LANDOVER, Md. — Bears kicker Eddy Pineiro is active against the Redskins tonight, ending speculation about whether his injured right knee would keep him sidelined. If Pineiro has trouble during the game, punter Pat O’Donnell is likely the emergency kicker.
Surprisingly, though, right tackle Bobby Massie is inactive because of an illness. He did not appear on the injury report this week. NFL Network reported that he is battling vertigo.
The Bears did not announce a starting five on the o-line. Rashaad Coward is listed as the backup right tackle on their depth chart, but he has played one game in his career and it was in 2017. Cornelius Lucas III is the backup left tackle and he has played 39 games, including eight starts.
Those are the simplest solutions. They could also move Kyle Long outside, for example, but there could be other moving pieces as a result. Teams typically try to maintain as much continuity as possible when injuries happen on the line.
Lucas was lined up at right tackle when the offensive line warmed up 45 minutes before kickoff.
O’Donnell is capable of handling kickoffs, a role he held at the University of Miami and has done six times in the NFL, and could do that for the Bears to lighten Pineiro’s load. The Bears had him working on those in pre-game warmups.
A few other players will play through injuries as well. Safety Eddie Jackson is battling shoulder and knee pain, but is active. Right guard Kyle Long did not go through a full practice last week because of a hip injury, but he is also playing.
Tight end Trey Burton will play as he tries to get back from a strained groin muscle and should see an increase in his playing time after getting just 26 snaps in Week 2. Nose tackle Eddie Goldman (oblique) is also active.
Starting defensive lineman Bilal Nichols was ruled out early last week with a broken hand. The Bears are optimistic he will return, but the potential timeline is unclear.
Here are the Bears’ other inactives: running back Kerrith Whyte Jr.; receiver Riley Ridley; defensive backs Kevin Toliver II and Sherrick McManis and linebacker Josh Woods.
