Bears injury report: 3 biggest question marks heading into Week 5

We're only a few short days away from another Chicago Bears football Sunday. With the 1-3 Carolina Panthers coming to town, this is a game that the Bears expect to win, but there are some red flags on the early injury report that could make this game more difficult than it appears to be on paper.

The Bears injury report isn't as extensive as it was at this time last week, in part because Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze aren't on it. Both receivers were able to play on Sunday after being limited for much of the week, and the fact that they don't appear at all on this week's report is a fantastic sign that both are close to full health.

Other players seem to be good to go as well, including Darnell Wright and Kevin Byard, both of whom were dealing with back injuries at this time last week, and Andrew Billings, who ended up overcoming a knee injury to play against the Rams.

Though there are fewer names on the injury report right now than there were last week, there are some important ones that the Bears could really use on the field.

With that in mind, let's attempt to answer a few injury-related questions the Bears could need to face this weekend.

What would the Bears offense look like without Cole Kmet?

Starting tight end Cole Kmet was on the field for 90% of Chicago's offensive snaps against the Rams. Only Caleb Williams and DJ Moore saw the field more. Kmet has been an integral part of the Bears passing attack, with 18 receptions, 162 yards and a touchdown on the year. What would Shane Waldron's plan be if Kmet's knee injury keeps him out?

One option would be to see what Gerald Everett could do. The former Charger was an under-the-radar signing this offseason, but he's proven himself to be a capable receiver in the past. He's yet to catch a pass this season, but without Kmet, he could act as Caleb's security blanket over the middle of the field.

Another option is to get Marcedes Lewis out there and pivot to a more run-heavy game plan. The Panthers have allowed 148.8 yards per game on the ground through four weeks, the fourth-worst mark in the league. Lewis is no spring chicken anymore, but he's still a valuable blocker, and he can help D'Andre Swift build on last week's breakout rushing performance.

On a points-per-game basis, the Panthers are the worst team in the league, so Waldron should be able to scheme up an effective offensive strategy, even if he's without Kmet. Keenan Allen can work his magic in the middle of the field and at the sticks on third down. Caleb hasn't found many deep connections in the early part of the season, but he's shown a willingness to go downfield. Maybe this is the game in which he starts hitting DJ Moore down the sideline or Rome Odunze on the post.

The Bears would obviously love to have Kmet's sure hands out there, but if he needs a week to get right, the offense should still be in good shape.

Could DeAndre Carter's absence mean the return of Velus Jones Jr.?

DeAndre Carter is the Bears' primary kick returner, and he's been quite good, with averages of 34 yards per kickoff return and 9.4 yards per punt return. He's also pitched in as a receiver with seven catches in four games. Who would be asked to step in if his rib injury keeps him out?

The answer is a potentially scary one for Bears fans. Velus Jones Jr. has had more lows than highs since being drafted in 2022, and while he seemed to be back in the good graces of the fanbase after his winning turn on Hard Knocks this offseason, he almost immediately undid that goodwill by muffing a kickoff in Week 1 against the Titans.

Velus has speed, and he seems like a good, quirky guy, but he's never shown that he can be trusted with the ball in his hands. Matt Eberflus seems to agree because Velus has been a healthy scratch the past two weeks to atone for his flub against Tennessee.

If Carter can't give it a go, the Bears should give Tyler Scott a shot as the team's kick returner and fourth receiver. The second-year player hasn't really gotten a fair shake yet, but he'd be preferable to the PTSD that seeing Velus waiting under a kickoff is sure to induce in Bears fans. There's no way to tell which way Eberflus would go if Carter can't suit up, but hopefully, his rib issue is minor and this all becomes a moot point.

Will the Bears be strong enough in the trenches without Teven Jenkins and/or Montez Sweat?

Left guard Teven Jenkins didn't return to the Rams game after being forced to exit in the second quarter with a rib injury, yet surprisingly the Bears offense thrived in his absence. Jenkins is still on the injury report with what Matt Eberflus said earlier this week is bruised ribs, but will he be able to play through the pain this week?

Jenkins has dealt with injuries throughout his career, which could be a key factor in whether the Bears try to extend him when his contract runs out after this season. When on the field, though, he's been a good player, and he plays with a mean streak that has endeared him to fans. Matt Pryor was solid after sliding over to replace Jenkins, and Nate Davis looked better than he has all season after taking over for Pryor at right guard.

If the Bears O-line plays like it did last week, it should be able to handle a soft Panthers defensive line with or without Jenkins, but it could ill afford another injury. Ryan Bates is still on IR and isn't eligible to return until next week, so if anyone else goes down in-game, the Bears could be in trouble.

On the other side of the ball, Montez Sweat is again on the injury report, though not with the elbow issue he's dealt with the last two weeks. This time it's an ankle that's bothering him, but the fact that he was able to log a limited session on Wednesday means that the ailment is unlikely to keep him off the field on Sunday.

Sweat has been overshadowed a bit by Gervon Dexter on the defensive line, but he's still made his presence felt on a defense that ranks top-10 in the NFL in yards and points allowed. He made one of the biggest plays of the game against the Rams, a strip sack of Matthew Stafford in the second quarter that led to the first Bears score of the game three plays later.

Sweat is one of the Bears' most important players. The entire team turned around after he was acquired last year, and his presence will be needed against a Panthers offense that has gotten surprisingly frisky since benching Bryce Young in favor of Andy Dalton two weeks ago. Chuba Hubbard has run for over 100 yards each of the past two weeks, and if Sweat can't go, the Panthers will likely try to run right at Darrell Taylor, Austin Booker, or whoever else ends up replacing him.

We'll have more clarity on the Bears' injury situation as we get closer to gameday, but these are the concerns we have for now. Keep an eye on the Bears injury report straight from the team throughout the week, and come back to FanSided on Friday to find out everything you need to know about the matchup against the Panthers.