Bears’ Sam Acho Done For Season
Bears linebacker Sam Acho is done for the season after tearing his pectoral muscle, coach Matt Nagy announced. The Bears will soon place Acho on injured reserve in order to free up a roster spot. 
Acho, who celebrated his 30th birthday just before the start of the season, was not starting this year, but he was involved in the Bears’ outside linebacker rotation behind Khalil Mack and Leonard Floyd. The injury means that the Bears will be featuring fourth-round rookie Joel Iyiegbuniwe and former 49ers linebacker Aaron Lynch more frequently, though the Bears will obviously look to keep Mack and Floyd on the field for as many plays as possible.
Last season, Acho started 12 games and played on 60% of the Bears’ defensive snaps. In that time, he posted 27 tackles, three sacks, and one pass defensed.
This Date In Transactions History: Panthers Acquire Jared Allen
Three years ago today, the Panthers added a much-needed pass rusher to their squad. The team acquired defensive end Jared Allen from the Bears, with Chicago receiving a conditional sixth-round pick in return. While the five-time Pro Bowler had clearly lost a step by the time he made it to North Carolina, he still played a role in helping the Panthers win their conference.
After having spent six seasons with the Vikings, Allen inked a four-year, $32MM deal ($15.5MM) guaranteed with the Bears in 2014. The veteran put up solid stats during his lone full season in Chicago, compiling 56 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and two passes defended. With Vic Fangio hired as defensive coordinator in 2015, Allen was forced to switch from defensive end to linebacker. While he embraced the change, he failed to show the same kind of pass-rushing prowess, compiling only five tackles and zero sacks through the team’s first three games.
Meanwhile, the Panthers found themselves struggling with injuries among their front seven, as Luke Kuechly, Charles Johnson, and Frank Alexander were all hobbled. Having started the season 3-0, the organization decided to add some reinforcement to their defensive line, and they acquired Allen for a conditional pick.
Allen was plenty solid during his tenure with the Panthers, compiling 27 tackles and a pair of sacks in 12 games (12 starts). The veteran sat out the team’s NFC Championship Game victory over the Cardinals, but he returned in time for the Super Bowl. Allen finished that contest with a single tackle, as the Panthers fell to the Broncos, 24-10. Less than two weeks later, Allen announced his retirement, and he subsequently signed a one-day contract with the Vikings.
While Allen certainly isn’t known for his time in North Carolina, the veteran still played an important role in guiding the Panthers to their second Super Bowl appearance.
Scouts Worried About Trubisky
- Scouts are concerned that Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky is too quick to tuck and run, and isn’t processing the field, according to Breer. Breer writes that “Trubisky seems to be making a single read, and running if it’s not there”, and that his processing ability had previously been seen as one of his biggest strengths coming out of college.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/27/18
Today’s practice squad updates:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DB Jonathon Mincy
- Released: DB John Franklin III
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: G Spencer Drango
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: DE Jeremiah Valoaga
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DL Tomasi Laulile
- Released: DT Woodrow Hamilton
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: OL Christian DiLauro, DB Dexter McCoil
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Darrell Daniels
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Released: CB Jeff Richards
NFL Workout Updates: 9/26/18
oday’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Chicago Bears
- CBs C.J. Smith, Henre’ Toliver (link)
Houston Texans
- Ss T.J. Green, Jack Tocho (link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
Miami Dolphins
- G Kofi Amichia; LBs Tre’von Johnson, Emmanuel Smith; Ss Marwin Evans, Stefan McClure (link)
New Orleans Saints
- CBs Demetri Goodson, Prince Charles Iworah (Twitter link via Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune)
NFL Workout Updates: 9/25/18
Here’s the latest from the workout circuit, all links going to NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted.
