Fuller injury leaves Bears thin at cornerback
With starting cornerback Kyle Fuller listed as "week-to-week" following arthroscopic knee surgery, the Bears find themselves in a precarious situation at that position.
Bryce Callahan, the top backup at corner, missed Thursday night's second preseason game with a hamstring injury. Callahan started alongside Fuller in the preseason opener when Tracy Porter, who normally starts with Fuller, was given the night off.
With Callahan and Fuller both out against the Patriots, Jacoby Glenn opened with Porter, but Glenn left the game with a concussion.
Despite their lack of size, the Bears like Glenn and Callahan, both second-year players who went undrafted in 2015. The 5-foot-9, 191-pound Callahan started three games last season when the Bears opened in nickel formation with three corners.
With Callahan out Thursday, Demontre Hurst was the Bears' nickel corner.
Glenn spent most of 2015 on the Bears' practice squad but has impressed in the preseason and training camp.
"He's very competitive," coach John Fox said of the 6-foot, 185-pound Glenn. "He's got a good skill set as far as quickness. If there's any negative, he's a little bit undersized, but he makes up for it with his competitiveness."
With Fuller questionable for the start of the regular season and Callahan and Glenn banged up, it allows several backup corners to audition, as was the case Thursday night.
"We rolled a lot of them through there," Fox said. "It gave other people opportunities. Typically those guys, not me, they pick the team in how they perform."
Rough start:
Veteran backup quarterback Brian Hoyer was intercepted on his first play and finished just 4 of 14 for 85 yards and a 22.6 passer rating.
"I don't know if I would call it struggling," coach John Fox said. "He's a new quarterback in our system. Everything is new to him. I've seen him improve since he's been here. We'll just keep working with him as we move forward."
Medical update:
In addition to the three cornerbacks, other injured players include linebackers Danny Trevathan (hamstring) and Nick Kwiatkoski (hamstring), tight end Tony Moeaki (hamstring), wide receiver Deonte Thompson (knee, ankle) and defensive end Cornelius Washington (knee, ankle).
Tight end Zach Miller, running back Ka'Deem Carey and wide receiver Eddie Royal remain in concussion protocol.
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