | ||
30 SEPTEMBRE | 39 ANSWERS Bears' Secondary Faces More Woes as Another Cornerback Sidelined by Injury. Will the bears lose this Sunday? | ||
| Yes | 23 | 59 % |
| No | 16 | 41 % |
| List of polls | ||
