Tag: Damien Williams

Bears RB Damien Williams questionable to return with knee injury

Damien Williams suffered a knee injury and is questionable to return.

The Chicago Bears have already lost two players to injury through the first half of Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers.

After losing safety Eddie Jackson to a hamstring injury, running back Damien Williams is questionable to return to the game after suffering a knee injury.

Williams got the start for the Bears against the 49ers, although he struggled to get much going early. He had two carries for -3 yards.

But it wasn’t too big of a loss considering it opened the door for rookie running back Khalil Herbert to get more reps, and he’s dominated in this first half. Herbert has 13 carries for 66 yards (5.1 average) in the first half, and he’s continued to show why he’s earned starters carries until David Montgomery returns from a knee sprain.

The Bears lead the 49ers 13-6 in the second quarter.

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Bears made several roster moves ahead of Week 7 matchup vs. Bucs

The Bears made several roster moves ahead of Sunday’s game against the Bucs, including updates on Akiem Hicks and Damien Williams.

The Chicago Bears (3-3) are gearing up for a rematch against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1), where Chicago is looking to rebound following a frustrating loss to the Green Bay Packers (5-1).

Ahead of Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers, the Bears made several roster moves, which included updates on defensive tackle Akiem Hicks and running back Damien Williams.

Here’s a look at the roster moves the Bears made on Saturday:

Bears add TE Jimmy Graham to reserve/COVID-19 list

The COVID list is getting a little crowded for the Bears as Jimmy Graham was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday.

The COVID list is getting a little crowded for the Chicago Bears.

Tight end Jimmy Graham is the latest player to be placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, head coach Matt Nagy announced on Friday.

Graham joins outside linebacker Robert Quinn, running back Damien Williams, and receivers coach Mike Furrey, who remain on the list, per Nagy.

Graham, who is vaccinated, must test negative for COVID-19 twice within 24 hours apart before he can rejoin the team. Because of the timing, he will be out for Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The veteran tight end has been used sparingly this year, totaling just one catch for 11 yards through six games, though he’s seen work as a blocker in the run game.

With Graham out, Cole Kmet, Jesse James, J.P. Holtz and Jesper Horsted are the remaining healthy tight ends. Holtz is questionable with a quad injury, but is expected to return to action.

The Bears take on the Buccaneers at 3:25 p.m. CT on Sunday.

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There’s still a chance Bears’ Damien Williams could be cleared for Sunday’s game vs. Bucs

Bears RB Damien Williams remains on the reserve/COVID-19 list, but there’s still a chance he’s cleared before the Bucs game.

The Chicago Bears might have one of the deepest running back rooms in the NFL, but they’ve been wearing thin at the position over the last few weeks.

Starter David Montgomery suffered a knee sprain against the Lions in Week 4, which was expected to sideline him for 3-5 weeks. He appeared primed to return around the Bears’ bye week.

While Damien Williams and rookie Khalil Herbert carried the load against the Raiders in Week 5, with good success, Williams was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list the following week.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Williams still hasn’t been cleared from the reserve/COVID-19 list, and the earliest he could be cleared is Saturday. That’s due to a 10-day waiting period for unvaccinated individuals.

While Herbert did a good job carrying the load by himself against the Packers last week, there’s not a lot depth behind him with Ryan Nall and Artavis Pierce.

If Williams is cleared in time for Sunday’s game, still expect to see plenty of Herbert at running back. Although going against the NFL’s best run defense in the Buccaneers, who are allowing 54 rushing yards per game, you’re probably not going to see the Bears running the football a whole lot.

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4 takeaways from Bears’ frustrating loss to Packers

The Bears suffered another loss to the Packers, and there was plenty to unpack.

It was another frustrating loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday for the Chicago Bears as they lost 24-14 on the lakefront to drop to 3-3 on the season.

Aaron Rodgers and Aaron Jones were the dynamic duo the Packers needed to move the ball on the Bears, while Chicago’s offense was too hot and cold to consistently keep up.

A loss to the Packers always stings more than others, but with Rodgers screaming to the fans after his last touchdown, it might hurt even more. Here are my takeaways from the divisional loss.

Bears placed RB Damien Williams on reserve/COVID-19 list

Damien Williams has been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Get ready for a lot of rookie Khalil Herbert.

The Chicago Bears are wearing thin at running back as Damien Williams has been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the team announced Thursday.

With starter David Montgomery already sidelined with a knee sprain, where he’s eligible to return as soon as two weeks from now, that leaves just rookie Khalil Herbert and Ryan Nall as the only running backs on the active roster.

Herbert, who led the Bears with 75 rushing yards last week against the Raiders, will be the No. 1 guy as Chicago faces off against the rival Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Look for him to get significant touches in place of both Montgomery and Williams.

The Bears could and likely will activate Artavis Pierce from the practice squad on game day, where he’d serve as the third-string running back.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the timing of it suggests Williams will be out for Sunday’s game.

If Williams is vaccinated, he would need two negative COVID tests at least 24 hours apart to be eligible to return to the team. If he’s unvaccinated and has the virus, he’ll isolate for a period of 10 days and will be permitted to return if asymptomatic. He’ll be subject to a five-day quarantine period if they have close contact with an infected individual.

