The Chicago Bears have the Pittsburgh Steelers coming into town on Sunday, but they may have to rely on the depth they have built. Thursday's injury report has been released, and the Bears had linebackers Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, and Noah Sewell listed as non-participants.
This is the second straight day that the Bears are without these guys, signaling there's a good chance they won't be playing on Sunday. And that could open the door for rookie linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II to get some playing time for the first time this season.
Bears' LB Injuries Could Open Door for Ruben Hyppolite II
Being down Edmunds would be notable this week, as he leads the Bears with a whopping 89 total tackles. It doesn't help that Sewell is making plays when out there, and Edwards has dealt with several injuries, causing him to miss five games already.
As for Hyppolite, who was drafted in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL draft, he hasn't been able to carve out any type of role within this defense. The 24-year-old has only managed to play 82 special team snaps with zero on defense, resulting in four total tackles and an abysmal 48.9 Pro Football Focus special teams grade.
During the draft process leading up to the 2025 NFL draft, Hyppolite wasn't a household name. He wasn't invited to the NFL Scouting Combine and went to one all-star game, the Hula Bowl. It was during Maryland's Pro Day that he put his name on the map with his 40-yard dash.
Maryland's football account posted that he ran a 4.39 40-yard dash. The Athletic’s draft prospect database, created by Dane Brugler, had Hyppolite running at a 4.42-second 40-yard dash. That time would've been the fifth-fastest 40-yard dash for a linebacker at the combine, highlighting the first-year pro's promising athleticism.
In his collegiate career, he notched 236 total tackles, 12 TFLs, six pass deflections, and three sacks. Playing in the NFL is a different beast, but with all these injuries for Chicago, he could get a chance to display his skills against the Steelers.
That played a big role in the Bears nabbing Hyppolite in the fourth round, and he may be given the chance to showcase what he can do at the second level on the field. It'll be interesting to see how things unfold leading up to the game, which could be a golden opportunity for him to show what he can do.