The Bears wrapped up their final preseason practice on Tuesday, and No. 1 receiver Alshon Jeffery remained nowhere in sight.
Time to worry?
Oh, yes.
Jeffery last practiced on Aug. 11. That would be in Bourbonnais, which seems like it was months ago at this point. He was apparently hurt during a walk-through.
Coach John Fox is doing his best to downplay Jeffery’s situation, repeatedly calling him day-to-day. Fox said he’s been active in his rehab work at Halas Hall.
A positive post on social media from Jeffery this week seemed to suggest that he’d be ready by Week 1 against the Packers, but he still remains absent during practices.
It’s important to remember that the Bears thought it was best that Jeffery not take a quick flight to Cincinnati with the rest of the team for the third preseason game because of his need for treatment. That’s disconcerting.
Fox was pressed on Jeffery’s situation after practice on Tuesday, but he stayed the course and said little.
Even if Jeffery returns to practice next week, his game-day conditioning and his grasp of coordinator Adam Gase’s offense loom as possible issues. Jeffery was having a great camp, but that was a narrative weeks ago.
Injured receivers Eddie Royal (hip) and Marquess Wilson (hamstring), meanwhile, were active again. They did some light rehab work on the field, played catch and watched practice. They look like they’ll be ready for Week 1.
That’s good news for quarterback Jay Cutler, who was throwing to Rashad Lawrence and Josh Bellamy again at practice, but Royal and Wilson still aren’t Jeffery.
“I can’t predict what’s going to happen going forward other than day-to-day,” Fox said.
But Jeffery is going on three weeks of being day-to-day.
Follow me on Twitter @adamjahns
Email: ajahns@suntimes.com
