Bears practice report: How Joe Thuney, O-line can handle Jalen Carter, Eagles

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The Bears were aggressive revamping their interior offensive, investing both assets and significant funds into that effort. They traded for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson. They extended Thuney and revamped Jackson’s deal. Then they secured Drew Dalman, the top center available in free agency.

Per OverTheCap, those three contracts account for $46.3 million in average annual value and $36.35 million against the 2025 salary cap.

All that money was spent for games like this. The Bears play the Philadelphia Eagles, who employ Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis on the defensive interior and sport great depth off the edge.

This is a situation of good on good, of game wreckers vs. those excellent at preventing that. There are plenty of excellent storylines to follow during Friday’s game at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Bears offensive line going against Philly’s defensive front is the best of all of them.

“It really starts up front,” Bears head coach Ben Johnson said in a Wednesday press conference. “You know, this is a really good front seven guys and, you know, we got to take it to them there and play on their side of line of scrimmage.”

Slowing Carter and Davis inside is no easy task. Those two have been awesome this season, creating real problems on the interior.

“They have an elite combination of size and speed,” Thuney said. “They play hard together. They’re the Super Bowl champs. It’s going to be real challenge.”

The Dalman, Thuney and Jackson trio is talented enough to be up for it. While they haven’t played together before this season, the group has jelled and is playing with greater cohesion inside, while also working with tackles off the edge.

“It has been going well since OTAs, just constantly working together day-in, day-out,” Thuney said. “Our O-line coach, our head coach, they’ve done a great job getting us in the right spots. It has been great.”

The group overall, which includes left tackle Theo Benedet and right tackle Darnell Wright, is tied for second in pass blocking efficiency, a Pro Football Focus metric that measures pressure allowed per pass blocking snap and is weighted toward sacks allowed.

The Eagles defensive line can get after it, and the Bears must be ready to shut the four-man rush down.

“They have a lot of blue-chip players over there that play good football,” Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle said. “And they’re smart. But to your point, each guy on that O-line has a matchup this week that they’re gonna have to go handle, whether that’s Drew and Jonah and Joe on the inside or that’s our tackles playing out there. We’ll have a plan for that. Those guys will be prepared and ready to go on Friday.”

C.J. Gardner-Johnson not motivated by Philly return

C.J. Gardner-Johnson started 16 games at strong safety for the Eagles and had six interceptions on their run to a Super Bowl championship. There were plenty of fond memories from that run, but the relatively new Bears defensive back wasn’t interested in reliving them.

After all, his time there was short. The Eagles traded him to Houston after just one season. The Texans cut him three weeks into this regular season, and he signed with Chicago a little while later.

That’s why the return to Philly is no homecoming.

“I got shipped off, so it didn’t last too long, if that makes sense,” Gardner Johnson said Wednesday. “Everybody wants me to get out of my body for this one, but to be honest with you, I’m ready to play football. The past is the past. The Super Bowl champ (stuff) is last year. This is a new season. It’s time to move on.”

[WATCH: Ben Johnson ready to face off against Vic Fangio’s Eagles]

D’Marco Jackson, Amen Ogbongbemiga back on deck

It sure seems like the Bears will be without their top three linebackers again Friday against the Eagles. Tremaine Edmunds is already on injured reserve. T.J. Edwards (hand/hamstring) and Noah Sewell (elbow) didn’t practice Wednesday and haven’t in some time. Rookie Ruben Hyppolite II (shoulder) was also missing, lining it up for D’Marco Jackson and Amen Ogbongbemiga to play all three downs.

[MORE: How D’Marco Jackson, Amen Ogbongbemiga kept Bears’ defense afloat]

They had 29 combined tackles against the Steelers and played well but not perfect. If they’re counted on again, Jackson and Ogbongbemiga must help corral elite Eagles running back Saquon Barkley and eliminate explosive plays.

“Barkley has great vision,” Bears linebackers coach Richard Smith said. “He runs hard and hits the hole. He has a strong lower body. He spins out of tackles. I don’t care what they say about him statistics-wise from where he was a year ago. He’s definitely a heck of a football player.”

Bears injury report: Tyrique Stevenson outlook not great

The Bears were missing several key players during Wednesday’s practice, the only full session of this practice week. Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson continues to miss time with a hip injury that took him out of the Steelers game.

[MORE: C.J. Gardner-Johnson hints at Jaylon Johnson’s Bears return vs. Eagles]

Also, defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. showed up on the injury report Wednesday as limited with a hand injury, a development that suggests he got hurt in practice.

Cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon continue trending towards a return to action on Friday, as full participants yet again.

Here’s the full Bears participation report:

Of note for the Eagles, receiver Davonta Smith did not practice for the second straight day with chest, shoulder and illness issues.

The official injury report for both teams will be released on Thursday.

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