NEWSLETTER
Chicago Bears running back Khalil Herbert being ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings wasn’t surprising. The only thing that would’ve constituted a mild surprise is that the team hadn’t put him on injured reserve, as some had speculated earlier in the week. But it felt like that designation was only a matter of time. And now, it is officially official.
NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reports Herbert is going on injured reserve. This move means that Herbert will miss at least the next four games. Herbert has averaged 5.6 yards per carry over 18 games since the start of the 2022 season. He’ll be missed for sure.
In addition to Herbert’s IR status, ESPN NFL insider Field Yates adds wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown is going to the injured reserve list, too. And as a corresponding move, the Bears are signing quarterback Nathan Peterman to the active roster. I find that to be a curious move considering that the team could need to clear space in order to accommodate the returns from IR for cornerback Kyler Gordon and (or?) offensive lineman Doug Kramer. The team will have until Saturday afternoon to clear up roster spots for those particular players.
When will Khalil Herbert return?
The earliest Herbert can return to the Bears is Week 10 against the Carolina Panthers. If the Bears decide to wait it out and not bring Herbert back on a short week, Chicago could bring him back for Week 11 against the Detroit Lions. That would give Herbert 37 days between now and his next game action.
However long it takes, this marks the second consecutive season in which Herbert has missed time due to an IR stint. Last year’s IR visit came after suffering an injury while on kick-off return duties. He missed about a month, but his absence propelled David Montgomery back into the spotlight. The Bears don’t have Monty to turn to this time around. Instead, it’ll be Darrynton Evans and D’Onta Foreman getting carries until rookie Roschon Johnson clears concussion protocol.
