Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus met with reporters Monday at Halas Hall to recap Sunday’s 30-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Here are three things Eberflus said about key injuries.
1. Tyson Bagent will make a 3rd consecutive start against the New Orleans Saints.
Eberflus said quarterback Justin Fields will miss a third straight game Sunday as he continues his recover from a dislocated right thumb. Eberflus classified Fields as “week to week” with the injury he suffered Oct. 15 against the Minnesota Vikings.
Eberflus said Fields is “improving” but wouldn’t say whether he has tried throwing as he works to regain his grip strength.
“I’m not going to get into particulars, but he is progressing,” Eberflus said. “We like where he is right now.”
Fields traveled with the Bears to SoFi Stadium and was on the sideline for the Chargers game.
Undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent completed 25 of 37 passes for 232 yards with no touchdown passes, two interceptions and a 62 passer rating in place of Fields. He led two touchdown drives, including one he capped with a 1-yard run, but the Bears fell behind early and couldn’t catch up amid a host of mistakes.
Bagent’s next test Sunday in New Orleans might not be any easier. The Saints rank fifth in the NFL with 296.4 yards allowed per game, fifth with a 3.3% interception rate and ninth with 19.3 points allowed per game.
2. Safety Jaquan Brisker is in concussion protocol after feeling ill last week.
Brisker went into concussion protocol after the Las Vegas Raiders game on Oct. 22, but Eberflus said he was cleared by the team and an independent neurologist.
Brisker then reported feeling ill with a fever Tuesday, Eberflus said. He missed all of the practices leading up to the Chargers game, and the Bears ruled him out Saturday. When he reported he still was feeling off Sunday, the Bears reevaluated him for a concussion Monday.
Eberflus said Brisker is back in concussion protocol.
Brisker missed two games last year with a concussion in late November and early December, and he was open this summer about how he struggled to get back to his old energetic self in the wake of the injury.
“We were working with Jaquan the whole way, talking to him, making sure he was squared away,” Eberflus said. “The most important thing is our players’ safety and health.”
The Bears played Sunday without Brisker and fellow starting safety Eddie Jackson, who was active but didn’t play as he recovers from a foot injury.
3. The Bears have to ‘really evaluate’ Tremaine Edmunds’ knee over the next couple of days.
Edmunds left the Chargers game early in the third quarter after having his right knee evaluated. He walked slowly off the field and into the medical tent but soon began running on the sideline to test it out. He returned to the game but then left again.
Edmunds said after the game the injury was painful and initially scared him.
“It could definitely be worse than what it is now,” he said. “I’ll know (Monday) as far as what it looks like inside. I’m blessed definitely to be walking right now for sure.”
Along with Edmunds, the Bears will monitor left tackle Braxton Jones’ status this week. Jones, who is recovering from a neck injury, is in his 21-day practice window to return from injured reserve.
()
