WESTFIELD, Ind. — One day after he crashed into Colts receiver Michael Pittman and failed to finish practice, Bears safety Eddie Jackson didn’t participate Thursday. Neither did receiver Velus Jones, who made two nice catches on the first day of the Bears’ joint practice session.
Head coach Matt Eberflus didn’t specify either injury but said neither malady is expected to be long-term. Jackson and Jones — who remained with the team in suburban Indianapolis but didn’t attend Thursday’s practice — will both sit out Saturday’s game against the Colts.
Jones will miss an opportunity to improve upon the mistake he made in the first preseason game, when he tried to field a punt on a hop and fumbled the ball away. The Bears had spent all offseason working with Jones on ball security after he fumbled two punts last year.
Jackson becomes the latest Bears defender in the injury tent. The Bears continue to practice without middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and safety Jaquan Brisker. Defensive end DeMarcus Walker returned to practice for the first time since July 31 but was limited.
Walker said he’s eager to do more drills; on a scale of 0-100, he said, he was at a 250.
“I want to see all the gangsters together, with everybody healthy and everybody of one mind,” Walker said. “One team. One defense.”
