Wondering about a player, a past game or another issue involving the Bears? Senior writer Larry Mayer answers a variety of questions from fans on ChicagoBears.com.
I haven't heard much about Adam Shaheen lately. Is he going to return to practice this week?
Arthur K.
Bloomington, Illinois
No, tight end Adam Shaheen has not yet returned to practice. Coach Matt Nagy said Wednesday that the second-year pro is "getting real close" but "we're not there yet." Shaheen was placed on injured reserve Sept. 2 a couple weeks after he injured his foot and ankle in a preseason game against the Broncos. He remains a candidate to return to the 53-man roster at some point during the second half of the season.
Were you surprised that the Bears didn't make a trade before the deadline? I thought they could have maybe used another pass rusher.
Ross L.
Logan, Utah
You can never have too many pass rushers, but they don't exactly grow on trees. No, I wasn't surprised that the Bears didn't make any trades before the deadline. They really don't have any pressing needs that must be addressed at this point. Plus, they've already dealt away multiple draft picks to acquire outside linebacker Khalil Mack from the Raiders and to move up in the second round to draft receiver Anthony Miller.
I was happy to see Jordan Howard have a great game against the Jets. Do you think the Bears will continue to rely on him in the same manner?
Pete F.
Valparaiso, Indiana
I think it all depends on the opponent and the situation. The Bears felt that feeding Jordan Howard was what they needed to do to close out the Jets, and he carried on nine of their final 11 plays over their final two possessions. That may not necessarily be the case in future games. The Bears have a lot more weapons on offense this year than they had in Howard's first two seasons with the team, and there's only one ball that needs to be spread around. So I don't think he will be featured every week like he was against the Jets, but it certainly was nice to see him produce the way he did when called upon. He's proven to be a very effective and productive player, and he deserves a lot of credit for improving his receiving skills this year.
