Bears Make Final Decision on Keenan Allen’s Status vs. Texans
The Chicago Bears have made their decision about veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen’s playing status for Sunday Night Football against the Houston Texans, according to insider Jay Glazer during the Fox NFL Sunday pregame show.
The Bears officially listed Allen — who did not practice this week — as questionable to play against the Texans with a heel injury in their final injury report for Week 2. But while they will still test out the six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver in pregame warmups, Glazer reported that Allen is “really more on the doubtful side,” adding that he does not expect him to play in prime time for the Bears on Sunday night.
Allen has been dealing with his heel injury since dropping out of August 24’s practice with what general manager Ryan Poles described at the time as a “cleat issue.” Out of precaution, the Bears limited him in practice during Week 1 but fully cleared him to play in their season opener, during which he received a team-high 11 passing targets.
Unfortunately, Allen also came up limping after a play during Week 1’s win and spent time in the medical tent before returning to the field. Bears head coach Matt Eberflus indicated Allen aggravated his injury in the game, hence the team’s caution with him.
“We’re going to take it all the way up to the game to see if they can go,” Eberflus said of Allen and first-round rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze after September 13’s practice.
Rome Odunze Now Expected to Play Against Texans
On the bright side, Glazer and other NFL insiders have expressed optimism about the Bears having their other injured wide receiver — Odunze — available against the Texans.
“Source: There’s optimism this morning that #Bears rookie WR Rome Odunze (knee) will play in tonight’s Sunday Night Football game vs. the Texans,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz wrote on X on Sunday.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter also reported Odunze is “tracking to play” against the Texans.
Odunze suffered a low-grade MCL sprain in the fourth quarter of the Bears’ 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 1. The injury occurred in the fourth quarter when Odunze was blocking on a screen play for Velus Jones Jr. Jones caught the ball and scampered upfield for an 8-yard gain, but Titans defenders Jack Gibbens and Harold Landry III tackled Jones into the back of Odunze’s legs, causing his knee to “pop.”
Initially, it seemed as though Oduzne would miss at least one game with the injury after Eberflus described him as “day-to-day” following an MRI on his knee. The Bears listed him as questionable in their final injury report after he practiced in a limited capacity during Friday’s final session, leaving the door open for him to play against the Texans.
