Significant injuries have haunted the Green Bay Packers early this season, but there are some positive updates ahead of Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears.
We know the Packers won't see Edgerrin Cooper, Zach Bako-Bewele, or Jayden Reed again this season. That's tough. But Micah Parsons will return at some point, even if we require some more patience, and all signs indicate he is making continued progress in his recovery from a torn ACL.
Rookie cornerback Brandon Cisse also avoided a serious injury in last week's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He appears to be on track to play in Week 5.
Here's the latest for the Packers and Bears.
Latest Packers injury updates for Week 5
Micah Parsons
Micah Parsons still hasn't returned to practice and likely won't play until November, but there was an encouraging update on Thursday.
"Parsons also seems to be ramping up even more with some seemingly new work — or at least new that we've seen — with the rehab staff off to the side," reports ESPN's Rob Demovsky. "Could he possibly return to practice next week?"
That sounds promising? Parsons still isn't back at practice in an official capacity, and even when that happens, he'll need time to ramp up before returning to regular-season action. But this is a positive update.
Brandon Cisse
Second-round rookie Brandon Cisse exited last week's game due to a neck injury and was also evaluated for a concussion.
Fortunately, Cisse didn't suffer a concussion, and the neck issue hasn't limited him at practice. He has now logged consecutive full practices on Wednesday and Thursday, a sign he's good to go for this week's game. That's significant.
Savion Williams
We could see Savion Williams as early as this week.
The Packers have opened Williams' 21-day return window from injured reserve, and he's now logged consecutive practices, albeit in a limited fashion. Matt LaFleur hinted at him potentially being ready this week. We'll see.
In any case, Williams is nearing a return, and the Packers will need him.
Chris Brooks
Chris Brooks had seemingly moved ahead of MarShawn Lloyd on the depth chart, but an ankle injury changed that in last week's win. Brooks hasn't practiced this week, which would suggest his chances of playing on Sunday are fading fast.
In the meantime, it'll be down to Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson, who have struggled to protect the ball. Don't be surprised if preseason standout Pierre Strong Jr. gets a call-up from the practice squad.
Other Packers injury updates
- Aaron Banks looks set to miss another game after missing Thursday's practice
- Jager Burton returned to practice on Thursday, while Anthony Belton remains limited
- Don't expect to see Jacob Monk this week after he missed another practice
- Lukas Van Ness has logged two limited sessions, but there doesn't appear to be any concern about his status for Week 5
Latest Bears injury updates for Week 5
Caleb Williams
The Bears ruled out Caleb Williams at the start of the week. He remains sidelined with a hamstring injury and still hasn't returned to practice. Chicago is smartly giving Williams the time he needs to recover, as hamstring issues can linger and worsen if a player rushes back too soon.
In his place, Tyson Bagent is expected to make his second start. It's an interesting decision. Bagent performed relatively well against the New York Jets last week, but he got away with three interceptions due to defensive penalties. It came one week after Case Keenum tore apart the Philadelphia Eagles' defense.
But Ben Johnson has found a way to make it work, regardless of who's at quarterback.
Kyle Monangai
This is one to watch. The Bears boast one of the NFL's most destructive run games, averaging a league-best 196.3 rushing yards per game. Kyle Monangai is at the heart of that, with 60 carries for a team-best 324 yards and three touchdowns.
Monangai has now missed consecutive practices due to thumb and toe injuries, raising questions about his status for Sunday's game.
D'Andre Swift
D'Andre Swift is also on the injury report due to hip and knee injuries, although he returned to practice on Thursday and appears to be on track to play. Swift was also on the Week 4 injury report with a knee issue but he then logged a full practice on Friday and played in the game.
Other Bears injury updates
- The Bears' offensive line is trending in the right direction, with Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson, and Darnell Wright all returning to practice on Thursday
- Keep an eye on cornerback Kyler Gordon, linebacker Noah Sewell, and defensive tackle Shemar Turner. They are on injured reserve but practiced in full on Thursday. Will the Bears activate any of them this week?
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