The Chicago Bears might not have veteran running back D’Andre Swift available in Week 10 against the New York Giants after Friday’s post-practice update.
The Bears officially listed Swift as questionable to play against the Giants on Sunday in their final injury report, but the listed reasons for his status designation are his groin injury and a personal reason, raising new concerns about his availability in Week 10.
Swift — who sat out Week 9 with his injury — had seemed likely to return to the Bears’ lineup on Sunday after upgrading to full participation for Thursday’s practice, but it is difficult to predict his chances of playing against the Giants without knowing more about the personal matter that is keeping him away (not that we should know more).
The Bears could make a change to their injury report on Saturday to more accurately reflect Swift’s chances of playing if his situation develops further. Given that an injury is also in play, though, they could also wait until shortly before kickoff to make a decision.
The Bears (5-3) will kick off against the Giants (2-7) at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Saturday Roster Move Could Tip D’Andre Swift’s Status
The Bears could leave Swift’s status a mystery until about 90 minutes from kickoff (or until one of the top NFL insiders leaks information in the early morning, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter is prone to doing.) They could also tip their hand — or, at least, their expectations — on Saturday afternoon, though, if they make any roster moves.
Last week, the Bears elevated running back Brittain Brown from the practice squad to the game-day roster and tasked him with acting as the No. 2 in the rotation alongside Monangai. He didn’t take many carries, but he did make the most of what he got when Monangai needed time on the sideline with trainers, scoring an 18-yard touchdown.
If the Bears elevate him again, it could signal that they expect Swift to sit out.
Then again, the Bears cleared backup running back Roschon Johnson from their injury report after he missed the last two games with a back injury. His presence may dissuade them from making a move, even if they have their doubts about Swift playing Sunday.
Kyle Monangai Shone in Relief of Swift vs. Bengals
Even if Swift does suit up against the Giants, the Bears are unlikely to turn too strongly back in his direction after seventh-round rookie Kyle Monangai’s breakout last week.
Filling in for Swift as the Bears’ lead tailback, Monangai carried the ball 26 times for 176 yards with frequent after-contact gains and added three catches for 22 yards in the win over the Cincinnati Bengals. He is now averaging 5.3 yards per carry on the season.
Swift isn’t likely to cede his starting role to Monangai when he is back to full strength, but the Bears could shift to more of a “1A” and “1B” style with their backfield that splits the carries more evenly between them. After all, Bears head coach Ben Johnson thrived with such a rushing attack in Detroit with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs.
Either way, another strong performance from Monangai could go a long way toward him earning a prominent long-term role — perhaps even Swift’s job in future seasons.
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