Bear Digest

Optimistic View Given by Matt Eberflus on Zacch Pickens Injury

Tracking the Bears at Camp: The injury situation is trending more positive for Zaach Pickens, although coach Matt Eberflus wasn't being specific about it yet.

Gene Chamberlain

Zacch Pickens warms up before the Bears' win over Buffalo. Coach Matt Eberflus says his injury doesn't appear long term.
Zacch Pickens warms up before the Bears' win over Buffalo. Coach Matt Eberflus says his injury doesn't appear long term. / Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
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Cutdown day will be a tiny bit less hectic for the Bears after they made few roster moves following their trade for defensive tackle Chris Williams.

Wide receiver Nsimba Webster and running back Ian Wheeler have both been placed on injured reserve. Wheeler suffered a knee injury against against Kansas City and Webster suffered a groin injury early in the Chiefs game.

The Bear also have terminated the contract with tight end Tommy Sweeney, who had a touchdown catch in Saturday's game and threw several key blocks.

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They also have waived edge rusher Khalid Kareem and veteran receiver Freddie Swain. Swain had been put on injured reserve prior to the Chiefs game when they signed receiver Peter LeBlanc back to the roster.

Kareem's 52 jersey was assigned to new Bears edge rusher Darrell Taylor, while Williams has jersey No. 91.

Earlier Chicago Bears On SI had reported defensive tackle Keith Randolph and cornerback Doug Coleman had been waived.

The Bears held a practice Saturday and cornerback Jaylon Johnson left in the middle of it.

"It's personal. It's a good thing, nothing bad," coach Matt Eberflus said.

The report on defensive tackle Zacch Pickens' injury doesn't sound like a disaster, and Pickens was walking around fine near the rehab area at practice, even jogging a little. His unspecified injury of unknown severity occurred at practice prior to the Chiefs game.

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"We don't think it's a long-term thing," Eberflus said. "We don't exactly what it is right now but we do feel good about him and his progress."

It's Practice, Man

The true football purest would have loved one pass completion Saturday at practice. Caleb Williams drilled a ball to DJ Moore on an out route and he did the toe drag for the first down. It was a picture perfect pass and catch and afterward.

Tyson Bagent had the best deep ball of practice when he threw play action down the right sideline to Tyler Scott for the TD, well behind the secondary.

Another memorable play had players on offense hooting and whistling even when it didn't count. Jaquan Brisker safety-blitzed Williams, who recognized it right away and sprinted out right away from the blitz. Coaches blew the whistle just as Brisker was within several steps of Williams but not before his arm was up. The receivers and DBs downfield didn't have time to react to the whistle, either, and Williams' pass on a dead sprint toward the right sideline carried 27 yards downfield and was caught under tight coverage by tight end Gerald Everett, in a manner reminiscent of the catch Cole Kmet made of Williams' pass against Buffalo.

Brisker did have his moment as he plucked a Williams deep pass intended for Keenan Allen.

Working Up a Sweat

The crew of players working on stationary rehab bikes after injuries was large but basically the same as prior to the Chiefs game.

Guard Ryan Bates, safety Kevin Byard, edge rusher Jacob Martin, cornerback Leon Jones, wide receiver Collin Johnson, running back Roschon Johnson and guard Theo Benedet were joined by defensive tackle Zacch Pickens and wide receiver Dante Pettis.

Tip-Offs?

It's two days after the game Saturday and Eberflus was asked about the ankle injury to tackle Larry Borom.

"I don't have an update for Larry right now," Eberflus said.

This can't be good for Borom considering he also has competition now from Kiran Amegadjie, and they have looked at Matt Pryor at tackle in addition to guard.

Asked if he liked Pryor as a swing tackle, Eberflus said: "Yeah, we love Pryor. Pryor can play all positions. That's why we love him. He could go inside, outside, guard on both sides, tackle on both sides. We're excited about him."

In other words, use ink to put Pryor's name down on the roster, better hold off on Borom as the swing tackle.

Asked about long snapper Patrick Scales, who has been out since very early in training camp, Eberflus didn't paint a rosy picture.

"We'll see. We don't know right now," Eberflus said. "When we do know, we'll have to make decisions once we're there. We are ready to do that, we'll be flexible."

Another situation that didn't sound great.

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.