Bears’ Brian Hoyer Has Broken Arm
Bears quarterback Brian Hoyer suffered a broken arm during tonight’s game, head coach John Fox told sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson of CBS (Twitter link). The injury was to Hoyer’s non-throwing arm, but he’ll still be sidelined for awhile.
[RELATED: Bears Activate Pernell McPhee]
Hoyer had played well since taking over for an injured Jay Cutler during Week 2, completing more than 68% of his passes for 1,396, six touchdowns, and no interceptions. The 31-year-old had thrown for more than 300 yards in each of his four starts, but the Bears only managed to post a 1-3 record during that time. Hoyer is set to become a free agent at season’s end.
Hoyer may have had a shot to permanently displace Cutler in the Windy City, as Fox indicated earlier this month that Hoyer had a chance to remain the Bears’ starter even after Cutler returned. “Anybody’s that performing well, I don’t think we’re going to be likely to change,” Fox said at the time. Now, Cutler is likely to regain his job once he comes back from a thumb injury.
With Hoyer sidelined, the Bears turned to backup quarterback Matt Barkley, the only other signal-caller on the roster. Chicago will surely add another QB in the coming days, but the club isn’t currently carrying a quarterback on its practice squad.
Bears Activate LB Pernell McPhee
The Bears announced that they have activated linebacker Pernell McPhee. In a related move, fullback Paul Lasike has been waived. 
McPhee began the season on the PUP list but returned to practice this week. McPhee was hindered by a knee injury in the summer and needed arthroscopic surgery, but he is finally healthy after months of hard work. After McPhee recorded six sacks, one interception, and 53 tackles last season, the Bears are certainly happy to get him back on the field.
McPhee came to Chicago on a five-year, $38.75MM deal last offseason and showed everyone that he was worthy of that money. Unfortunately, his troublesome knee slowed him down later in the season.
The linebacker will be on the field tonight as the Bears take on the Packers.
Bears LB Pernell McPhee Returns To Practice
Pernell McPhee is one step closer to returning to the field. The Bears linebacker has been given the go-ahead to practice, coach John Fox told reporters today. 
McPhee had his left knee operated on in February, putting his status for this season in doubt. Prior to the start of the season, Chicago put him on the PUP list. The Bears now have exactly three weeks to decide whether to activate the veteran. If he is not put on the roster in the next 21 days, he cannot play this season. With any luck, McPhee will be able to suit up on Thursday Oct. 20 against the Packers.
McPhee came to Chicago on a five-year, $38.75MM deal last offseason. Last year, he was earning every penny of that contract before his knee slowed him down.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/10/16
Today’s practice squad moves:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: TE Marcel Jensen, WR Darius Jennings
- Placed on practice squad injured list: TE Rory Anderson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Mitch Matthews (Twitter link via agent Brett Tessler)
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: CB Brian Dixon (Twitter link via Nick Underhill of The Advocate)
Bears Waive Demontre Hurst
- After promoting him on Saturday, the Bears have once again waived cornerback Demontre Hurst, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. The club announced that they’ve promoted De’Vante Bausby from the practice squad to the active roster.
Is Connor Barth On The Hot Seat?
Bears kicker Connor Barth missed a pair of field goals during his team’s six-point loss earlier today. Through five games, the 30-year-old has connected on five of his eight attempts, and Barth has been around the league long enough to recognize that the Bears will probably explore the kicker market.
The veteran was signed by the Bears right before the season, with the 30-year-old replacing long-time kicker Robbie Gould.
Latest On Jay Cutler, Brian Hoyer
Jay Cutler is nearing a return from his thumb injury, but he may not have a job to come back to, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Brian Hoyer has played reasonably well in Cutler’s absence, leading the Bears to a victory over division-rival Detroit last week, and La Canfora reports that Cutler has fallen out of favor with some on the coaching staff. He writes, “There were some heated words exchanged between coaches following Cutler’s last appearance, sources said, about whether he should have been out of that game sooner, and Cutler’s status in the Bears’ locker room has long been under debate.”
This report jives with head coach John Fox‘s comments earlier this week, when he stated that Hoyer will remain the starter if he continues to play well. And with the Jaguars and Colts next on the docket for the Bears, there is a good chance that Hoyer will indeed continue to play well, at least for the next several weeks. While Hoyer will never be the type of quarterback that can take a team to the promised land, at this point he appears to be just as effective as Cutler, and he comes at a fraction of the cost.
After all, although Cutler is signed through 2020, he has no more guaranteed money left on his deal after this season, so it will be easy for Fox and GM Ryan Pace–who inherited Cutler from the prior regime–to release Cutler and begin the search for a long-term solution under center while using a quarterback like Hoyer as a placeholder.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com lends support to La Canfora’s story, tweeting that, “This is Brian Hoyer’s job to win. If he continues to thrive, he’ll start. Door is open.” Barring some sort of unexpected turnaround, then, it appears that Cutler will not be Chicago much longer. To paraphrase a Chicago Tribune story from several weeks ago, the end of Jay Cutler’s tenure with the Bears feels as real as it ever has.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Bears Cut C.J. Wilson -- Again
- C.J. Wilson‘s odyssey through roster fringes continued Saturday, with the Bears again cutting the journeyman defensive lineman. Chicago released Wilson and promoted cornerback Demontre Hurst from its practice squad, Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com tweets. The Bears cut Wilson two weeks ago before re-signing him; the seventh-year defensive lineman hasn’t played in a game yet this season. He’s spent time with the Raiders, Lions, Saints and Bears since last season. Hurst’s promotion coincides with corner Deiondre’ Hall being out, per Rich Campbell of the Chicago Sun-Times (on Twitter).
Bears Notes: WRs, Trevathan
- Bears receiver Kevin White‘s injury troubles could make it more difficult for the club to let fellow wideout Alshon Jeffery leave as a free agent after the season, Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times observes. White, whom the Bears chose seventh overall in the 2015 draft, missed all of last season with a tibial stress fracture and is now on injured reserve after suffering a high ankle sprain and a fractured fibula in Week 4. Jeffery, meanwhile, is raking in $14.6MM as Chicago’s franchise player after it was unable to reach a long-term deal with him in the offseason. The Bears will once again have the option of tagging Jeffery after this season, or they could either reach a long-term pact with the fifth-year standout or allow him to hit the open market. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report said in July that one reason the Bears drafted White was so they could avoid signing Jeffery to a lucrative contract, but the former’s inability to stay on the field might put a wrench in that plan.
- Bears linebacker Danny Trevathan is progressing well since going down with a thumb injury in Week 2 and has a chance to return Sunday against the Colts, he said after practicing Thursday with a cast on his right hand (via Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com). “I led the SEC two years in a row in tackles at Kentucky with a cast on [to protect a wrist injury], so I’m pretty familiar [with playing with one],” the former Bronco stated. “I’m not very limited with the cast. It’s specially made, but I’m just trying to do everything I can to be out there with my teammates come Sunday.” Trevathan is among several key Bears who have missed this time this year, which has contributed to their poor start.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/5/16
Here are today’s minor moves.
- The Chargers signed cornerback Steve Williams and released nose tackle Ryan Carrethers, as Eric Williams of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Bears promoted fullback Paul Lasike from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets.
- Ravens tight end Daniel Brown has been promoted from the taxi squad to the active roster, as Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun tweets.
- The Browns signed offensive lineman Anthony Fabiano off of their practice squad and waived defensive lineman Gabe Wright, as Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com tweets.