Just because Williams is on the reserve/COVID-19 list doesn’t mean he’s tested positive. He could be a close contact.

Still, at this point, it appears to Herbert’s time to get starter reps against the Packers on Sunday.

Stock up, stock down from Bears’ Week 5 win

We’re taking a look at which Bears players saw their stock rise and which players saw their stock dip in their Week 5 win.

The Chicago Bears pulled off an upset with a 20-9 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders last Sunday, where Chicago played complimentary football to get their first road win of the year.

The Bears improved to 3-2 on the season, and they have a chance to take over first place in the NFC North if they can pull an upset against the Green Bay Packers.

Now that the dust has settled, we’re taking a look at which players saw their stock rise and which players saw their stock dip during the win.

Bear Necessities: Matt Nagy impressed with run game success in Week 5 win

Matt Nagy was impressed with the Bears run game in Sunday’s win against the Raiders.

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Following the loss of David Montgomery, who is sidelined with a knee sprain for 3-5 weeks, there were questions about whether the Bears run game could still find success in his absence.

But running backs Damien Williams and rookie Khalil Herbert proved the run game is in capable hands until Montgomery’s return, as the pair were a big part of Chicago’s upset win against the Raiders. Williams and Herbert combined for 139 yards on 34 carries and a touchdown.

“It was really impressive,” Nagy said. “You get these opportunities in a game like that, you know that the run game has to be really important and those guys did that and they stepped up and they did it with help.

“I said yesterday the offensive line and tight ends [deserved credit for blocking]. You go back and watch that tape, you better include those wideouts in there, because there were some awesome blocks by the wideouts. The one that jumps out to me is [Darnell] Mooney out there on the touchdown run, sticking his nose in there and getting leverage like he did. But Damiere Byrd had a bunch of stiff blocks. It was neat to see. Those were two that I think of, but all the wideouts were blocking, too, so it was pretty neat.”

While Williams was already an established player, Herbert was an inexperienced rookie who saw significant action for the first time against the Raiders. And he shined in his debut, rushing for 75 yards on 18 carries.

“He did a great job,” Nagy said. “When you have 18 carries, you’re doing something right. Him and Damien were complementary to each other. You saw some really good times where he hit that zone and he stuck that right or left foot in the ground, planted it, and he went north and south and got seven, eight yards every time.

“I like his vision. I like his patience. I also like his toughness, and you see it when he’s returning kickoffs. He’s smooth, and people bounce off him, so he’s got good contact balance. I really like where he’s at.”

Damien Williams and Khalil Herbert provide boost to Bears run game

While the Bears surely miss David Montgomery, the run game is in capable hands with Damien Williams and Khalil Herbert.

One of the big concerns for the Bears offense entering Sunday’s game against the Raiders was the loss of running back David Montgomery, who suffered a knee sprain in a Week 4 win over the Lions and is expected to be sidelined 3-5 weeks.

While there was plenty of confidence in Damien Williams and rookie Khalil Herbert to step in for an injured Montgomery, they certainly exceeded expectations and were a big reason for the offense’s success in a 20-9 upset win against the Raiders.

Williams and Herbert combined for 34 carries and 139 rushing yards and a touchdown with both averaging more than 4 yards per carry. Herbert led the Bears with 18 carries for 75 yards and Williams added 16 carries for 64 yards and a score.

“I know [Montgomery] is at home now watching this and he’s proud,” said head coach Matt Nagy. “For Damien Williams to step up and have 16 carries. For Khalil Herbert to come in as a rookie and run the ball like he did — that’s impressive.

“It talks to the offensive line and the tight ends. It talks a lot to those running backs. It talks a lot to our coaches for getting those guys ready. I think you guys [reporters] would probably agree there’s a little bit of an identity going on right now.”

While Williams has found success like this in the past with the Chiefs, this was Herbert’s first significant action as a rookie, and his performance was surely promising.

“Man, I was telling him all game — especially coming out in the second half — ‘This is on you now,’” Williams said. “I gave my first blows in the first half. Now it’s your turn to get your blows in.’ As a young kid coming into this environment, he held himself great.

“He’s a very consistent person and I feel like if he continues to do that, he’s going to have a long, long future.”

While the loss of Montgomery still looms large, the Bears are certainly in capable hands with Williams and Herbert in the run game.

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5 takeaways following Bears’ impressive road win over Raiders

From promise with Justin Fields to Khalil Mack’s revenge, here are our takeaways from the Bears’ hard-fought road win against the Raiders.

It took until Week 5, but the Chicago Bears are finally over .500 and have their first road victory after defeating the Las Vegas Raiders 20-9. Though the arena was technically on the road in Las Vegas, the crowd felt right at home as thousands of Bears fans made their presence known from the the start.

The game itself was a slugfest with both teams trading hard hits and punishing defense, but it was the Bears who took the 14-3 lead going into halftime, thanks to a power running game and clutch passes from quarterback Justin Fields.

In the second half, the defense finished the job as Raiders quarterback Derek Carr struggled with the pass rush and couldn’t find a rhythm with his receivers. Despite a late score, the Bears held on comfortably for the win thanks to all three phases doing their jobs when it mattered most.

As always, there’s a good amount to digest from this game. Here are my takeaways from Sunday’s hard-fought victory.