Moore’s injury adds to receiving woes
The Bears wide receiver problems continued to mount Tuesday when David Moore left practice on a cart after suffering an apparent right leg injury during one-on-one drills.
That leaves the team with just eight healthy receivers, meaning it’s time to consider bringing in a free agent.
“You lose men on a 90-man roster, and it makes it difficult for the other guys,” coach Matt Eberflus said. “We’ve got to just keep on working through it.”
Of the eight healthy receivers, only Darnell Mooney and Equanimeous St. Brown are considered locks to make the final roster. That’s not ideal for quarterback Justin Fields as he prepares for a crucial season in which he needs to show the Bears he’s their answer.
Byron Pringle remained out with a quad injury and isn’t expected back soon. N’Keal Harry suffered an ankle injury Saturday, and Eberflus said it’s still unclear whether he’d be back before the season starts.
Reiff to right
On the plus side for Fields, possibly, his offensive line seems to be solidifying.
Veteran Riley Reiff, who was originally brought in to challenge Braxton Jones for the starting job at left tackle, has settled in on the right side. He’s contending with Larry Borom at that spot and appears to be in the lead.
Reiff said when he signed that he preferred left tackle, where he played for seven of his 10 seasons, but he started 12 games at right tackle for the Bengals last season.
“Wherever they ask me to play, I’m going to play,” Reiff said. “I can play guard. I can play tackle. I can’t play center — never tried anyway. Where they need me and whatever role, I’ll be ready for it.”
If Reiff, 33, wins the starting job, it likely would be as a placeholder until the Bears bring in a younger player next year.
It would also mean the team could have as few as one returning starter on the O-line when it opens the season Sept. 11 against the 49ers. Jones and Reiff are new at tackle, free agent pickup Lucas Patrick is expected to return from a broken thumb before the season and veteran Michael Schofield is thought to be the favorite at right guard. Left guard Cody Whitehair, now on his third Bears head coach, would be the holdover.
Early exits
Tight end Cole Kmet and offensive tackle Teven Jenkins left practice early, but Eberflus didn’t seem especially concerned about either one.
He said Jenkins was still on a reduced workload as he works back from an injury and he was unsure of the issue with Kmet.
Shaheen on the move
One of former Bears general manager Ryan Pace’s most egregious draft errors was taking Ashland tight end Adam Shaheen in the second round at No. 45 overall in 2017.
After 26 catches in three seasons, the Bears dealt him to the Dolphins for a seventh-rounder. He has been offloaded again, with the Dolphins sending him and a seventh-round pick to the Texans for a sixth-rounder.