Royal could be on cutting edge
The Sun- Times’ experts can answer your Bears questions all week on Twitter. Here’s a sampling of Monday’s queries sent to @ patrickfinley, who responds with more than 140 characters:
@ StuARutherford: Do you have any inclination that Pernell McPhee will be back for Week 1 in Houston?
A pregame workout in Foxborough, Massachusetts, was somewhat encouraging for the outside linebacker, who has been on the physically unable- toperform list all preseason with knee issues.
While the Bears won’t rush him back this preseason — they’re focused on Week 1 — he’ll need more than a few days of practice to be in football shape. It’ll be close.
@ ctbearfan: Who could be a surprising cut when the Bears trim the roster to 53?
Wide receiver Eddie Royal, with a caveat: He was a favorite to stick because the Bears owe him $ 4.5 million this year — whether he’s on the roster or not. After missing seven games last year, Royal hasn’t been able to do much this month. He went into concussion protocol Aug. 1 and didn’t return until Saturday, only to be limited in practice for two days.
The Bears are deep at the position beyond Alshon Jeffery and Kevin White. Receivers coach Curtis Johnson said he loves Marc Mariani. Josh Bellamy’s specialteams skills should earn him a spot. They drafted Daniel Braverman in the seventh round and don’t figure to give up on him. That’s five receivers right there.
@ jtbcubs: Why did the Bears wait until late in the preseason to do a knee procedure on Kyle Fuller if it had bothered him so long?
Coach John Fox said it was “kinda getting worse and worse,” and he didn’t want to keep “doing the same old stuff.” Surgery is never the first option. Still, one would understand Fuller’s frustration — having arthroscopic surgery even two weeks earlier would have made his return in time for the opener far more of a sure thing.
@ hawa_ hussein: Do you think the Patriots would trade the Bears [ Jimmy] Garoppolo & if they don’t, what are the Bears’ plans at QB going forward?
The Bears will need to find ( draft?) a longterm answer at quarterback in the next year or two. Patriots overlord Bill Belichick already has struck two deals with Ryan Pace — for Martellus Bennett and Jon Bostic — and said last week that the Bears are “not afraid to make a trade or talk personnel.”
Two issues with your theory: Will Jay Cutler play for the Bears longer than Tom Brady does with the Patriots? And doesn’t the list of Patriots backups who flame out when they go elsewhere scare you?
@ FrenchDerek: Will we see a veteran signing at CB before the third preseason game?
It’s no fait accompli — even if you believe, as I do, that the Bears are woefully thin at cornerback. On Aug. 30, teams must whittle their rosters from 90 to 75. That’s 480 extra bodies on the street. On Sept. 3, another 704 players will be cut. The Bears are interested in exploring an upgrade in cornerback depth, but they’d find a better free agent after those dates than they would today. Remember: If a player is available now, it’s for a reason.