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The Chicago Bears will be without one of their key running backs for their Week 6 matchup against the Green Bay Packers, as Kyle Monangai has been ruled out. Monangai, a second-year player, was listed among the team's inactives on Sunday after being officially ruled out on Friday due to a toe injury.
While Monangai has also been dealing with a thumb issue, the toe injury is the primary concern. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Monangai is suffering from turf toe, which could keep him out longer than just one game. The running back was seen in a walking boot during the week, per The Chicago Tribune's Sean Hammond, and head coach Ben Johnson was noncommittal about the length of his absence.
"We'll see how long that injury sidelines him," Johnson said.
Fowler's report indicates that Monangai's availability for the next one to two weeks is uncertain. Initially, there was hope that Monangai could play through the injury, but either he was unable to do so or the Bears chose to take a cautious approach.
"Bears RB Kyle Monangai is dealing with a turf toe injury, placing uncertainty around his availability over the next 1-2 weeks, per sources, though he's hoping to play through it and the team/player are still managing the situation," Fowler said.
ESPN's Courtney Cronin adds that Monangai is considered week-to-week, but importantly, he is not slated to be placed on injured reserve. A stint on IR would require him to miss at least four games, so the Bears' decision suggests they expect him back sooner than that.
With one game already missed as of Sunday, Monangai could potentially return as early as Week 6, though there is also a chance he remains out until Week 8. A Week 7 return is complicated by the Bears' short week, which might lead the team to hold him out until he can complete a full week of practice.
More clarity on Monangai's status could come on Monday when Coach Johnson addresses the media, or otherwise on Wednesday when the Bears release their first injury report for Week 6.
Mike Moraitis is a freelance writer who has covered the NFL for major outlets such as Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News. He has previously written for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and FanSided, and got his start in sports media at Bleacher Report.