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Kyle Monangai Injury One More Reason Bears Need Eyes on All Roster Cuts

The Bears still have needs and any talented back, DB or edge rusher cut needs to be closely examined by GM Ryan Poles.
Gene Chamberlain|
Ryan Poles has several positions he needs to look for in waivers after final cutdowns.
Ryan Poles has several positions he needs to look for in waivers after final cutdowns. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Chicago Bears

The Bears built a formidable ground attack last year with Kyle Monangai as the power back to D'Andre Swift's speed back,

On Saturday, coach Ben Johnson voiced some concern about the run blocking by the backups who played against Cleveland in the 34-10 preseason win, but on Sunday something happened that could prove more devastating to their offense and the running game. That was Kyle Monangai's knee injury.

Adam Schefter of ESPN tweeted after the injury that Monangai is believed to be "fine," for what that's worth and for whatever that even means.

Remember, it was Schefter who tweeted Coby Bryant would miss eight to 10 weeks and a while later Ben Johnson informed everyone it would be four to six months, possibly the rest of the season.

It did not appear any more severe than Luther Burden's groin injury as Monangai was able to walk off the field very gingerly and then 100 yards all the way into Halas Hall with a trainer at hand. He wasn't limping, just walking slowly and explaining what he felt.

Complete carelessness

Whether he'll be back soon or in the regular season, no one can know right now. However, what is certain is the injury was the result of complete carelessness. This was a non-padded practice without contact.

Monangai was wearing football pants cut off well above the knee, like shorts. People weren't tackling to the ground. It appeared Grady Jarrett got caught in an awkward position, reached out and in the process tackled Monangai. It didn't appear to be a willing, physical act. It took Monangai out of the practice.

Making it all the more ridiculous was the carelessness continued. Right after Monangai was helped up and walked off the field, linebacker Devin Bush tracked down Kalif Raymond on a pass toward the sideline and tackled him low and from behind. It was probably beyond carless because he didn't even need to do it with Raymond near the sideline. Fortunately no one was injured.

The Bears starters were practicing and not the backups because the backups played on Saturday. So it was a shorter, and supposed to be a lighter practice.

"Hopefully it’s nothing too crazy significant," guard Joe Thuney said about the injury. "But football is football. It’s tough. I hope he’s all right."

They need Monangai healthy. There is one other power runner in Roschon Johnson but he's a bigger back and not quite the same type of player as Monangai, who has quick bursts and runs with determined lean.

Neither Salvon Ahmed nor Coleman Bennett are the type of back Monangai is. Ahmed is more of a classic third-down back at 196 pounds and Bennett is only 185 pounds. Brittain Brown is still with the Bears after spending much of last year on the practice squad, but trying to replace Monangai for any given period would be difficult.

Running back might even be one of the positions where Ryan Poles looks around at other teams' cuts after the 5 p.m. deadline on Aug. 31 to form 53-man rosters. Other positions could be safety or cornerback or slot cornerback.

Sure, the Bears had a strong game from slot cornerback acquisition Beanie Bishop, the former Steelers player who can't play the first three weeks due to a suspension. Bishop had some reps against the starting offense on Sunday as a right cornerback with Tyrique Stevenson missing practice. It wasn't a case where Stevenson missed because he was injured int he game. He didn't play. It's possible he had an injury prior to the game in Thursday's practice.

The Bears did have Cam Lewis back in the secondary at practice and he played both slot and safety. Still, no sign of safety Elijah Hicks or Kyler Gordon.

They have looked into bringing aboard another defensive end, former Lions and Saints player Marcus Davenport. He was a standout player for Dennis Allen a few years in New Orleans but Davenport hasn't had more than two sacks in a season since 2021 and winds up on the injury report more often then he gets onto the field. He played 10 games in two seasons for Detroit, four games out of 17 for the Vikings and in his first five seasons never was available for a full slate. He missed three games in each of his first two seasons and five in 2020, six in 2021 and two in 2022.

Real rush help needed

Someone who can actually rush the passer rather than rush to the trainer is needed at this spot.

Jamree Kromah had a sack for them on Saturday and Johnson praised him with glowing remarks. Kromah, a practice squad player last year, had to practice all spring with starters when Montez Sweat wasn't around. Perhaps it helped but Johnson credited his coaches with some of the perceived improvement.

"It's something you see in the springtime,". The new techniques that we're coaching with, and he's
flashing," Johnson said. "And yet, it's like, ‘Is this the time he's going to turn it on?’ And you don't know.

"Then you go into a game like this, and you see the get-off, you see the relentlessness. You could feel his presence every single snap. I'm standing close to the D-lineman and they're hooting and hollering and cheering for him because they're as excited as he is because they're seeing him going out there and making plays and making an impact like that. He's such a hard worker. I know he's been in the program now for a minute and to see him have some success on the field like that, that was huge.”

It still wasn't huge enough to keep them from looking a veteran defensive end. His performance was against other practice squad level players.

They just need to look for someone who doesn't wind up in the trainer's room as often as Davenport.

They need to watch the cutdown waiver wire closely.

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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.

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