The Chicago Bears have just been served their first curveball of training camp, and it has not even officially started. Bears rookies reported for camp on Saturday with veterans set to join them on July 22, minus some noteworthy faces, including Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson.
In total, four Bears players went on the Active/Non-Football Injury (NFI) list on Saturday.
Undrafted free agent (2024) running back Ian Wheeler, quarterback Case Keenum, and wide receiver Jahdae Walker join Johnson on the list.
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Johnson and his Bears teammates can be removed from the list at any time during training camp. If they are, they cannot be put back on the list. If they remain on the list through the roster finalization deadline, they can go on the Reserve/NFI list.
That would mean they are forced to miss at least four games, just as if they were placed on injured reserve and designated for return during the campaign.
They count toward the 90-man roster limit right now, but would not during the regular season.
Johnson was an excused absence from the offseason Bears’ program. The Second Team All-Pro is the most noteworthy name on the list. He would also be the biggest loss for any significant period of time. However, he was also seen working out with teammates in recent days.
Walker and Wheeler are both competing for spots on the Bears’ practice squad more than the 53-man roster.
Keenum’s presence on the list is also noteworthy.
Keenum, who, like Walker and Wheeler, participated in the offseason program, said he considered retiring before the Bears contacted him. He is expected to push third-year UDFA Tyson Bagent for the QB2 job behind Caleb Williams.
Colston Loveland, Kyler Gordon Headline Players Not Named
The silver lining for the Bears is that a few players they had in a limited capacity or not at all during the offseason program did not land on the list.
Cornerback Kyler Gordon was also absent from the Bears’ offseason program. He signed a three-year, $40 million contract extension this offseason, but worked out with Johnson, who is entering Year 2 of a four-year, $76 million pact.
Of course, the Bears are far from clear as far as injuries go.
Rookies Colston Loveland (No. 10 overall) and Luther Burden III (No. 39) were both sidelined for most, if not all, of the offseason program. Left tackle Braxton Jones was also a non-participant on the field. All of those
Potentially missing your top cornerback, starring blindside protector, and first two draft picks on the field is not the way the Bears wanted to open training camp.
In that sense, Loveland’s absence from the NFI additions is especially noteworthy.