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Tremaine Edmunds Injury Update
Tremaine Edmunds is close to returning from his groin injury. The Bears have opened his twenty one day practice window and there is a real chance he plays in Week 16 against the Packers.
Edmunds went down with a groin strain in the Week 11 game against the Minnesota Vikings. He left that game in the second half and the team later moved him to injured reserve which meant he had to miss at least four games. Chicago announced the injured reserve move on November twenty second when they reshuffled the roster before facing the Steelers.
This week the tone around him changed. The Bears designated Edmunds for return from injured reserve and opened his twenty one day practice window which lets him work on the field again without being on the fifty three man roster yet. That move came at the first possible moment once he had completed the four game minimum on injured reserve which shows the team believes his recovery is on schedule.
Reports from national insiders say Edmunds has a real chance to be active for the Week 16 showdown with Green Bay. Beat writers around the team echo that view and describe this as the scenario the Bears targeted from the day they placed him on injured reserve. Nothing is guaranteed yet but this is the most positive update on him since the injury.
On the official practice report the Bears list Edmunds with a groin injury as a limited participant. He took part in the Tuesday walkthrough which is a step up from working only with trainers on the side. For now he remains on injured reserve so the team still has to make a formal activation move before he can play in a game.
The rules give Chicago twenty one days from the start of this window to activate him. If they do not he stays on injured reserve for the rest of the season. Given the timing and the importance of the upcoming games that outcome looks unlikely unless he has a setback.
Before the injury Edmunds was having one of the best seasons of his career. In ten games he stacked up eighty nine tackles three tackles for loss one sack four interceptions and nine passes defensed in Dennis Allen’s system. He was even in the mix near the top of the league in interceptions by a linebacker which is rare for his position.
His absence forced the Bears to lean on depth players at linebacker. D Marco Jackson stepped into a bigger role and played well. Amen Ogbongbemiga has also helped fill snaps to keep the defense from collapsing in the middle of the field.
Even with those contributions Chicago clearly misses Edmunds. He calls signals in the huddle reads plays quickly and covers a lot of ground in the short and intermediate zones. The run defense and coverage against tight ends both benefit when he is in the lineup.
The timing of his likely return matters a lot. The Bears and Packers are battling for the top spot in the NFC North and their Week 16 rematch could decide the division. Chicago lost the earlier meeting twenty eight to twenty one so having a key defender back in the middle of the field would help their chances.
Right now the injury update looks like this. Edmunds suffered a Week 11 groin strain and went to injured reserve on November twenty second. He has now been designated for return is practicing in a limited way and has a real shot to play in Week 16 if his groin responds well through the week.
Disclaimer:
The information provided is based on the latest updates regarding Tremaine Edmunds' injury status. His availability for Week 16 depends on his continued recovery and the team's decision to activate him. Always refer to official team sources for the most current updates.
