Bears’ Fields hurt, surgery for Jenkins
The Chicago Bears are now without both of their top two draft picks.
Coach Matt Nagy on Wednesday said quarterback Justin Fields was out of practice due to a groin injury, while second-round pick, offensive lineman Teven Jenkins, was facing back surgery.
The injury to Fields is considered minor but Jenkins has been out all of training camp after suffering back injury symptoms during the four days rookies were allowed to practice just before the start of regular training camp.
Nagy didn’t consider Fields’ injury serious and holding him out of practice was precautionary. He wasn’t certain about Fields’ status for Saturday’s preseason game against Buffalo at Soldier Field.
“I’d say it’s too early to go there,” Nagy said. “I just think that for him right now, again, we want to be able to get to that point where he’s able to play in that game. That’s very important.”
The back injury with Jenkins is a far more serious matter. Jenkins missed the final three games of his final season at Oklahoma State with a lumbar issue.
“You know we tried to hope to avoid the surgery with him, and we tried several treatments, but the goal is to get him back this season so that’s the most recent update with him,” Nagy said.
WATSON PROBE UPDATE
An attorney for 22 women who have filed lawsuits accusing Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual assault and harassment said Wednesday that he and some of his clients have spoken to the FBI about the case.
Tony Buzbee told The Associated Press that the FBI “reached out to me, and I responded.” The FBI’s involvement was first reported
Tuesday by League of Justice, a website that reports on sports and the law.
The revelation by Buzbee of the FBI’s involvement prompted Watson’s lead attorney to hold a news conference on Wednesday to say that the FBI had spoken with the quarterback earlier this year about allegations of extortion by one of his accusers.
In their lawsuits, the 22 women accuse Watson of exposing himself, touching them with his penis or kissing them against their will during massage appointments.
Watson and his lawyers have denied the accusations. His lawyers have said “some sexual activity” happened during some of the appointments but that he never coerced anyone.
Houston police are investigating some of the accusations, but no charges have been filed. The NFL has launched its own probe.
At a news conference Wednesday, Rusty Hardin, Watson’s lead attorney, said FBI agents approached him in April over allegations that one of the women who has sued Watson tried to extort $30,000 from him. Hardin said agents interviewed Watson. The woman alleges Watson forced her to perform oral sex.
In an email, Christina Garza, a spokeswoman for the FBI’s Houston office, said she could neither confirm or deny the existence of an investigation.
Hardin said grand jury subpoenas have been sent out in the investigation by local authorities, but he does not know details about them.
“When (prosecutors’) investigation is over, their findings will be presented to a grand jury. We will be given opportunity to appear ... to tell our side and we will be given an even handed hearing,” Hardin said.