Star receiver Rome Odunze sidelined. Key linebackers return, but Tremaine Edmunds remains out. Bears face Packers with crucial offensive line intact.
There was good and bad in Friday's injury report for the Chicago Bears.
For starters, Rome Odunze is out after not participating in all three days this week. He is dealing with a foot injury. Odunze is a significant loss, as he leads the team with 661 receiving yards and has six touchdowns.
Luckily, there wasn't very much bad news elsewhere. Defensive back Tyrique Stevenson (hip) and linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II (shoulder) were the only other players listed as out for Sunday's contest with the Green Bay Packers.
Hyppolite tried to make good headway on his recovery, being a limited participant on Friday, but couldn't get healthy enough to be cleared.
Outside of that, the remaining players on the injury report all didn't carry designations.
Defensive lineman Andrew Billings (concussion), linebacker T.J. Edwards (hand/hamstring), defensive back Jaylon Johnson (groin), running back Kyle Monangai (ankle), defensive lineman Dominique Robinson (concussion), linebacker Noah Sewell (elbow) and offensive guard Joe Thuney (NIR-Rest) were all good to go.
Getting Sewell and Edwards back is a huge plus. Sewell has missed the last two games is having a breakout season, accounting for 55 total tackles and three TFLs.
With Edwards back too, that means that two of Chicago's three starting linebackers have returned from injury. Unfortunately, Tremaine Edmunds is still out for at least the next few games, with a groin injury, and is on injured reserve.
With Thuney being listed as NIR, the entire Bears' offensive line will be healthy for the game. This is excellent news, with the challenging task of stopping Green Bay Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons up next for Chicago.
Parsons has 12.5 sacks and looks to be on the cusp of making his fifth-straight Pro Bowl. The pass rusher has never missed a Pro Bowl in the five years he's been in the league. The offensive line will need to throw everything they've got at him to slow down Parsons.
Losing Odunze hurts, especially against a Packers' defense that allows the sixth-fewest passing yards per game at 202.7. Luckily, D.J. Moore is healthy, but the Bears may definitely need tight end Colston Loveland or Luther Burden III to step up in Odunze's absence.
Chicago can make some history on Sunday with a win at Lambeau Field. The Bears have never won twice in the same year there.
Sunday's game will be played at Lambeau Field at 3:25 p.m. CT on Fox.