Despite taking a cautious approach to the offseason, the Bears still may be without one of their most important offensive players when they kick off the NFL season on Thursday night.
Tight end Trey Burton has a mild groin strain, according to GM Ryan Pace, and is considered day-to-day.
"We were smart with how we ramped him up through training camp, just with him not doing a lot of football activities over the summer," Pace said. "This was an unrelated mild groin strain that we’re dealing with right now. So we’re hopeful but it’s going to be a day-by-day thing."
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Burton had sports hernia surgery back in the spring, though Pace was adamant that the tight end is fully healed from that procedure. He mentioned that team doctors and the medical staff had assured him as much. When asked if Burton would be a game-time decision on Thursday, Pace admitted, "It could go that way. We’ll see how today goes."
"We’re hopeful that it’s minor, kind of a day by day thing," he added. "It’s a mild groin strain is what it is. And we’ll see where it goes from there."
If Burton can't go, the Bears will be forced to cycle through the trio of Adam Shaheen, Ben Braunecker, and Bradley Sowell. The depth is a position of question, but Pace expressed confidence with the personnel they had.
"I think Shaheen’s in a really good place right now," he said. "We’re excited where he’s at. Braunecker, he’s a big part of what we’re doing right now in a lot of different areas on offense and special teams. And then Bradley Sowell is continuing to grow and develop in his role as more of a blocking, Y tight end."
