Bears RB Kyle Monangai out several weeks with hyperextended right knee

The Chicago Bears may be without running back Kyle Monangai for their season opener.

Monangai went down with a right knee injury in practice Sunday, and will now miss several weeks with a hyperextended knee, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. A specific timeline there is unknown.

While the outcome of the MRI is apparently being considered positive, it puts Monangai at risk of missing Chicago's regular-season opener against the Carolina Panthers.

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Monangai got tangled up with Bears defensive tackle Grady Jarrett near the sideline near the end of a run in practice Sunday, according to the Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs. The practice, taking place just a day after the team's 34-10 preseason win over the Cleveland Browns, was being held in shorts and shells.

It was described as a "freak incident," and Monangai ended up slowly walking into the team's practice facility after a few minutes on the ground.

The Bears selected Monangai in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Rutgers. He had 783 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie while shining alongside starter D'Andre Swift. Together the two led the Bears to the third-best rushing offense in the league last season, putting up 144.5 rushing yards per game, behind only the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens. The Bears went 11-6 and won the NFC North before going on their deepest postseason run since the 2010 campaign.

The Bears will open the season against the Panthers in Charlotte on Sept. 13. If Monangai's recovery is delayed over the next four weeks, the Bears may enter the regular season without their solidified second option in the backfield.