The Bears are preparing for the possibility of going without starting tight end Trey Burton for their season opener against the Packers.
The team listed Burton as questionable on its final injury report of the week, and he has now gone at least a week without being able to practice at full speed because of a groin injury.
He did not practice during the period open to the media Sunday, meaning it’s likely he didn’t practice with the team at all that day, and was limited Monday and Tuesday. The Bears did not practice Wednesday, but were required by the NFL to give an estimate on what their injured players would have been able to do.
“I feel like it is getting slightly better, but we’ll make that decision as we go,” coach Matt Nagy said Tuesday. “But it’ll end up being pretty much a game-time decision, and that’s all we can really do. We’re prepared both ways.”
Without Burton, the Bears will rely on Adam Shaheen and Ben Braunecker as their “U” tight end, which is essentially a blend of tight end and slot receiver. Shaheen and Braunecker have a combined 24 career receptions.
Nagy insisted the Bears were capable of withstanding Burton’s potential absence, but said he believed that because of their overall offensive talent and depth, not that Shaheen and Braunecker could fill his production.
Burton had a career-high 54 catches, 569 yards and six touchdowns last season.
Burton, defensive tackle Bilal Nichols and backup offensive tackle Rashaad Coward were projected as limited had the team practiced Wednesday, and all three are officially questionable for the Green Bay game Thursday.
Teams can label injured players questionable, doubtful or out on the final injury report of the week. Questionable is the most ambiguous designation, whereas doubtful typically means the player will be out.
Coward injured his elbow in the second preseason game and hasn’t fully practiced since. Nichols was held out of some of practice Tuesday, but Nagy said it was a continuation of how they rested him on a weekly basis last season. He is expected to start against the Packers.
