Bear Digest

Bears Put Ryan Bates on IR and Elevate Receiver Collin Johnson

Bears guard Ryan Bates has gone on IR due to elbow and shoulder injuries, while wide receiver Collin Johnson has been brought up for Sunday's game from the practice squad.

Gene Chamberlain

Collin Johnson goes up for a catch in the Hall of Fame Game against the Houston Texans. He had two TD catches in that game.
Collin Johnson goes up for a catch in the Hall of Fame Game against the Houston Texans. He had two TD catches in that game. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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The shoulder and elbow injury plaguing Bears guard/center Ryan Bates has caused the team to place him on injured reserve.

Bates played the majority of snaps at right guard last week after coming in to alternate with starter Nate Davis.

According to Pro Football Focus blocking grades, neither player had a tough time in the game, but once Bates came on he had 38 reps and Davis had only 18.

In a corresponding move, long snapper Scott Daly was promoted to the 53-man roster from the practice squad to take Bates' spot. Daly has been their snapper after a training camp injury to Patrick Scales.

The Bears still have Matt Pryor and Bill Murray on the roster as potential right guards if there is an injury situation with the position.

There was no Saturday announcement made regarding the two injured Bears wide receivers, Rome Odunze (knee) and Keenan Allen (heel). Matt Eberflus on Friday said he expected both to be game-time decisions Sunday night.

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Another move made was elevating wide receiver Collin Johnson from the practice squad. Activating the 6-foot-6 Johnson can't be interpreted as a good sign about Odunze's knee being healed.

Johnson had a strong first preseason game against the Texans with two touchdown catches, was injured and then spent the rest of training camp recovering. He was waived and brought back to the practice squad.

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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.