A cornerstone of the Chicago Bears offense went down with an injury during Wednesday's practice.
Running back David Montgomery was carted away from practice with a non-contact injury, NFL Network's Stacey Dales reported after Bears' practice ended. Montgomery is believed to have suffered a groin strain, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported.
Chicago is optimistic that the RB avoided a serious injury, although an evaluation is still ongoing. Bears coach Matt Nagy told reporters the team does not yet know the severity of the groin injury.
If Montgomery misses any time, it would be a massive blow to Nagy's offense.
The lead back is set to once again be the foundation of a thin backfield. As a rookie, Montgomery compiled 889 yards on 242 carries with six rushing scores and added 25 receptions for 185 yards and another TD. He was in line for an even bigger role in Year 2.
Montgomery projected as an early-down workhorse once again with Tarik Cohen working as the pass-catching back. The Bears moved return man Cordarrelle Patterson to the RB room this offseason, and he could potentially see an uptick in workload depending on Montgomery's injury.
If the groin injury to the second-year back lingers, the Bears would be in the market to bring in a free-agent option to work the early-downs. A player like Devonta Freeman (depending on salary demands) could be a fit if Monty is out for a while.
