Ben Johnson and the Bears Receive Huge Injury News Before Saints
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Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears Have shared a big injury update ahead of their game against the New Orleans Saints.
The Chicago Bears are 3-2 heading into Week 7 of the NFL, and momentum is on their side right now. The team hasn’t been 100% this season, but that was expected, and there are going to be some growing pains from having a new head coach in Ben Johnson and a crop of new staffers. But, the Bears came out of their bye week with a razor-thin win over the Washington Commanders on Monday, October 13, and it wasn’t just a normal win. It was a statement win.
The Bears and back, and they mean business. Now, they’re up against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, October 19, at home. The Saints are 1-5, so this should be an easy win for the Bears, but let’s face it. There are no easy wins in the NFL. Anyone who thinks otherwise doesn’t really have a place in the league.
Of course, winning has a lot to do with heaving healthy players on the field. Chicago, as with all teams in the NFL, has been dealing with some injuries on their squad, and that will matter going into the rest of the season. Now, Chicago is getting some big news on the injury front, and it’s just in time for Sunday.
Chicago Bears Injury Trends
Running back D’Andre Smith is one of the secrets to the success of the Bears in 2025. His chemistry with Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is special. After appearing on the injury report on Thursday, October 16, ESPN’s Courtney Cronin gave a hopeful update from Smith.
“D’Andre Swift says he will play vs. New Orleans,” Cronin said on X on Friday, October 17. “The groin injury is one that came from the Commanders game but isn’t one he thinks will affect him in game. He was limited on Thursday and Friday, more of a product of maintenance than anything else.”
Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network added to that, stating that Bears wide receiver DJ Moore “is good to go after a hospital stay following Monday’s game. RB D’Andre Swift listed as questionable while (kicker) Cairo Santos is out, meaning Jake Moody kicks again.”
So, it’s a mixed bag, but it’s great that Moore and Swift are reportedly back in the saddle again.
Chicago Bears Quarterback Caleb Williams is Moving Up
Williams is moving up the quarterback tally in the NFL. The Chicago Bears selected quarterback Caleb Williams as their No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and there have always been high expectations on his shoulder. In a piece out on Wednesday, October 15, Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports rattles off his top quarterbacks heading into the NFL’s Week 7. “Every signal-caller is often only as good as his setup and situation, though a select few register as transcendent talents,” he says.
He has Williams up a spot from last week, at No. 17. “His numbers still aren’t gaudy under the direction of new coach Ben Johnson, but guess what? He played winning football in prime time to upset the Commanders, and that’s not nothing. He’s quietly making strides as an energetic manager.”
It’s great to see Williams slowly moving up in the NFL. A win over New Orleans will only push him higher.
Analysts are starting to see what Raiders fans already knew about Geno Smith
The Las Vegas Raiders have not had a great start to the 2025 NFL season, as they sit at 2-4 after beating the Tennessee Titans in Week 6. It marked their first victory since the season opener, snapping a losing skid that lasted for over a month.
Many of their issues have had to do with an underwhelming offense and the struggles of Geno Smith. He has cost the Raiders two games alone with three-interception performances. Turnovers have been a major problem for the veteran quarterback, as he leads the league with ten interceptions.
While Las Vegas' coaching staff's faith in Smith has not wavered, it is clear that the franchise should be in the market for its quarterback of the future this offseason. An NFL analyst recently made a claim about his future that will not surprise Raiders fans in the slightest.
NFL analyst makes a prediction on Geno Smith's future that is not surprising to Raiders fans
The Raiders' offseason trade to land Smith was largely met with positive reviews. The move has not paid off, however, as he has been among the worst quarterbacks in the league through six games. Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon labeled him as one of the players with the most to prove over the remainder of the season.
"The 35-year-old has his work cut out for him trying to prove he isn't just a bridge quarterback for a team that may target a signal-caller in the first round of next year's draft, but he's done an abysmal job for one of the league's lowest-scoring teams," Gagnon wrote.
Gagnon does not believe Smith will be able to turn things around and predicted that he is in his final year as an NFL starter.
"Injuries have been a factor, but that alone doesn't get Smith off the hook," Gagnon wrote. "He's only been an average starter the last two-and-a-half years and is living off an aberrational standout 2022 campaign in Seattle. I doubt we will see him in a regular starting role again after 2025."
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Raiders fans are certainly not shocked by the prediction, as some have already called for the team to make a quarterback change. While it appears unlikely that Smith will be benched, it is apparent that he should not be in the team's long-term plans.
In addition to leading the league in interceptions, he ranks 16th in passing yards per game, tied for 21st in touchdowns, 20th in completion percentage, 31st in passer rating and 27th in quarterback rating. Cam Ward is the only player who has played all six games and thrown fewer touchdowns than Smith.
Although he has a relationship with head coach Pete Carroll that dates back to their time with the Seattle Seahawks, the quarterback has not looked the same in 2025. The more he struggles, the higher Las Vegas' chances of drafting his replacement become.
While it is unclear who will be under center for the Raiders in 2026, most fans would agree with Gagnon's assessment that it should not be Smith.
