LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Bears rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent will start his fourth straight game in place of Justin Fields, who is recovering from a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand.
Although Fields is listed as doubtful for Thursday night's game against the Carolina Panthers on the Bears' final injury report, coach Matt Eberflus said Chicago's starting quarterback will not play. «We got to give him one more day,» Eberflus said in clarifying why Fields is listed as doubtful rather than ruled out. «Give him one more day.
But he's working hard and it's getting better every day, so we'll see where it goes.» Field has not been cleared by the Bears medical staff but was listed as a limited participant in practice this week, two days of which were walk-throughs.
Eberflus said that Fields has had no setbacks in his thumb and «may» go through a pregame workout at Soldier Field on Thursday afternoon. «He's getting better, though,» Eberflus said. «Accuracy's improving.