Bears RB Montgomery ruled out vs. Giants

Covered the 49ers, Raiders and Warriors for the San Jose Mercury News. She joined ESPN in 2017.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Chicago Bears running back David Montgomery has been ruled out for the team’s Week 4 game at the New York Giants.

Montgomery suffered injuries to his right knee and ankle during the first quarter of Chicago’s 23-20 win over the Houston Texans and did not return. He did not practice this week and was not seen rehabbing during the portions of practice open to the media.

The Bears will again turn to second-year running back Khalil Herbert in place of Montgomery. Herbert rushed 20 times for 157 yards and two touchdowns against the Texans and averaged 97 scrimmage yards and 22 touches per week during a four-game stretch where Montgomery was sidelined in 2021.

“He maybe didn’t have as many touches in the first couple weeks and then now he comes and he’s ready to rock ‘n’ roll when he got the opportunity, he took advantage of it,” offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said Thursday. “It wasn’t like we blinked or thought anything else of it, we think we have a few special backs and Khalil is that. He’s one of our rocks and we’re lucky to have him.”

Chicago also ruled out cornerback Jaylon Johnson (quad) and safety Dane Cruikshank (hamstring) for Sunday’s game.

Rookie wide receiver Velus Jones Jr., who admitted this week that he has been dealing with a setback with the hamstring injury he sustained during training camp, is listed as questionable for Week 4. Friday was the first day he was a full participant in practice all season. Jones missed Chicago’s first three games of the season and played only a portion of the Bears’ second preseason game at Seattle.

“We’re just hopeful he’s out there,” special teams coordinator Richard Hightower said. “We’re just hopeful he plays. And our game plan, we usually tailor it to anybody who has a helmet on. We don’t change like a lot of different things. There are some special things for some special players, but we go by the HITS principle, technique and fundamentals, and we go play ball.”

A newer addition to the injury report is kicker Cairo Santos, who missed Thursday’s and Friday’s practices for a personal reason. Edge rusher Robert Quinn came down with an illness midweek and missed the past two days of practice. He is also listed as questionable, along with linebacker Sterling Weatherford, who has an ankle injury.

Linebacker Roquan Smith does not carry an injury designation for the Giants game and was upgraded to full participation on Friday. He was limited the first two days of the week with a quad injury.

Both linebacker Matt Adams (hamstring) and tight end Ryan Griffin (Achilles) are listed as doubtful.

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