Chicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards to return Monday in Seattle
ChicagoBears.com reporter Gabby Hajduk wrote on Oct. 31, 2026, that Chicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards will return for the team’s Monday Night Football Week 8 game in Seattle after missing the last two games with a hamstring injury. Edwards was a full participant in practice all week and his availability restores a veteran presence to the linebacker corps. His return should boost the defense, including on-field communication, because he serves as the unit’s play-caller. ChicagoBears.com published the update.
Coach Ben Johnson emphasized Edwards’s communication role and said Edwards makes quick, decisive calls and does not panic, remarks Johnson made Oct. 16. Johnson said Edwards helps ensure everyone knows where to line up and that his presence clarifies pre-snap responsibilities. Those comments reflected Edwards’s role during practices and games this season. The team expects that clarity to matter in a primetime setting.
Defensive back Malik Muhammad (toe) and linebacker D’Marco Jackson (ankle) are both listed as questionable for the primetime game. Muhammad injured his toe in the third quarter of last Thursday night’s win over the Patriots and was limited in practice all week, while Jackson was a full participant Saturday after not practicing Friday. Running back Kyle Monangai will miss a fourth consecutive game with toe and thumb injuries suffered in Week 4; Johnson said he could not provide a timetable for Monangai but said the team hopes to get him back sooner rather than later. Tight end Colston Loveland (neck) and linebacker Jack Sanborn (concussion) were on the injury report without a designation; Loveland was limited Friday and practiced fully Saturday, and Johnson said the team is hoping it is a minor issue.
NFL Sports Blog Take
T.J. Edwards returning to the lineup restores the Bears’ experienced play-caller at linebacker, a role the team has identified as central to defensive communication. That presence should improve pre-snap alignment and make audibles clearer, which matters in a Monday Night Football Week 8 environment in Seattle. The questionable designations for Malik Muhammad and D’Marco Jackson leave some uncertainty about depth in the secondary and at linebacker, and Kyle Monangai’s continued absence keeps the running back rotation without him for a fourth straight game. Monitoring game-day designations for Muhammad, Jackson, Loveland and Sanborn will clarify where the Bears will deploy Edwards’ leadership most often.