Bears training camp notes: Wide receiver position sees another injury

CHICAGO – The Bears are looking thin at wide receiver.

They lost another pass catcher to an injury Tuesday during their family fest practice at Soldier Field. Veteran receiver David Moore crumpled to the field after landing awkwardly during one-on-one drills against the defensive backs.

Moore appeared to be in a lot of pain and needed to be carted off the field with an apparent right knee injury.

He joins receiver N’Keal Harry in the category of pretty serious-looking injuries. Harry suffered an ankle injury over the weekend and will be out for a while. In addition to those two, receivers Byron Pringle (quad) and Velus Jones Jr. (undisclosed) have been considered day-to-day with injuries.

Fans attending Saturday’s preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Soldier Field might need to brush up on the Bears’ receivers not named Darnell Mooney. Head coach Matt Eberflus plans to play the starters for at least a few reps, but the starting lineup at receiver is going to look a little different unless Pringle or Jones can return by Saturday.

“It does make it difficult,” Eberflus said. “You lose men on a 90-man roster, and it makes it difficult for the other guys. We’re at that situation where we’ve got to just keep on working through it.”

Quarterback Justin Fields led a two-minute drill Tuesday with the likes of Mooney, Equanimeous St. Brown, Tajae Sharpe and Nsimba Webster at receiver.

Harry’s injury hurts because he was starting to look like a key part of the passing attack. The Bears traded a 2024 seventh-round draft pick to New England in exchange for Harry just last month. The former first-round draft pick never jelled with the Patriots, but he has potential.

“He picked up the offense really fast,” St. Brown said of Harry. “Smart kid, and he was doing well. Hate to see what happened. Hopefully, we get good news.”

Eberflus said the team is optimistic Harry will be back for the season.

For a wide receiver unit that already was lacking in high-end talent, the injuries are exacerbating an already thin position.

Attendance: Linebacker Roquan Smith, who publicly requested a trade Tuesday morning, did show up to practice during family fest at Soldier Field. Smith worked out on the side but otherwise did not participate. He has not practiced at all during training camp and still technically is listed on the physically unable to perform list with an undisclosed injury. Smith has been present at practice every day but hasn’t participated.

[ 2022 Bears training camp: Offense, defense grades for Aug. 9 ]

Cornerback Thomas Graham Jr. (hamstring) and center Lucas Patrick (hand) remain absent. Tight end Ryan Griffin did not appear to be present.

Other players who were present but did not practice included Pringle, Jones, cornerback Kyler Gordon, defensive tackle Angelo Blackson, linebacker Noah Dawkins, receiver Dante Pettis, tackle Julie’n Davenport and tight end James O’Shaughnessy.

Tight end Cole Kmet might have suffered an injury Tuesday. He did not participate during the second half of practice.

“We’ll have to assess him going forward,” Eberflus said.