Buster Skrine, Jaylon Johnson to Miss Packers Game
Rookie cornerback Kindle Vildor and second-year slot cornerback Duke Shelley are sure to receive plenty of attention from Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers Sunday at Soldier Field when the Chicago Bears try to earn their way into the NFC wild-card playoffs.
The two defensive backs will play vital roles as they have the previous two games because starting right cornerback Jaylon Johnson will miss his third straight game with a shoulder injury while starting slot cornerback Buster Skrine remains in the concussion protcol.
Vildor will be on the right cornerback spot again trying to guard wide receiver Davante Adams.
"He's well aware of who we're going against and our defense and who we're facing with them offensively and there's gonna be plays that are made by those guys on offense and like we said yesterday, you've got to be able to regroup and you go make a play now," coach Matt Nagy sad. "So what better way to be able to get into a game and you've got to rely on your teammates, too.
"We can't just expect him to come in here and all of the sudden—he's got to learn as he goes. That's a growth of a rookie."
None of the other injuries are expected to prevent players from taking the field, although five are questionable on the final injury report.
Tight end Cole Kmet has been playing through a shoulder injury for several weeks and practiced on a limited basis both Thursday and Friday. Tight end Demetrius Harris (ankle) and safety Deon Bush (foot) also practiced on a limited basis and are questionable.
Kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson (knee) and safety Tashaun Gipson (neck) are listed as questionable as well, but both went through full practices on Friday.
The Bears did pull wide receiver Allen Robinson off the injury report entirely after he sat out Thursday's practice with a hamstring issue. He was able to practice on Friday.
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