The Chicago Bears injury report for the Week 8’s game aganst the Baltimore Ravens is ugly.
Five players have already been ruled out. Of those five players who were ruled out, three are starters at their respective units. This leaves the Bears in the unenviable position of needing to find fill-ins who can step up and step into bigger roles against a Ravens team that appears to be getting close to full strength. That is an unfortunate bit of timing for Chicago’s football team. However, I am curious to see what happens with players who are about to get an uptick in playing time on Sunday.
Let’s discuss…
Bears in line to get more playing time in place of injured players
Sep 8, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland (84) makes a catch against the Minnesota Vikings during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn ImagesCOLSTON LOVELAND, TIGHT END
The production for Colston Loveland through seven weeks falls well short of what you would expect from a player taken with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Loveland has just eight catches, 78 receiving yards, and zero touchdowns in five games. That Loveland has more missed games (1) than touchdown receptions (0) at this point of the season is unsettling. However, the best is yet to come for the University of Michigan product — and not because there is seemingly nowhere to go but up for the tight end.
Colston Loveland’s playing time has been ticking up since the bye week. Loveland had a 54 percent snap share in his first two games before an injury limited him to just appearing on just 10.2 percent of the team’s snaps in Week 3. SInce returning from the injury report in Week 6, Loveland has seen his playing time increase. First, Loveland was in on 42.2 percent of the offensive snaps in the win against the Commanders on Monday Night Football. One week later, Loveland saw playing time on 66.7 percent of the offense’s snaps in the victory against the Saints.
We might be seeing a passing of the torch at the tight end position. And perhaps Cole Kmet’s injury could accelerate things for Loveland.
There is no better time than the present for Bears rookie tight end Colston Loveland to have a breakout performance. The Ravens have allowed six different tight ends to have games in which they put up 4+ catches and 40+ receiving yards. There is no good reason Loveland can’t be next, especially since his running mate Cole Kmet will be out of action.
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— Bleacher Nation Bears (@bn-bears.bsky.social) October 24, 2025 at 1:02 PMJOSH BLACKWELL, CORNERBACK
A two-time recipient of the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award, Josh Blackwell is in line to get a crack at strutting his stuff as a defensive back.
The four cornerbacks who began the year atop the Bears depth chart — Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Kyler Gordon, Terell Smith — are all unavaiable for Sunday’s game against Baltimore. Johnson is on injured reserve with a designation to return. Smith is on IR, too, but won’t be back this season. Gordon and Stevenson were ruled out of action on Friday’s injury report. This leaves the Bears in scramble mode in search of help in the secodnary. This is where Blackwell could step in and show what he can do as a cornerback.
For what it’s worth, Josh Blackwell does have two starts under his belt. The first came in 2022 against the Green Bay Packers. In that game, he made five solo tackles and played on 77.3 percent of the team’s defensive snaps. The second came in 2024 aginst the Commanders, a game in which he played on 70.3 percent of the Bears’ defensive plays. This is a different coaching staff, so I’m not sure if he will start on Sunday. But it would be a logical move.
Aug 10, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA;Chicago Bears cornerback Josh Blackwell (39) wears a patch honoring the late owner Virginia McCaskey Halas at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn ImagesJAYLON JONES or NICK MCCLOUD, CORNERBACK
The Bears signed Nick McCloud in the offseason with the idea of adding to their depth options at nickel cornerback. Good thing they did, because he might be in a spot to start in Kyler Gordon’s place. Good thing that McCloud has 19 starts under his belt. In fact, McCloud’s Pro Football Reference page has him down for three starts already for the 2025 Bears.
Unfortunately, the career numbers for Nick McCloud aren’t pretty. Opposing quarterbacks have posted a 67 percent completion percentage and 111.7 passer rating when targeting McCloud in coverage. With Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson on the brink of returning, those numbers are likely atop Baltimore’s scouting report.
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After leaving (briefly) in the offseason, cornerback Jaylon Jones returned to the Bears as a waiver claim. Jones has played 46 games for the Bears. Of those 46 appearances, five have been starts. So at least he knows what it is like to be a starter in the league. But four of those starts came when he was a rookie in 2022. That feels like it happened ages ago. Nevertheless, Jones could be called upon to start again because Chicago’s options are limited.
OZZY TRAPILO, OFFENSIVE LINE
Rookie offensive lineman Ozzy Trapilo isn’t in line to start this game. But with Braxton Jones out with a knee injury, Trapilo is positioned to be the Bears’ top swing tackle option going into Week 8. Once considered an option to win the starting left tackle position in training camp, Trapilo seems destined to be a right tackle at the next level. But with that position being held down by Darnell Wright at the moment, it would behoove Trapilo to get acquainted with other positions. At a minimum, the versatility he is knowing should aid in his overall development.
I hope we don’t see Ozzy Trapilo on the field in Week 8. But if we do, it will be in a role that could suit him as a developing player.
Sep 28, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) runs the ball during the second half against Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn ImagesHence then, the article about who is going to play in place of the bears injured starters was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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