Bear Digest

Key weapon returns to Chicago Bears lineup for 49ers game

Chicago Bears injury report: Luther Burden has been deemed good to go but a defensive player critical in the team's turnaround season is questionable.
Gene Chamberlain|
Luther Burden turns upfield against the Browns. Burden will play against the 49ers.
Luther Burden turns upfield against the Browns. Burden will play against the 49ers. | David Banks-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

There will be a lot of guessing on availability of players for Sunday night's Bears game but one of those in question will not be wide receiver Luther Burden III.

The Bears rookie went through a full practice Friday and was removed from the injury report, meaning he will play Sunday night against San Francisco.

It's a huge advantage for the Bears when they have the speed and the elusiveness provided by Burden in the passing game because they'll still be without another key wide receiver threat, Rome Odunze.

Odunze has been ruled out due to his foot injury.

Burden is No. 1 among Bears receivers in yards after the catch per reception with 7.0 and second on the team behind D'Andre Swift, who is fourth in the league (10.7). When Caleb Williams targets Burden, he has a 115.5 passer rating, second highest on the Bears behind only Colston Loveland (121.3).

The certainty over Burden this week is what's big because  the Bears have been able to have him work at their practices.

The uncertainty with rest of the injury report involves mainly defense, slot cornerback and illness.

Slot cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson is questionable with a knee injury, although  trending very positive as he had a full practice on Friday and was limited like Burden was.

Backup slot cornerback Nick McCloud has been ruled out for the game due to illness. That can be a huge blow if something happened to Gardner-Johnson. Also, the third DB at slot is Josh Blackwell and he is questionable for the game due to illness. Illness has run rampant through the team this week.

“It's this time of year, I doubt we're the only team dealing with  it," coach Ben Johnson said. "We're washing our hands, we're being very diligent, guys have masks on, doing what you can. Whoever's available here on game day, we will look to win with. If a guy can't go, then we will be ready.”

Linebacker D'Marco Jackson and return man Devin Duvernay had also been ill but both have been removed from the injury report. With Blackwell, the fact the game isn't for over 48 hours can mean he'll be recovered by then.

Also questionable is cornerback Nahshon Wright due to a hamstring issue and illness. His situation is worse than some of the others because he didn't practice on Friday and was limited the rest of the week.

If Wright can't play, the starting duo the Bears counted on before the season will be ready to go—Tyrique Stevenson and Jaylon Johnson.

T.J. Edwards is questionable with a glute injury but was able to practice Friday on a limited basis for the first time this week.

Guard Luke Newman is being considered for return to the roster and is questionable after a foot injury put him on IR.

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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.