How Concerned Should Bears Fans Be With the Team’s Current Injuries?

July 29, 2026; Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (left) takes a handoff from quarterback Tyson Bagent during the team's practice at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, Illinois. Credit: Stacey Wescott | Chicago Tribune

Good news, Bears fans! There are now officially less than four weeks left until the Monsters of the Midway begin their 2026 regular season. And as the Bears (along with the rest of the league) inch ever closer to Week 1, that means it will soon be time to finalize the 52-man roster—as well as the Week 1 depth chart.

Which brings me to my bad news. Indeed, despite both their strong showing in the preseason opener against the Browns and the very solid training camp they’ve had thus far, the Bears are still dealing with lots of injuries on both sides of the ball—and the lingering concerns that come with them.

Of course, a lot can change for the Bears between now and September 13 in Carolina. But for now, here are my thoughts on the current level of concern fans should have. Let’s start with the defense.

DEFENSE: 7.5/10 (AKA: Higher Than Normal)

The Bears’ secondary room looks a bit more like a hospital at the moment. Coby Bryant’s knee injury will keep him out until at least December, and Xavier Woods, who the Bears signed specifically to fill in for Bryant, left Saturday’s game early. There’s still no clear timeline for Kyler Gordon’s return to practice, and their current DB depth is virtually non-existent compared to the start of camp—Cam Lewis, Terell Smith, Jaylon Jones, and Elijah Hicks are all currently hurt, with Hicks on the PUP list.

As such, you’d be forgiven for your surprise that my current level of concern is only a 7.5/10. So why only a 7.5/10? Because of who is healthy, my belief in Dennis Allen and Al Harris, and because of how much time the Bears still have before the season starts.

Indeed, while they’ll certainly have to prove it once the season actually begins, the team’s defensive front and linebacker corps have provided plenty of reason for optimism thus far. Montez Sweat’s strong showing in minicamp was one of the main talking points, and his full return to practice over the weekend following his early departure on August 6 is a very good sign.

At linebacker, T.J. Edwards’ speedy recovery and return was perhaps the single best development of the offseason thus far, and he’s remained a veteran presence throughout camp. Additionally, Devin Bush has been one of the standouts and is coming off a career year in which he recorded 124 tackles and three interceptions.

There have also been encouraging flashes from the rookies on the roster, including defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg and cornerback Malik Muhammad. Add in Dennis Allen’s experience and Al Harris’ success with the Bears’ secondary, and there’s plenty of reason to believe this defense can hold its own come Week 1.

If that’s not enough, then I’ll point out that—perhaps most importantly—there’s still nearly a month remaining before the Bears opener against the Panthers, and as such, plenty of time for Chicago to get healthier and sort out its secondary (as well as any other new injuries that may occur). In short, the injuries are absolutely worth monitoring, but the defense isn’t quite in crisis mode. At least, not yet.

OFFENSE: 6/10 (AKA: No Major Concerns…Yet)

Compared to the defense, the Bears’ offense has thus far come through training camp and the preseason in relatively good health, but there are now a couple of situations worth monitoring.

The biggest concern is second-year running back Kyle Monangai, who left Sunday’s practice early with a knee injury. Today's MRI revealed a hyperextension rather than structural damage, which is encouraging even without the certainty of his return in Week 1. Meanwhile, news broke last week that wide receiver Luther Burden III will remain out through the end of the preseason with a groin injury. The good news is that Burden is still expected to be ready for the regular-season opener, making his timeline and Monangai’s both relatively short ones. However, missing valuable preseason reps is less than ideal for two key players expected to take on even larger roles this season.

Even with the injuries to Burden and Monangai, the Bears are still relatively healthy across the rest of the offense, and there have been encouraging developments along the offensive line—specifically at left tackle. Ozzy Trapilo, who suffered a torn patellar tendon during the Bears’ Wild Card Round win against the Packers, was activated from the PUP list and returned to practice yesterday—way ahead of schedule (albeit only in an individual capacity). Additionally, last year’s Week 1 starting left tackle, Braxton Jones, also returned to practice after missing time.

The returns of Jones and Trapilo mean that the battle for the starting left tackle job is still far from finished, and the statuses of Monangai and Burden will certainly be the biggest news worth monitoring throughout the rest of the preseason. Ultimately, though, Ben Johnson’s squad has more than enough healthy talent to feel relatively comfortable without them (if that even ends up being necessary). In short, the health of the offense is merely a “keep an eye on it” situation, not a reason to panic.

And there you have it, my current levels of concern about the Bears’ injuries! Thanks for reading, and let’s hope the next few weeks bring plenty of good news—and no new names added to the injury report.