Bear Digest

Bears Add Third-Round Commanders Center to Practice Squad

Chicago Bears Week 11 Injury Report: The offensive line appears to be getting healthier and another lineman has come onto the practice squad.

Gene Chamberlain

Ricky Stromberg (53) is the addition to the Bears practice squad who was a third-round Commanders pick.
Ricky Stromberg (53) is the addition to the Bears practice squad who was a third-round Commanders pick. / Brad Mills-Imagn Images
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The Bears continued to focus on their offensive line with roster movement as a result of the injury situation.

They signed 2023 Washington Commanders third-round center Ricky Stromberg to their practice squad and pulled tackle Jake Curhan up to the 53-man roster after releasing guard Nate Davis earlier in the day.

Stromberg had a knee injury last year and went on injured reserve in November. He failed to make Washington's roster at final roster cuts Aug. 27 this year and had an injury settlement, but now would appear to be fully healed.

Stromberg, who is 6-foot-4, 313 pounds, played 46 games for Arkansas and was 97th pick of the draft.

The Bears might need offensive line help a little less this week because their injury situation at those positions seems to be settling down.

Left tackle Braxton Jones (knee) practiced Wednesday on a limited basis and right tackle Darnell Wright (knee) did as well. If they can continue that trend and practice in full by week's end, there could be a chance they'll be back in the lineup.

Then they could keep Matt Pryor at guard and only one line position might be in question this week. That's Teven Jenkins. Their starting left guard sat out Wednesday with the ankle injury he had in Sunday's game. Jenkins limped off slowly with trainers after the injury and didn't return. If the tackle spots are healthy, they could go with Matt Pryor and Ryan Bates at guard and have two players who are starting quality.  

Last week they had to go to backup center Doug Kramer at guard after Jenkins’ injury.

Last week the line was in tatters with only two starters on the field—center Coleman Shelton and Pryor.

Tackle Kiran Amegadjie (calf) remained out, as did safety Jaquan Brisker (concussion).

Linebacker Noah Sewell (knee) and edge rusher Darrell Taylor (knee), who missed last week's game, were able to practice on a limited basis Wednesday.

The biggest injury issue facing the Bears could be Montez Sweat. He was over a shin injury last week enough to play after he had missed the loss to Arizona. He suffered the shin bruise against Washington. However, on Sunday he had an ankle injury. Although he continued to play, he wound up with only 29 reps, or 45% of the defensive plays. He was in only for 50% of them against Washington.

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Twitter: BearsOnSI

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.