Chicago Bears star wide receiver Keenan Allen has finally provided more context on the heel injury that has sidelined him for two consecutive games.
According to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, Allen revealed on September 27 that his injury “initially showed up as discomfort in his heel” around when the Bears hosted Cincinnati for a joint practice on August 15 ahead of their preseason matchup with the Bengals.
While Allen said he had been able to practice through the injury during training camp when it was a “bruise/spur,” the problem took a turn for the worse and “stretched into the plantar fasciitis when he tried to stop on the route in the end zone” in Week 1’s win over Tennessee. Cronin added that since then, the Bears have been “playing it safe.”
Fortunately for Chicago, Allen returned to practice for the first time since Week 1 when the team began its Week 4 preparation for the Los Angeles Rams on September 25. The Bears limited him in Wednesday’s and Thursday’s first two sessions but upgraded him to a full participant on Friday, listing him as questionable in their final injury report.
Bears head coach Matt Eberflus also confirmed Friday that he expects Allen will play against the Rams when the team hosts them at 1 p.m. Eastern Time on September 29.
“Yeah, we do [anticipate Allen will play],” Eberflus said. “He was full today, looked good today. He’s been working back in the whole week, so we anticipate that.”
Keenan Allen’s Return Would Boost Bears Offense
While Allen’s return to the lineup is not yet certain, the Bears offense will receive a significant boost if the six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver can play against the Rams.
Allen is the most accomplished pass-catcher on the Bears’ roster with more than 10,500 career receiving yards on his resume. He also received a team-high 11 passing targets in the team’s season-opening win over the Titans, emphasizing how much the Bears want to get him involved in the passing game alongside DJ Moore and rookie Rome Odunze.
While DeAndre Carter has done a solid job filling in for him as the team’s third receiver over the past two games — catching six passes for 54 yards — Allen’s experience should give the Bears an advantage as they try to develop a more consistent passing offense with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. It helps that Allen and Williams are close.
Carter will also likely still have a role. He is the Bears’ top option in the return game and is more likely to be active than either Tyler Scott or Velus Jones Jr. Still, Williams will have more to work with if Carter is back at No. 4 behind his primary receiving trio.
Bears List 5 Others With Injury Designations vs. Rams
Allen is not the only Bears player carrying a questionable status into Sunday’s home game against the Rams. The Bears also listed starting free safety Kevin Byard III (back) and defensive tackle Andrew Billings (knee) as questionable after each one popped up on the injury report in Week 4 and missed one practice during the week of preparation.
Eberflus said both Byard and Billings looked “good” in Friday’s final practice, but he added the team will continue to assess their respective situations up until kickoff.
“We’re talking about those guys potentially working out before the game, but again, we could decide that within the next few hours,” Eberflus said Friday afternoon.
The Bears also ruled out three more players against the Rams. Defensive tackle Zacch Pickens will not play as he continues to nurse the groin injury that knocked him out of Week 2’s loss to the Houston Texans. Cornerback Terell Smith is also out after missing the entire week of practice with a hip injury that he sustained in Week 3’s loss.
The last of the ruled-out Bears is tight end Stephen Carlson. The Bears had just signed Carlson from the practice squad to the 53-man roster on September 24, but Eberflus said that he sustained a significant collarbone injury on the final catch of Thursday’s practice. He added that Carlson is now a candidate for the team’s injured reserve list.
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