Bray will start and finish
Five days after starting their backup quarterback, the Bears will play their third-stringer for the entire preseason finale Thursday against the Bills.
Tyler Bray will make his first start since the 2016 Chiefs’ preseason finale, coach Matt Nagy said Tuesday.
“Tyler is going to play,” Nagy said. “He’s going to get all the reps, and he’ll play the whole game.”
Mitch Trubisky will miss his second consecutive game. Chase Daniel figures to be the emergency replacement should Bray get hurt. Nagy, a former quarterback at Delaware and in the Arena Football League, joked that he would volunteer himself for emergency quarterback duties.
“I don’t know — maybe I’ll jump in there,” he said.
In the 2016 Chiefs’ preseason finale, Bray completed 10 of 17 passes for 104 yards with a passer rating of 76.6 before being relieved by two backups.
He has completed 41 of 68 passes for 472 yards with one touchdown and one interception this preseason. By the end of the game Thursday, he will have passed Daniel for the team lead in completions and attempts.
Trubisky, whom Nagy sat in an unusual move Saturday, went 11-for-18 for 94 yards with one touchdown and one interception in parts of two exhibition games.
Dual practices
For the second consecutive day, the Bears held two distinct practices at the same time: one for first- and second-stringers preparing for the Packers, and another for everyone else getting ready to face the Bills.
The practices were more intense than Monday, as those who played Saturday worked through some soreness.
“On the short week … that’s the biggest thing right now — lots of mental [work] and giving these guys an opportunity that are playing Buffalo a chance to go out there and show what they can do,” Nagy said.
This and that
Defensive end Akiem Hicks “did a little more” Tuesday as the Bears begin to ramp up his activity for the opener. He sat out the last two games with a sore knee.
♦ Nagy offered no further update on tight end Adam Shaheen, who has been seeking further opinions on his sprained right foot and ankle. Shaheen continues to wear a walking boot.