Bears’ Tyson Bagent to start again as Justin Fields not cleared

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Chicago Bears’ rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent is set to start his fourth consecutive game, replacing Justin Fields, who is sidelined due to a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand.

Despite being listed as doubtful for the upcoming game against the Carolina Panthers, coach Matt Eberflus has confirmed that Fields will not be taking the field.

“We need to give him an extra day,” Eberflus stated, explaining the decision to list Fields as doubtful rather than ruled out. “He’s working hard and making progress every day, so we’ll have to wait and see how it goes.”

While he hasn’t been cleared by the medical staff, Fields has been a limited participant in practice, with no setbacks in his recovery. Eberflus also mentioned that Fields may go through a pregame workout before the Thursday night game.

“His accuracy and overall performance are improving,” Eberflus commented. “He’s getting better day by day. Right now, he’s listed as doubtful, but we’ll see how it progresses.”

Fields has expressed that his grip strength is not fully restored and continues to experience some discomfort when gripping the football. However, Eberflus stated that Fields’ grip strength, accuracy, and ability to function as a quarterback are nearing full recovery.

With the extended 10-day break between games, the Bears are hopeful that Fields will continue to progress during the mini-bye week and potentially make a return in Week 11.

“He’s going to continue to ramp up his training and get the necessary conditioning to prepare for our next game,” Eberflus added. “Our players do a great job of putting in the work and preparing themselves for the upcoming challenges.”

On the injury front, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds will miss his second consecutive game due to a knee injury. Additionally, right guard Nate Davis and cornerback Terell Smith are also ruled out for the game against Carolina.

However, running back Khalil Herbert, wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown, and cornerback Josh Blackwell have been full participants in practice and are nearing activation from the injured reserve within their 21-day window.