The Bears saw two offensive players leave practice early on Thursday and a report updates the reason why one of them left the field.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that running back D’Andre Swift had a cramp. Reporters at the practice said that Swift was holding his midsection as he made his way to the sidelines.
There’s no word on Swift’s outlook, but the Bears will take a few days off before returning to finalize their preparations for their Week 1 trip to Carolina and a cramp would not seem to be a long-term injury. That would be good news as Kyle Monangai is questionable to play due to a hyperextended knee.
Odunze’s condition has not received a similar update, but reporters at the practice said he was trying to get back into the workout so the Bears may have avoided major injuries on both fronts.
Panthers Clips
Bryce Young was voted a team captain for the fourth consecutive season.
The Panthers announced the five season-long captains, voted on by players, and they include their quarterback.
Running back Chuba Hubbard, defensive tackle Derrick Brown, linebacker Devin Lloyd and long snapper JJ Jansen are the Panthers’ other captains.
Jansen, like Young, is a captain for a fourth time.
Only 20 Panthers have served as a season-long captain at least four times. Luke Kuechly, Cam Newton and Thomas Davis hold the team record, having each served as a captain seven times.
Bears fans will be monitoring the status of two offensive players heading into the team’s Week 1 game against the Panthers.
According to multiple reporters, wide receiver Rome Odunze and running back D’Andre Swift both made early exits from Thursday’s practice. There was no word from the team about either player and head coach Ben Johnson is not scheduled to speak to the media until next week.
The Bears will also start issuing official injury reports after Wednesday’s practice.
Odunze dealt with a foot injury while catching 44 passes for 661 yards and six touchdowns last season. Swift is backed up by Kyle Monangai, who has been hampered by a knee injury this summer, and Roschon Johnson.
Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks remained out of practice on Wednesday, but head coach Dave Canales is unconcerned that Brooks’ injury will keep him out of the season opener.
“I’m very optimistic he’ll be available for Week 1,” Canales said Wednesday, via ESPN’s Mike Kaye.
Brooks is dealing with “soreness” Canales revealed Tuesday, but Canales would not specify the location of Brooks’ discomfort.
Brooks has undergone back-to-back ACL surgeries on his right knee, but he participated in all of training camp and two preseason games this summer. He played 17 snaps in the preseason.
He tore his right ACL against the Eagles in December 2024, a season after tearing it while playing for the University of Texas. Brooks missed all of the 2025 season.
In the three games he played as a rookie in 2024, Brooks had 12 touches for 45 yards.
Brooks is expected to complement Chuba Hubbard, with journeyman AJ Dillon also on the active roster. Trevor Etienne is on injured reserve with a designation to return as he works his way back from an ankle injury.
The Panthers placed offensive lineman Brady Christensen on injured reserve Tuesday, the team announced.
Christensen will miss at least the first four games as he works his way back from a hamstring injury.
His 2025 season ended with a torn Achilles, but he had played throughout the preseason, including Friday’s finale.
The Panthers used his roster spot to make the addition of linebacker Bobby Okereke official. He signed his one-year deal Monday.
Okereke, 30, spent the past three years with the Giants after four seasons with the Colts, who made him a third-round pick.
Veteran linebacker Tyrel Dodson has found a new home in Carolina.
The Panthers announced that they have signed Dodson to their practice squad. He was released by the Dolphins over the weekend.
Dodson joined the Dolphins in a 2024 trade with the Seahawks and started 16 games for them last season. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Bills in 2020 and Panthers General Manager Dan Morgan was in the Buffalo front office when Dodson joined the team.
Dodson has 379 tackles, 11.5 sacks, four interceptions, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries over his entire career.
The Panthers also signed defensive tackle Anthony Goodlow to the practice squad on Tuesday.
The Panthers claimed Corey Bullock off of waivers on Monday and that led to the departure of another offensive lineman.
They announced that they have waived guard Chandler Zavala to make room for Bullock on the 53-man roster.
Zavala was a 2023 fourth-round pick and he started 14 of the 34 games he played for the Panthers over the last three seasons. He made five starts last season, but spent most of the year on injured reserve.
The Panthers also announced that they have signed WR David Moore, S Isaiah Simmons, G Jake Curhan, LB Cam Gill, WR Ja’seem Reed, CB Corey Thornton, OL Isaia Glass, CB DeVonta Smith, WR Casey Washington, DT Parker Petersen, RB Tre Tyus, and LB Maz Mwansa to their practice squad.
The Panthers have added some depth to their offensive line.
Carolina has claimed Corey Bullock off waivers.
Bullock, 24, was waived by the Ravens over the weekend after spending his first two seasons with the club.
Last year, Bullock appeared in 16 games for Baltimore, with his time mainly spent on special teams. He was on the field for 55 special teams snaps and 13 offensive snaps last season.
Carolina will need to make a corresponding roster move after picking up Bullock.
The Panthers have set their initial 53-player roster.
They announced they waived cornerback DeCarlos Nicholson, cornerback Cam Miller, safety Demani Richardson, outside linebacker Isaiah Smith, linebacker Maz Mwansa, defensive tackle Parker Petersen, offensive lineman Isaia Glass, cornerback Devonta Smith, linebacker Maema Njongmeta, center Nick Samac, running back Tre Tyus, cornerback Corey Thornton, wide receiver Casey Washington, wide receiver Ja’seem Reed, linebacker Trevin Wallace and defensive tackle Jared Harrison-Hunte.
The Panthers also released 10 vested veterans, terminating the contracts of wide receiver David Moore, defensive tackle Elijah Garcia, offensive lineman Jake Curhan, cornerback Robert Rochell, safety Isaiah Simmons, outside linebacker Cam Gill, offensive lineman Ja’Tyre Carter, quarterback Kyle Trask, tight end James Mitchell and outside linebacker Jeremiah Moon.
Running back Trevor Etienne and linebacker Bam Martin-Scott went on injured reserve with designations to return.
Cornerback Tyrek Funderburk was waived with an injury designation.
The team also placed right tackle Taylor Moton on the reserve/non-football illness list, and left tackle Ikem Ekwonu and defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton on reserve/physically unable to perform list.
The Panthers traded a 2028 sixth-round pick to the Chargers for defensive tackle TeRah Edwards.
With those moves, the Panthers are at the 53-man limit, and can establish a practice squad on Monday.
The Panthers are acquiring a young defensive lineman.
Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Chargers are trading defensive tackle TeRah Edwards to the Panthers.
Carolina will send Los Angeles a 2028 sixth-round pick to complete the deal.
Edwards, 25, played his college ball at Illinois. He has not yet appeared in a regular-season game.
Edwards now adds some depth to a Carolina defensive unit that is led up front by Derrick Brown.
