Bears coach Matt Eberflus maintains ‘day-to-day’ status for injured RB David Montgomery

He said it was plausible Montgomery could play Sunday against the Giants.

SHARE Bears coach Matt Eberflus maintains ‘day-to-day’ status for injured RB David Montgomery
A photo of Bears running back David Montgomery as he left the field because of a knee/ankle injury.

Montgomery left the game against the Texans with a knee/ankle injury.

Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Bears coach Matt Eberflus maintained a ‘‘day-to-day’’ status for injured running back David Montgomery on Monday and said it was plausible he would be available for the game Sunday at the Giants.

But Eberflus has been evasive about injury information since becoming the Bears’ coach and declined to comment when he was asked whether he could rule out injured reserve for Montgomery. Players must sit a minimum of four games if they go on IR.

Montgomery left the game Sunday against the Texans halfway through the first quarter when defensive tackle Michael Dwumfour rolled into his right ankle. Montgomery was down for a few minutes and quickly went to the locker room.

After the game, Eberflus said the initial examination of Montgomery’s ankle injury was ‘‘good,’’ meaning better than the dramatic scene on the field might have indicated. He said Monday the next checkpoint for Montgomery is seeing whether he can practice Wednesday.

Montgomery left after three carries for 11 yards, and Khalil Herbert took over as the primary back for the rest of the game. Herbert ran for a career-high 157 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries.

Montgomery led the Bears in rushing in each of his first three seasons and has averaged 63.1 yards a game and four yards a carry in his career. When he missed four games early last season with a knee injury, Herbert stepped in with 344 yards and a touchdown but got few chances after that.

Montgomery has a lot on the line as he plays the final season of his rookie contract and tries to make his case for an extension with the Bears or a big payday in free agency.

Solidifying the O-line

The Bears finally have a clear leader at right guard: Lucas Patrick.

Patrick, who originally was signed to be the starting center, started over Teven Jenkins against the Texans and played 65% of the snaps. Jenkins started the first two games, but Eberflus said Patrick overtook him in practice last week.

The Bears’ success on the ground — they were second in the NFL in yards per game (186.7) and fourth in yards per carry (5.4) after Sunday — might lead them to keep this lineup in place. They also could move Patrick back to center and put Sam Mustipher at right guard, where he started when camp opened. Mustipher started the first three games at center.

Patrick has been working at right guard while recovering from a broken thumb because it is difficult for him to snap the ball with a cast on, but he played without his hand wrapped into a club for the first time against the Texans.

Thomas earns spot

It looked dicey for the Bears at linebacker last week, when Roquan Smith was questionable with a hip injury and Matt Adams was ruled out because he hurt his hamstring in practice. That left them with two undrafted rookies next in line.

The Bears turned to their practice squad, however, and promoted veteran Joe Thomas. He played 44% of the snaps against the Texans and made five tackles to earn a place on the active roster. The Bears will sign Thomas this week, presumably before practice Wednesday, a source said.

Thomas, 31, has been in the league since going undrafted out of South Carolina State in 2014. He has played in 90 games.

The Latest
Eileen O’Neill Burke is leading Clayton Harris III, 50.15% to 49.85%, a margin that changed only by hundredths of a percentage point, after city and suburban officials tallied more mail-in ballots Thursday.
Suspect Romeo Nance’s son witnessed the shooting of at least five relatives, according to Joliet police reports obtained through a public records request. The reports also indicate the child’s mother was more deeply involved in the case than first thought.
Counsell is measured and stoic, more so than Joe Maddon or David Ross. After Justin Steele’s Opening Day injury, Counsell will put his head down, pace and figure it out.
Steele held the Rangers to one run through 4 2/3 innings, but the Cubs lost in 10 innings.