Bear Digest

Injury Riddled Bears Line Could Face First-Round Cardinals Pick

The Bears offensive line will have one other hurdle besides their injuries this week as the Cardinals are expected to have first-round pick Darius Robinson available for his debut.
Gene Chamberlain|
Darius Robinson takes on the Saints defensive front in a preseason game. Robinson is coming off IR to face the Bears in his NFL debut.
Darius Robinson takes on the Saints defensive front in a preseason game. Robinson is coming off IR to face the Bears in his NFL debut. | Owen Ziliak/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Chicago Bears

As if the Bears need another problem to worry about after last weeks Hail Mary pass and a series of offensive line injuries, they'll could have another.

They'll be the first team to go up against rookie defensive lineman Darius Robinson.

Robinson, a first-round Arizona pick this year, is about to make his debut. Pass rush pressure is something the Cardinals generally lacked to this point.

The 21-day window to activate Robinson was set to expire Wednesday so it was time to bring him on board.

The 27th pick of the draft, Robinson suffered a calf injury in training camp and started the year on injured reserve.

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The 6-foot-5, 286-pounder can play edge or tackle in the Cardinals' scheme. He had 13 sacks and 21 tackles for loss with a forced fumble at Missouri. Robinson had looked impressive in offseason work and NFL Network's Cynthia Frelund had predicted in preseason that Robinson would win defensive rookie of the year.

The Cardinals defense is tied for 27th in sacks per game at 1.9 and the Bears offensive line is 28th in protecting the passer with 22 total sacks of Caleb Williams allowed.

In addition to troubles keeping pass rushers off Williams, the Bears offensive line now could be without starters Teven Jenkins and Braxton Jones, after both suffered knee injuries.

The Bears did not schedule a practice for Wednesday, which could help with their injury issues. They are only holding a walk-through but an injury report will be issued and the status of Jones and Jenkins will be addressed. They have also opened the window for Ryan Bates to be reinstated from injured reserve.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.