The talk of the week leading up to Bears-Broncos has been the reunion with former Bears defensive coordinator and current Broncos coach Vic Fangio, but there’s another familiar face in Denver who may not face his former team on Sunday.
Bryce Callahan signed a three-year, $21 million contract with Denver in the offseason, and the former Bears slot cornerback is in danger of missing his second-straight game with a lingering foot issue.
After being limited in practice last week, Callahan did not practice with the team on Wednesday, raising concerns he will be unable to face his former team on Sunday afternoon.
Speaking to the Denver media, Fangio called Callahan’s injury a “concern.”
The injury appears to be so much of a concern that the team is gauging the availability of other defensive backs around the league. Callahan’s injury stems from a broken foot suffered in 2018 as a member of the Bears.
After recovering from surgery and practicing in training camp, Callahan appeared to have suffered a setback in late July when his foot was stepped on.
Callahan signed with the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2015 and rose through the ranks, earning more starts and playing time over the next two seasons. In 2017, he finished with 25 tackles, six pass deflections, two interceptions and one sack in twelve games.
He continued to elevate his play in 2018, making plays in the secondary and the backfield thanks to his versatility. He finished the season with 45 tackles, 6 passes defended, two interceptions and two sacks.
While Callahan is certainly a talent on the field, his worst ability is his availability. Since the 2016 season, he’s missed 14 games due to injury, including last year’s playoff game and his first game as a Bronco in 2019.
More information regarding the Bears and Broncos injury reports will be available later in the week, but as of now, Callahan appears to be a long shot to play against his former team.
