From Depleted to Dangerous: Are the 2026 Bears Finally Getting Healthy?
Heading into the 2026 season, injuries were already a concern for the Chicago Bears. It felt like another player got hurt at every practice. The secondary depth was being tested as a majority of the top guys got hurt. Key offensive weapons were dealing with smaller-scale injuries. These injuries threatened to derail what was supposed to be a promising season. However, their injury luck seems to be turning around. The Bears announced that for the first time since Week Seven of the 2022 season, no player is listed as out, doubtful, or questionable on the injury report.
The most surprising injury update is that Ozzy Trapilo is now a full participant in practice. Last season, he suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee. He was expected to miss a majority, if not all, of 2026. Then, he made a miraculous recovery. Trapilo was working back slowly with limited practice, but now he is fully participating. The 24-year-old left tackle needs to start working with the starting offensive line, but he should return to action in the next few weeks.
Turning to the offensive weapons, things are looking pretty good. The receiver core has healed up, and none of them are on the injury report. The running back room has been dealing with a few injuries over the past few weeks. However, after a dominant Week One, the rushing attack looks ready to lead them to more victories. The tight end room is as reliable as always, so there is no worry either. Caleb Williams has his full set of weapons, and now he looks to fuel the Bears' rapid ascent as one of the NFL’s top offenses.
One of the biggest concerns has been the secondary. Things are still far from perfect, as Kyler Gordon and Coby Bryant are out for the foreseeable future. However, the rest of the group has healed up. Malik Muhammad had a strong Week One, but appeared to injure his ankle. Now, he is no longer limited in practice and should be good to go. Xavier Woods, who was signed as a replacement for Bryant, missed Week One. His groin injury seems to be healing, and he fully participated in practice. Woods could make his Bears debut in Week Two, which should strengthen the weak secondary.
Injuries are pretty common in the NFL. It is a physical sport, and players are always at risk of getting hurt. Chicago began dealing with issues before the preseason. Now, their injury luck seems to be turning around. No player was listed as limited on September 18th's injury report. If Chicago continues this trend, their chances of building on last year's success are even better.
