In Week 6, the Bears will face significant challenges in their backfield due to key players being unavailable. Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer, and Khalil Herbert will be missing from action, with Herbert set to be sidelined for an extended period.
The decision to place Herbert on injured reserve was announced by the team on Friday, confirming what many had anticipated after his high ankle sprain during Chicago’s first victory of the season. This injury was expected to keep him out of multiple games, and due to this move, Herbert will be forced to sit out for at least the next four weeks.
Herbert, 25, had seen an increase in his role early in the 2023 season, especially following the departure of free agent David Montgomery. He had been averaging 12.2 touches per game and showcased his efficiency on the ground with an impressive average of 5.3 yards per carry.
With Herbert out of the lineup, the Bears face the challenge of redistributing their running back snaps. To bolster their backfield depth, the team signed Darrynton Evans, who was previously with the Dolphins’ practice squad.
Equanimeous St. Brown, a former Packers sixth-round pick, was also placed on injured reserve by the Bears on Friday. St. Brown had been a rotational option in Chicago’s passing game since last season.
Although his playing time had decreased this year to a 49% snap share, his absence will be notable, especially in the absence of Chase Claypool, whose stint with the Bears ended disappointingly less than a year after he joined the team. The return of Herbert and St. Brown will require two of the Bears’ remaining seven IR activations.
Two of these activations will be used for backup offensive lineman Doug Kramer and starting slot cornerback Kyler Gordon. Gordon could potentially make a return in time for Sunday if he is activated using one of the roster spots created by the recent moves. The other spot has been filled by the comeback of Nathan Peterman.
Although Peterman was released earlier this month, there was an expectation that he would be retained through the practice squad. However, he has now returned to the active roster, occupying a position behind undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent in the quarterback depth chart.
