Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky woke up sore Wednesday and had less movement in his injured shoulder than the team expected, making it likely that Chase Daniel will start Thanksgiving Day against the Lions, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Trubisky, who is officially listed as doubtful for the game, has an AC sprain in his throwing shoulder and not a labrum issue, a source told Schefter. The 24-year-old needs rest, and the Bears think that he could have played if the game was next Sunday. The team believes that he’ll be ready to go next week.
The Bears could activate quarterback Tyler Bray Wedesnday to back up Daniel since Trubisky may not dress.
Earlier in the week, the Bears coach Matt Nagy had been “cautiously optimistic” that Trubisky would play.
The quarterback injured his shoulder on a late hit by Minnesota safety Harrison Smith near the end of the fourth quarter in last Sunday night’s 25-20 victory over the Vikings.
Trubisky did not practice on Tuesday.
Chicago will become the first team since the 1970 merger to play a Sunday night game followed by a Thursday day game, which further complicates Trubisky’s predicament.
Over Chicago’s past six games, Trubisky has 2,832 yards of total offense and has accounted for 23 touchdowns to go along with three two-point conversions. Trubisky had arguably one of the best games of his young career against the Lions two weeks ago when he completed 23 of 30 pass attempts for 355 yards, three touchdowns, zero interceptions and a rushing touchdown.
Daniel, 32, hasn’t started an NFL game since the 2014 season.
Information from ESPN’s Jeff Dickerson was used in this report.