Pre-Game Midweek Update

[soulman]

 

Akiem Hicks, Allen Robinson back at Bears practice, but David Montgomery sits; Teven Jenkins reflects on his return

By Kevin Fishbain Dec 8, 2021 10

Maybe it means nothing, considering the opponent and the opposing quarterback, but at least the Bears are getting closer to having their full complement of impact players for their trip to Lambeau Field.

In addition to Justin Fields being medically cleared and named the starter for Sunday’s game, both defensive tackle Akiem Hicks and wide receiver Allen Robinson practiced for the first time in several weeks, a good sign for their availability Sunday.

Hicks had a sack against Green Bay in Week 6. In 2019, he returned from a seven-week stint on injured reserve to face the Packers in Green Bay, where he had two quarterback hits.

Robinson has missed three games after injuring his hamstring late against the Steelers. He had four catches for 53 yards against the Packers in Week 6.

Defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr., who missed the past two games, was limited. Running back Damien Williams, who hasn’t played since Week 8, was also practicing, along with wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, who injured his foot on Thanksgiving and missed last week’s loss to the Cardinals.

Williams’ return could be important considering who did not practice Wednesday — running back David Montgomery. He was listed as having injuries to his shoulder, glute and groin following his 141-yard performance against Arizona. We likely won’t find out more about Montgomery until coach Matt Nagy speaks again Friday, unless he practices Thursday. He missed the Packers game earlier this season. At Lambeau last season, Montgomery had a 57-yard run and 143 yards from scrimmage.

Andy Dalton did not practice after injuring his non-throwing hand against Arizona. He was able to play through it, but it’s possible that Nick Foles will be the backup quarterback against the Packers.

Kicker Cairo Santos (illness) and outside linebacker Trevis Gipson (illness) also did not practice.

‘Feel like a young buck’

As rookie offensive tackle Teven Jenkins tried to play through back pain, he realized it was more than just soreness when he started to feel shooting pain in his legs.

“My nerves, in my legs, down my legs, it was terrible. It was unbearable,” Jenkins said Wednesday, his first time meeting with the media since rookie minicamp. “Sometimes (when) I took steps it was bad, anything, getting up out of my seat, it was bad.”

Jenkins suited up for a football game Sunday for the first time in 13 months after back surgery and said this is as good physically as he has felt since he was “probably 18 years old.”

“Fresh out of high school going to college,” he said. “Feel like a young buck.”

Jenkins acknowledged he might have made things worse by pushing himself in OTAs and then at the start of training camp. That led to the last resort.

“We did a couple things. I’m trying not to give you guys too much detail about everything, but ultimately it was different symptoms from what was going on in college,” he said. “It was a whole different situation. I probably pushed myself out there a little bit faster because I had that urge to … I wanted to get back on the field, I don’t care if it’s hurt, and maybe I did push myself a little bit too much and made it a little worse and that’s what ended up going on to get surgery.”

Nothing is certain, but Jenkins, his doctors and the Bears staff seem confident the specific injury that the surgery corrected won’t be a persistent issue.

“I won’t see this being a problem ever again because there’s not any screws in me, there’s nothing in me, it’s not like that,” Jenkins said.

While he was out, Jenkins would attend meetings, then write down the plays and go through them mentally. He started to do walk-throughs on his own and got help from his fiancee to remember the plays.

Jenkins played two special-teams snaps against the Cardinals on Sunday when he joined the extra-point team.

“Yeah, of course, I was nervous,” he said. “It’s my first game, and like I said earlier, year, month, and that’s like the big stage, that’s what it is. Of course, I was nervous a little bit. So when I first got out there, I put on my suit and first field goal snap, you know, my heart was racing a little bit, of course. But it’s just one little hump I had to get over, and just had to get acclimated.”

He is the backup tackle, though, so if anything were to happen to Jason Peters, he would step in and play. Neither Nagy nor offensive line coach Juan Castillo committed to getting Jenkins on the field at left tackle this season. It would seem sensible to get Jenkins some playing time on offense before the season ends, but until then, Jenkins can benefit from learning from the guy the Bears brought in last minute when Jenkins had his surgery.

“That’s my No. 1 goal, to keep learning from (Peters),” he said. “And keep on growing knowledge to get at least some of what he can give me. You know? Some of that. That’s it. … (And) to keep on doing what the team asks me. That’s the most I can do right now.”

Draft pick debuts coming soon?

Each week, the Bears can protect up to four players on their practice squad. That way, no other team can poach them. Sometimes one or two of those players get “flexed” to the game day roster.

For the first time this season, wide receiver Dazz Newsome and cornerback Thomas Graham Jr. got the Bears’ practice-squad protections. It may mean little and simply be insurance policies for the week, but it could also set them up to play at some point.

Both players entered training camp with higher-than-normal expectations for sixth-round picks, likely due to the weakness at their respective positions. The Bears needed help at slot receiver, punt returner and slot corner, but both got cut before the season and returned to the team via the practice squad, where they’ve been all season.

Wide receivers coach Mike Furrey said this week that Newsome’s time on the practice squad is due to where they needed help at receiver — on the outside, not in the slot. Isaiah Coulter and Rodney Adams had been the ones flexed when Robinson was out.

“Dazz is doing a great job,” Furrey said. “Yeah. Dazz is out there at practice every day and learning. What he does in practice, I just talked to him the other day, his improvement from day one to where he’s at right now, just that confidence level. Still getting in and out of the huddle and learning things is obviously part of that growth. But he has definitely gotten better from day one and it has been a great thing to see.”

At corner, the Bears benched Kindle Vildor for Artie Burns but still gave Vildor some snaps, while Xavier Crawford has played the nickel spot the past two weeks. There should be an opportunity for Graham, if he’s ready.

Raiola heads to Lincoln

Donovan Raiola, the Bears’ assistant offensive line coach since the start of the 2018 season, is leaving the team to be Nebraska’s offensive line coach.

 

“We’re excited about the opportunity that he’s gonna get at Nebraska with coach (Scott) Frost,” Nagy said. “You know, when you have a guy that works as hard as these coaches do and guys that put in a lot of hours and time of doing some of the dirty work and then you get rewarded with a great opportunity like this, it was pretty neat being able to go through that process with Donny. He’s worked hard for that. We’re really happy for him.”

Raiola was one of only four coaches — joining Nagy, Chris Tabor and Furrey — who had held the same role on the staff since 2018.

(Top photo of Akiem Hicks: Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images)

Kevin Fishbain is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Chicago Bears. He spent the 2013-16 seasons on the Bears beat for Shaw Media publications, including the Northwest Herald, Daily Chronicle, Joliet Herald-News and Pro Football Weekly. Previously, he covered the NFL from 2010-12 for Pro Football Weekly. Follow Kevin on Twitter @kfishbain.

 

 

 

(Top photo of Akiem Hicks: Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images)

Edited December 9, 2021 by soulman