The Bears won on Sunday, topping the rival Lions to improve to 2-2 on the year, but they lost one of their most important players in the process, with running back David Montgomery exiting early with a knee injury. And they aren't likely to get him back for a while. According to ESPN's Dan Graziano, Montgomery has been diagnosed with a knee sprain and is expected to miss four to five weeks. A trip to injured reserve, which would guarantee a three-game absence, is likely in order; and it's possible Montgomery won't be back until Week 11, after the Bears' bye.
A four-week absence would mean a Week 9 return against the Steelers, while a five-week absence would mean a Week 11 return against the Ravens, after Chicago's Week 10 bye; though NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports there's a chance Montgomery could also be back in three weeks. Either way, the Bears are set to lean on backup Damien Williams for the foreseeable future. Williams himself was also injured in the team's Week 4 win over Detroit, suffering a thigh bruise, but is expected to be OK and take over No. 1 duties moving forward, per NFL Media.
Williams has starting experience from his days with Dolphins (2014-2017) and Chiefs (2018-2020), but Montgomery had established himself as a centerpiece of Matt Nagy's offense. A year after topping 1,000 yards on the ground, the former third-round pick totaled 309 rushing yards through four games, ranking fifth among all running backs. His production had also taken some pressure off rookie quarterback Justin Fields, who may or may not remain under center in Week 5 against the Raiders.
