Now in the second full week of training camp, there is more clarity regarding the status of several important players on the Chicago Bears injury report. While some of the updates were expected given the injury’s initial severity, a couple of surprising timelines were revealed by coaches. Here are the latest updates for the notable injured Bears players.
The prize of 2026 free agency in Chicago, Coby Bryant, was injured during a one-on-one drill against tight end Cole Kmet. The safety hyperextended his knee, combined with a bone bruise and small fracture. While initial reports estimated an injury recovery time of eight to ten weeks, head coach Ben Johnson quickly shut them down. Unfortunately for the Bears and Bryant, he had to undergo knee surgery on August 7, with an expected recovery time of four to six months.
Expected Return: Late regular season/Playoffs
There is no official update regarding Kyler Gordon’s calf injury suffered during spring workouts. The latest news coming from team reporters such as Adam Home of CHGO indicated that the “vibe” around the cornerback. The reports say that the coaching staff and personnel are increasingly fed up with Gordon’s inability to return to the field. If he does not get cleared to practice soon, he could be placed on the Reserve/PUP list at final roster cuts, causing him to miss the first four games of the season.
Expected Return: Week 5
After suffering a ruptured patellar tendon in January 2026, most fans thought Ozzy Trapilo would be out most, if not all, of the 2026 season. The typical recovery timeline for these injuries is 6 to 12 months of rehabilitation, potentially putting the left tackle’s season in jeopardy. Thanks to his stellar progress rehabbing his injury, Chicago’s coaches have said that he could return to practice before the end of training camp on August 27.
Expected Return: Late September
Looking to grab the reins as WR1 this season, Luther Burden III suffered an injury on August 8 during a redone one-on-one drill against Tyrique Stevenson. While onlookers feared a major leg or knee injury, the wide receiver sustained only a groin strain. The 22-year-old is likely to miss around one month and skip the preseason to be ready for the start of the regular season.
Expected Return: Week One
Zavion Thomas, the rookie from Louisiana State University, was injured on August 9 during a seven-on-seven drill. After limping off the practice field, the wide receiver did not return during the session and has not practiced since the injury. Reports indicate soreness rather than structural damage to his knee, resulting in a day-to-day injury designation.
Expected Return: Preseason
After seemingly leading the competition to start at left tackle, Braxton Jones went down with an injury in a one-on-one drill on August 6. Leaving the field visibly emotional and frustrated, the concern was a severe knee injury. Coach Johnson quickly put those concerns to bed, confirming that the knee injury is considered minor. Even though he is considered day-to-day, Jones has not practiced since the injury, allowing Jedrick Wills Jr. and Kiran Amegadjie to get valuable first-team reps in his absence.
Expected Return: Preseason
One of the stalwarts of the Chicago defense, Montez Sweat, pulled himself out of a team drill on August 6 after slowing down mid-rep. While initial reports called it undisclosed, Sweat suffered an elbow tweak during the drill. Tests revealed no structural damage, and coach Johnson confirmed the injury is day-to-day and potentially week-to-week.
Expected Return: Week One
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Now that training camp is in full swing and preseason games are on the horizon, the coaches are working hard to get their players healthy off the Bears’ injury report. Apart from Bryant, most of their top players are currently on track to be ready for Week One of the regular season. If Chicago wants a shot at repeating or building on the success of 2025, team health will need to continue on an upward trend.
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