The Bears announced that they have placed Tarik Cohen on the Physically Unable to Perform list. It’s a sign that the running back might be behind schedule as he looks to recover from last year’s ACL injury.
At this rate, it doesn’t sound like the Bears should expect to have Cohen for Week 1. Cohen, who turns 26 on Monday, has spent his entire career in Chicago. That includes his 2018, a season with 1,169 yards from scrimmage, eight touchdowns, and tons of highlights as a returner. He led the league with 411 punt return yards in ’18, capturing All-Pro and Pro Bowl nods.
Things haven’t been quite the same since. Cohen started a career-high 11 games in 2019, but he was limited to just 669 yards from scrimmage. Last year he was limited by the ACL, but he ceded the top job to David Montgomery before the injury even happened.
Cohen is still an important part of the Bears’ offense, so they want him on the field and healthy ASAP. Beyond that, there are also some financial considerations — it’s been less than a year since he signed his three-year, $17.25 million extension.
If Cohen misses time, the Bears will open the year with Damien Williams, Ryan Nall, Artavis Pierce and rookies Khalil Herbert and CJ Marable behind Montgomery.
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