Bears get great injury news in running game as they reveal inactives list vs. Saints
The Chicago Bears have seemingly dodged an injury bullet, as running back D'Andre Swift is active and ready to play Sunday against the New Orleans Saints at Soldier Field.
Swift had his breakout game of the season in last Monday night's dramatic upset at the Washington Commanders, with a 175 total yards and touchdown catch-and-run that ignited the fourth-quarter rally. During the game he suffered a slight groin injury that landed him on the injury report and limited his practice this week. Just in case, the Bears activated running back Travis Homer from Injured Reserve this week.
But as the Bears announced their inactives list for Sunday's game, Swift is not on it. Whew. Just when the running game seems to being getting some momentum, it would have been a setback to play the Saints without Swift.
Chicago's defensive injury news isn't so great, as it will be without linebacker Noah Sewell (concussion) and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett (knee). The run-stuffing Jarrett will miss his third consecutive game.
Kicker Cairo Santos also remains sidelined by a thigh injury, meaning last week's hero - Jake Moody - will again be the kicker.
The Bears look to win their fourth consecutive game and are favored by four points over the 1-5 Saints.
Kevin O'Connell Explains Why Jakobi Meyers Is Not a Logical Trade Target for the Vikings
As the NFL trade deadline approaches, rumors have swirled about potential trade targets for the Minnesota Vikings, with some suggesting wide receiver Jakobi Meyers as an option. However, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell recently addressed these speculations, explaining why Meyers doesn’t align with the team's needs or roster construction at this time.
O'Connell, who has worked diligently to shape the Vikings’ offense to complement quarterback Kirk Cousins and their talented receiving corps, emphasized that the team’s current focus is on developing internal talent and maintaining balance across all positions. While Meyers has shown flashes of skill with the Las Vegas Raiders, O'Connell noted that the Vikings are looking for specific attributes in their roster construction that Meyers does not provide.
"We’ve been focused on building a foundation with the guys we already have, and we don’t want to disrupt that dynamic by adding a player who doesn’t align with what we’re trying to achieve,"
Meyers, who had a standout season with the Raiders, has certainly caught the eye of many teams. However, the Vikings are content with their current roster of wideouts, including the rising star Justin Jefferson, and feel that adding a player like Meyers would disrupt the chemistry they’ve worked hard to build.
Why It Doesn’t Make Sense
The Vikings have invested heavily in their wide receiver corps, focusing on ensuring that players like Jefferson, K.J. Osborn, and Jalen Reagor continue to develop chemistry with Cousins. Bringing in Meyers could create an unnecessary logjam at the position, potentially stunting the development of their younger receivers.
Instead, O'Connell and the front office are focused on making strategic additions that help strengthen the entire roster, with a particular emphasis on the defensive side of the ball, where there is more room for improvement.
For now, the Vikings are moving forward with their current roster, and Jakobi Meyers will not be part of their plans for the foreseeable future. O'Connell’s comments have made it clear that Minnesota is prioritizing long-term growth and maintaining stability over adding a player who doesn’t directly fit their immediate needs.
