Bears safety Jaquan Brisker still in concussion protocol
Bears safety Jaquan Brisker remained in concussion protocol Monday, 15 days after he was injured tackling Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble in a play that left both players concussed.
Brisker didn’t report concussion symptoms until the following day. He was left off the team flight to London for the Jaguars game and was ruled out for the game two days later.
Brisker is in his third year but has an extensive concussion history. He was put into protocol last year after reporting symptoms while he had an unrelated illness. He was concussed as a rookie, too. He missed two games in each of his first two seasons.
Brisker was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week after a dominant Week 1 performance this year in which he had 12 tackles, one sack, one pass breakup and a game-sealing interception of the Titans’ Will Levis in the fourth quarter.
Nate: trade bait?
Eberflus demurred when asked whether guard Nate Davis, who was a healthy scratch against the Jaguars, could be a trade candidate by the league’s Nov. 5 deadline. It might prove tough — he’s Pro Football Focus’ 62nd-ranked guard and has played only 142 snaps.
“During this time when you’re leading up to the trade deadline, you’re always going to have guys that are in conversation for those trade talks,” he said. “I’m not going to talk about particular players or players that we’re looking at potentially, but that’s always going to be the case. It’s part of the business .As an NFL player, you know that. It’s just part of that time that we’re in right now.”
Any move could be tied to the return of Ryan Bates, who has been on injured reserve with shoulder and elbow problems. Eberflus said the Bears got a “good report” on him Monday and could clear him to return to practice soon.
“He is close,” he said.
Snap decisions
Long snapper Scott Daly, who hurt his knee against the Jaguars, participated in the Bears’ walk-through Monday. The Bears added insurance at the position last week when they signed 36-year-old Jake McQuaide, who has snapped in 190 games, to the practice squad. Eberflus said the team was hopeful that long-time snapper Patrick Scales, who is recovering from back surgery, could return sometime this year.
Tight end Cole Kmet, of course, had to snap once Daly got hurt and earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
“I think there might be some pretty pissed off long snappers throughout the league …” Kmet said with a smile. “There were a few in the [Bears’] locker room. No, they’re all happy for me about it.”