Bear Digest

Another groin injury problem pops up for Chicago Bears secondary

Bears playoff injury report: It's been the injury most often bothering the Bears this season and it continues heading into the divisional playoffs.
Gene Chamberlain|
Bears safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson reacts against the Green Bay Packers during the Week 16 Chicago victory at Soldier Field.
Bears safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson reacts against the Green Bay Packers during the Week 16 Chicago victory at Soldier Field. | Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

 The Bears have another groin injury situation in their secondary.

It's been the injury of choice this season, or perhaps not of choice.

Defensive back Nick McCloud, a backup at slot cornerback and a special teams player, would not have practiced on Wednesday if the Bears held a practice as a result of a groin injury.

The positive about that defensive position with the injury report was backup slot cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson went through a full practice even though he is in the concussion protocol. Gardner-Johnson would be Kyler Gordon's backup if deemed healthy for the game.

Gordon, Jaylon Johnson, D'Andre Swift and Tremaine Edmunds have all missed playing time with groin injuries this year for the Bears. Gordon, Johnson and Edmunds wound up on injured reserve.

The Bears held only a walk through on Wednesday but two other players who  had been out with concussions on defense also were listed as able to go through full practices—defensive end Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and linebacker Amen Ogbongbemia both Tryon-Shoyinka had been the third defensive end in their rotation but has been out since the Bears lost to the 49ers on Dec. 28.

Ogbongbemiga, who normally is involved only on special teams but might be needed on defense after the season-ending leg injury suffered by T.J. Edwards, missed the first playoff game due to his concussion.

Receivers DJ Moore (knee) and Rome Odunze (foot) were listed as limited on the injury report and have been practicing on a limited basis recently earlier in the week as they try to get through their injuries.

Rams QB Matthew Stafford would have gone through a full practice despite his finger injury, and the Rams had only two players who would have been affected by injury if they held a practice. Guard Kevin Dotson (ankle) and nose tackle Poona Ford (elbow) would have been limited.

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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.