Arizona Cardinals
- LB Ufomba Kamalu, DE Ryan Russell, CB Linden Stephens, CB Ronald Zamort (link)
Atlanta Falcons
- LB B.J. Bello, LB Richie Brown, S Sharrod Neasman, DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches, DE Jeremiah Valoaga (link)
Baltimore Ravens
- CB De’Vante Bausby, G Jermaine Eluemunor (visit), WR Janorian Grant (visit), CB Prince Charles Iworah, CB Kalan Reed (link)
Chicago Bears
- WR Reggie Davis, WR Cyril Grayson, WR Carlos Henderson (Twitter link via Sirius XM Radio’s Adam Caplan)
Cleveland Browns
- CB D.J. Killings, CB Peyton Thompson (Twitter link via Caplan)
Detroit Lions
- LB Zaire Anderson, TE Marcus Baugh, TE Jerome Cunningham, LS Ryan DiSalvo, K Kai Forbath, TE Temarrick Hemingway, P Jeff Locke, P Brad Nortman, LS Jeff Overbaugh, LS Taybor Pepper, K Cairo Santos, LB Brandon Spikes (link)
Houston Texans
- LB Kevin Minter, DT Chris Okoye, LB Hayes Pullard, LB John Timu (Twitter link via the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- WR Chad Hansen, RB Jeremy Langford, QB Paxton Lynch (via Caplan, on Twitter)
Los Angeles Chargers
- TE Jerell Adams, TE Vince Mayle, TE Wes Saxton (link)
New England Patriots
- DT Michael Bennett, DE Ryan Delaire, DE John Simon, LB Azeem Victor (Twitter links via Balzer and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport)
San Francisco 49ers
- WR Deontex Alexander, S Kelcie McCray, S Eddie Pleasant (link)
Seattle Seahawks
- C Dillon Day, T Gerhard de Beer, T Christian DiLauro, DT David Parry (link)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- T Christian DiLauro (link)
Tennessee Titans
- TE Donnie Ernsberger, WR Shay Fields, TE Temarrick Hemingway, WR Roger Lewis, WR Kalif Raymond (link)
Sterling Moore To Visit Bears
- Sterling Moore has a workout scheduled with the Bears for next week, Jane Slater of NFL.com tweets. A former Saints, Cowboys and Buccaneers starter, Moore failed to make the Lions’ 53-man roster out of training camp. The 28-year-old cornerback played six games with the Saints last season, his second stint in New Orleans.
NFL Workout Updates: 9/10/18
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Arizona Cardinals
- QB Josh Woodrum; WRs Montay Crockett, Isaac Whitney; P Jeff Locke (link)
Atlanta Falcons
Chicago Bears
- Ss L.J. McCray, Kai Nacua
Cleveland Browns
Detroit Lions
Houston Texans
- DE Daeshon Hall (link)
Indianapolis Colts
- OGs Sean Harlow, Will Holden; LBs Nigel Harris, Jacob Pugh, Emmanuel Smith; CBs Tarvarus McFadden, Kalan Reed, Herb Waters; WR Korey Robertson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- CBs Breon Borders, Linden Stephens (link); TEs Blake Bell, John Phillips, Clive Walford
Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots
- Gs Tony Adams, Spencer Drango; C Jake Eldrenkamp; CBs Kalan Reed, Josh Robinson (link); WRs Bennie Fowler, Greg Ward; LB Ufomba Kamalu
New Orleans Saints
- LBs Nigel Harris, Corey Nelson (link)
New York Jets
- FB Jay Prosch; G Sean Harlow; T Jylan Ware; LBs Zaire Anderson, Ufomba Kamalu; CB Herb Waters (link)
Oakland Raiders
- CBs Breon Borders, Makinton Dorleant; Ss Elijah Campbell, Nick Orr; LBs Cayson Collins, Naashon Hughes
San Francisco 49ers
- DE Daeshon Hall (link)
Tennessee Titans
- TE Nick O’Leary
Bears Audition S Mike Mitchell
It’s been a quiet offseason for safety Mike Mitchell, but it sounds like the safety got a workout on Monday. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that Michell auditioned for the Bears today. The reporter adds that the work out “sounded like it went pretty well.”
After being released by the Steelers in early March, the 31-year-old only had a pair of reported workouts during the offseason and preseason. Michell met with the Cardinals back in July, and the Titans gave him a look before signing Kenny Vaccaro.
Mitchell, 31, had spent the past four seasons in Pittsburgh, where he started each of his 61 games. In 13 games last season, Michell finished with 53 tackles and two passes defended. Pro Football Focus ultimately ranked him 62nd among 87 safety candidates.
With DeAndre Houston-Carson dealing with an arm injury, the Bears are only rostering three healthy safeties in Eddie Jackson, Adrian Amos, and Deon Bush. At the very least, Mitchell could help provide some experience to a relatively inexperienced bunch.
Scouts Uncertain About Trubisky
With a new coach and a young franchise quarterback, there’s naturally a lot of excitement about the 2018 Bears. The addition of Khalil Mack only added to that excitement, and expectations will be high for first year coach Matt Nagy.
While Mitch Trubisky will be expected to take a step forward in his second season, not everyone is sold on the former second overall pick. Dan Pompei of The Athletic spoke to three NFL scouts about the Bears, and “all of the scouts expressed some degree of uncertainty” about Trubisky. One of the scouts even called him “the weakest link of their team” according to Pompei.