The Chicago Bears' defense took another hit last week when linebacker T.J. Edwards left Sunday’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals with a hand injury. One of the Bears’ top cover linebackers, Edwards was a piece that the team couldn’t afford to lose, especially considering all of the injuries that they’ve endured this year to players like Grady Jarrett, Shemar Turner, and Dayo Odeyingbo.
While a quick recovery would have been ideal for Chicago, head coach Ben Johnson dropped some bittersweet news via Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times on Friday, revealing that Edwards had undergone surgery on a broken hand but wasn’t necessarily a candidate for injured reserve since he will be wearing a cast to protect the injury.
With that news, it’s likely he won’t be able to play against the New York Giants on Sunday. But an absence could come at a good time, as the Bears have a winnable stretch of games that could help Edwards heal up for the final stretch.
Holding Out T.J. Edwards Could Be the Smart Move for the Bears
The Bears’ schedule has a few upcoming games that could be won without Edwards on the field. The first comes Sunday against the Giants, who enter Week 10 with a 2-7 record and are down key playmakers, including wide receiver Malik Nabers (torn ACL) and running back Cam Skattebo (dislocated ankle).
From there, the Bears travel to the Minnesota Vikings. Going into a hostile road environment without Edwards isn’t ideal. But Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is still getting his feet wet as a starter and hasn’t thrown for more than 150 yards in two of his three starts this season, even though one of those starts was a Week 1 loss in Chicago.
Things would get tricky if Edwards needed a third week off as a visit from Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 23 will be followed by road games against the Philadelphia Eagles (Nov. 28) and Green Bay Packers (Dec. 7). But even if he can play with the broken hand, that time may be beneficial as it allows his hamstring to heal.
Edwards has been battling his hamstring since he suffered the injury late in the preseason and missed the season opener against the Vikings. While he returned in Week 2, he aggravated the injury and missed Weeks 3 and 4 before resting up over the bye week. Edwards has played in all four games since the bye, the injury has resurfaced and likely needs rest based on this week’s practice reports.
If Edwards misses time, there could be a silver lining, and it may be wise for the Bears to use caution and allow him to become fully healthy before bringing him back. But the NFC is also crowded with Chicago, currently the first team out in the playoff picture, entering Week 10.
It’s a delicate balance the Bears have to consider, but holding Edwards out may not be the end of the world.