Don’t expect Kyle Monangai to line up against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday. The injury timeline just does not work for a Week 9 return. Monangai has missed four straight games with a thumb injury and turf toe issues. The team kept him off the injured reserve list to save a spot, hoping he would be ready within a four-week window. That window has closed. The Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs wrote Tuesday that the team is unlikely to rush him back.
The Practice Problem
Monangai has not returned to practice yet. Biggs noted that rushing a player back after a month of inactivity is risky. “I’m skeptical they would have Monangai back for two practices — max — after missing a month and then add him to the mix Sunday night against the Buccaneers,” Biggs wrote Tuesday. Two days of practice is barely enough to shake off rust. The Bears need him healthy for the long haul, not just for one prime-time game. The smart play is to wait. A return on Nov. 22 against the New Orleans Saints at Soldier Field is what Biggs suggests targeting.
Short Yardage Struggles
The team has won three of their last four games without him, but the offense still feels the gap. Through eight weeks, the league’s No. 2 rushing offense belongs to Chicago. Roschon Johnson and veteran D’Andre Swift have stepped up well. Swift posted a season-low 2.6 yards per carry during the victory against Seattle. That number shows the team misses Monangai’s hard-charging style on short-yardage downs. Johnson is serviceable, but he lacks the same takeover ability. Twice during the first four games, Monangai hit 100 yards. The Bears need that specific skill set for the stretch run.
Waiting for the Bye
Head coach Ben Johnson has hinted that another back could see more time soon. The team signed Zavier Scott from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. Johnson said, “We’ve had him up for the last three weeks here, and it’s just been a matter of … that trust level.” Scott played strictly on special teams in Week 8. Johnson observed that if the team requires more bodies, “If that continues to be a thing, I think we’re going to need all three backs to play for us.” Keeping Monangai out until after the Week 10 bye makes the most sense. It gives him time to heal while the team relies on the current rotation. The bye week will provide the extra rest needed to get him fully ready for November.
