The Chicago Bears are trending in the wrong direction when it comes to injuries with defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. becoming the latest starter to land on the injury report ahead of Week 15’s game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Dexter was listed as a non-participant on the injury report for Thursday’s first practice of the week due to the knee injury he sustained in Week 14’s loss to San Francisco. The report did note that Chicago conducted a walkthrough on Thursday and that all player participation was an estimation, but it still raises concerns about Dexter’s game status.
Dexter exited in the first half of the Bears’ 38-13 loss to the 49ers and briefly went into the team’s sideline medical tent, emerging with a large brace on his right knee before returning to the game. While Dexter kept playing, though, the Bears restricted him to a season-low 13 defensive snaps, seemingly in response to the issue with his knee.
The Bears will find themselves in a tough spot if Dexter cannot play against the Vikings on Monday Night Football. They are already down one interior defensive starter with Andrew Billings on injured reserve with a potentially season-ending pectoral injury. If Dexter is also shut down, the Bears will have to rely on Zacch Pickens, Chris Williams and Byron Cowart to play the bulk of their interior snaps against the Vikings.
The Bears (4-9) will face the Vikings (11-2) at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on December 16.
Bears Also Experiencing Notable Injury Issues at RB
Dexter might be a new addition to the injury report on Thursday, but he is not the only one that the Bears held out of practice ahead of prime time against the Vikings.
Neither of Chicago’s top two running backs — D’Andre Swift (groin) and Roschon Johnson (concussion) — participated in Thursday’s first practice. Johnson remains in the NFL concussion protocol, which kept him out of Week 14’s game against the 49ers. Meanwhile, Swift is on the injury report for a second consecutive week, but the Bears have now listed him with a groin injury instead of the quad injury he had in Week 14.
The Bears also held out offensive lineman Ryan Bates (concussion) and cornerback Josh Blackwell (shoulder) from Thursday’s practice. Blackwell is also a new addition to the injury report, and his injury could create problems for the Bears in the return game. He is the team’s backup punt returner and their primary return specialist — DeAndre Carter — is out for the remainder of the season after landing on IR on December 11.
In encouraging news, safety Elijah Hicks — who has missed three games with an ankle injury — practiced as a limited participant for the first time since November 15.
Vikings’ Roster in Good Health Ahead of Bears Game
From the Vikings’ end of things, the injury report is looking pretty good ahead of their Monday Night Football matchup with the Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
The Vikings had just one player on their 53-man roster — veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore — not participating in Thursday’s walkthrough. Gilmore missed Week 14’s game against the Arizona Cardinals with a hamstring injury and continues to miss time with the injury, putting his status for Monday night’s game against Chicago in doubt.
Fortunately for Minnesota, everyone else on their 53-man roster practiced. The Vikings did, however, limit three players with injuries: running back Aaron Jones (back), linebacker Patrick Jones II (knee) and outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel (hip).
