Bears rule out three players for Sunday’s game

The Bears ruled out running backs Khalil Herbert (ankle), Roschon Johnson (concussion) and Travis Homer (hamstring) for Sunday’s game against the Vikings.

Herbert is expected to miss multiple weeks after being injured in last week’s game against the Commanders. Johnson and Homer also were injured in Week 5.

Their injuries leave D’Onta Foreman and Darrynton Evans as the running backs for this week.

Foreman has been inactive for four weeks, getting seven touches for 24 yards against the Packers in his only game action this season.

The Bears also ruled out defensive back Terell Smith (ankle/illness) and receiver Equanimeous St. Brown (hamstring).

Defensive back Eddie Jackson (foot) and offensive lineman Lucas Patrick (concussion) are questionable.

 

D’Onta Foreman — pushed out of the running back mix early — is ready for his opportunity with the Chicago Bears

D’Onta Foreman has been here before — biding his time, waiting for his shot. And suddenly the opportunity arises.

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry fractured his right foot in 2021. The Carolina Panthers traded running back Christian McCaffrey in 2022. The Chicago Bears lost three running backs to injury in the same game Oct. 5 in a 40-20 win against the Washington Commanders.

The first two times, Foreman felt as if he delivered for the teams that called him into action. And he’s hoping to do it again Sunday for the Bears against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field.

“Honestly I was prepared for that moment. I’m prepared for this moment,” Foreman said. “This is what I do. I’m calm. I’m confident. And I’ve just got to go show it. I feel like a lot of people are counting me out. I’ve been seeing a lot of stuff about myself. So I’ve got to go prove something.”

Foreman called it “crazy” to be at Thursday’s game and watch the Bears running backs go down one by one without any way to help.

Foreman started searching for Roschon Johnson, unaware he was pulled to be evaluated for a concussion. He took a knee when Khalil Herbert landed awkwardly on his leg while trying to make a catch, thinking it was a knee injury and not the somewhat-better scenario of a high ankle sprain. Then Travis Homer hurt his hamstring.

With Foreman inactive after being pushed out of the Bears running backs rotation — in large part for special teams considerations — the team had fullback Khari Blasingame take carries.

“I really care about those guys regardless of the situation, so I never want to see that happen to anybody,” Foreman said. “But at the end of the day, it’s a part of football, so you’ve got to go out there and be prepared when you get your opportunity.”

All three injured running backs sat out practice Thursday for the second straight day. Running backs coach David Walker said Johnson is unlikely to play if he doesn’t practice this week, and Herbert, who has 51 carries for 272 yards, potentially could be out weeks. So Foreman is looking at being active Sunday for the first time since the opener — and playing a major role in the Bears run game.

“I’m going to be physical with the ball but just try to be patient as well,” Foreman said. “Coming into this game, since I haven’t played, I don’t want to get out there and press and try to make big plays and miss reads and stuff. I just have to go in the game and be as confident as possible, as patient, as calm, and let the game come to me.”

The Bears signed Foreman, 27, to a one-year, $2 million contract to join Herbert in the backfield this offseason but then drafted Johnson out of Texas in the fourth round.

Foreman had five carries for 16 yards and two catches for 8 yards in the opener but was inactive for the next four games. Herbert was the Bears starter, and Johnson and Homer had greater value on special teams, Walker said, pushing Foreman out of the mix. The Bears settled into a Herbert-Johnson rotation on offense.

But the Bears still speak highly of Foreman, who has played in 44 games for four teams over parts of six seasons.

“D’Onta is a pro,” Walker said. “He’s seen everything this league has, good and bad and all things in between. He understands we can’t have five running backs active every week, and he happened to be on the short end of the stick earlier in the year. Well, now you’re not. So just do what you do and now he’s got his opportunity.”

Foreman has worked through a lot of adversity since the Houston Texans drafted him in the third round in 2017. He dealt with Achilles and biceps injuries from 2017 through 2019 and was cut by the Atlanta Falcons before the 2021 season.

A couple of months later he got the first career-changing call from the Titans and ended up totaling 133 carries for 566 yards and three touchdowns in nine games.

“I literally went from being at home for eight weeks to, ‘Oh, you’ve got to play Sunday night against the Rams in LA,’” Foreman said. “ ‘OK, cool.’ I’ve been here so many times that it’s like part of my life.”

His second opportunity came after the McCaffrey trade. He had 203 carries for 914 yards and five touchdowns in one season with the Panthers, the majority of the production in the final 11 games of the season. That included five games with 100-plus yards rushing.

Two of those 100-yard games came against the Falcons after they cut him.

“I was disappointed they let me go,” Foreman said. “I feel like I was the better guy than everybody there at the time. And they let me go. So I was out for blood at that time. Both of those (games) were like, that’s me.”

Foreman isn’t afraid to say he likes filing away grievances. He said he’s “got things bookmarked for sure” on social media from people counting him out.

“It motivates me,” he said. “I’ll be like, ‘Oh, no, you remember you said this?’ ”

Asked if he has something to prove this week, Foreman said, “Of course.” And the Bears are hopeful of what can come of it.

“There’s a ton to like,” offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said. “His play style. His downhill running. His violent, explosive gains. So we’re excited to see what he can put out there this week.”