Bears WR N’Keal Harry out with reported high ankle sprain

The Bears’ hopes for 2019 first-round pick N’Keal Harry to relaunch his career and emerge as one of their top wide receivers hit a snag. The injury that knocked him out of practice Saturday has been diagnosed as a high left ankle sprain, NFL Network reported.

That likely would keep him out for at least the rest of the preseason, making it harder for him to lock up a spot on the final roster.

Injuries have ravaged an already-thin group at wide receiver. The Bears went into training camp with Darnell Mooney as their only sure thing. After that, it was mostly a collection of players on one-year contracts playing for their careers.

Two of the most prominent receivers beyond Mooney are also out. Veteran Byron Pringle is going to miss extended time because of a quad injury, though coach Matt Eberflus is optimistic he’ll be back before the season starts Sept. 11. Rookie Velus Jones, a third-round pick, got hurt Friday.

Those absences leave Equanimeous St. Brown (37 career catches) and Dazz Newsome (zero) as presumably the next two receivers.

Harry, 24, flamed out with the Patriots in three seasons after they took him No. 32 overall out of Arizona State. His best season was 2020, when he caught 33 passes for 309 yards and two touchdowns.

Nonetheless, the Bears were intrigued by his size (6-4, 225 pounds) and the talent that made him a two-time 1,000-yard receiver in college.

Adams addresses arrest

Linebacker Matt Adams, who is getting a big opportunity while Roquan Smith is out, talked publicly for the first time since his June arrest for misdemeanor firearm possession in Chicago.

He was cited for possessing a high-capacity magazine within city limits and metal-piercing bullets. Adams said he was not aware of local laws.

“Being a new person on the team, that’s a major setback to what I’m trying to bring,” Adams said.

His next court date is Aug. 24.

Adams is expected to be a key piece for the Bears even after Smith comes back. He played under Eberflus with the Colts the last four seasons and has significant experience on special teams.

Depleted roster

The Bears practiced inside the Walter Payton Center on Sunday because of rain and, with a limited roster of available players, kept it relatively short at a little under an hour and a half.

They had more than a dozen players out with injuries, and others who were active weren’t full participants. Defensive end Robert Quinn and offensive tackle Teven Jenkins, for example, are still on reduced workloads as part of individual “ramp-up” plans.

White debuts

The Bears signed linebacker -Javin White after a tryout Saturday, and he joined the team for his first practice.

White, 25, played one game for the Jets and one for the Raiders last season. He has mostly been a practice-squad player during his two seasons in the NFL.

The Bears cleared a roster spot for White by waiving linebacker C.J. Avery with an injury designation.