Bears Missing Langford, Long, Trevathan, Floyd, More Due To Injuries

By Chris Emma--

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (CBS) -- The Bears lined up for a scrimmage Sunday with a mishmash of players assuming starting roles.

Welcome to a harsh preseason reality at Halas Hall, where the Bears are already bruised up. The unofficial count is 20 players on the 90-man roster missing practice Sunday. That doesn't included center Hroniss Grasu, who has yet to be placed on the injured reserve list.

Running back Jeremy Langford remains sidelined with a foot injury, though he was out of a walking boot; guard Kyle Long is still out with a shoulder injury; linebacker Danny Trevathan is mending a hamstring ailment; and rookie linebacker Leonard Floyd is being held out as a precaution to protect a hamstring injury of his own.

Linebacker Jerrell Freeman and cornerback Tracy Porter took veteran's days Sunday. The Bears will be missing their other starting cornerback, too, with Kyle Fuller recovering from a knee scope last week. Bryce Callahan would step in at cornerback, but he has a hamstring injury. Cornerback Jacoby Glenn got the start in Thursday's preseason contest in New England, but he later left with a concussion.

Return specialist Deonte Thompson remains out with an ankle injury, which is putting the special teams units in flux.

Rookies Deiondre' Hall and Kevin Peterson, an undrafted player out of Oklahoma State, got important chances at cornerback. Another undrafted rookie, Roy Robertson-Harris, saw reps as one of four outside linebackers healthy. Meanwhile, linebacker Pernell McPhee watched from the sidelines as he works back from a knee injury.

On the positive side, receiver Eddie Royal practiced for a second straight day after missing two weeks with a concussion.

What's good from this long list of notable absences is that none (excluding Grasu's torn ACL) are a current threat to missing significant time or even Week 1 in Houston.

Bears coach Joh Fox even admitted Saturday that the Bears are taking extra steps to ensure health during the preseason.

"You can call it precautionary," Fox said, "but it's just doing what's smart."

The Bears are treating this week as if it were a regular-season week, with Sunday as the normal Monday, Monday as the Tuesday off day, then back to work Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday prior to Saturday afternoon's third preseason game with the Chiefs at Solider Field.

Typically, starters play three quarters in the third preseason game. Fox had his Bears turning the focus toward situational drills Sunday, with the basics of training camp in the past.

Unfortunately for the Bears, their growing injury report has left voids in key starting spots, preventing cohesion at a pivotal time of development.

Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670 and like his Facebook page.