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Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterSep 27, 2024, 04:05 PM ET
- Courtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings before switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and host of Best Week Ever on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News as a multimedia sports journalist.
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen is trending toward playing against the Los Angeles Rams with the heel injury that he said has left him “hurting” since training camp.
Allen, 32, practiced in full Friday for the first time since Week 1 and was designated as questionable on Chicago’s final injury report, along with defensive tackle Andrew Billings (knee) and safety Kevin Byard III (safety).
The wide receiver has been dealing with the injury since midway through training camp and was sidelined for Chicago’s losses to the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts.
“It’s been hurting since training camp,” Allen said. “I was just able to run through it. It was just a heel at that point, just like a bruise, kind of like a spur on the heel. Tried to stop in the end zone [against the Titans], and then it went to the plantar fasciitis.”
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The Bears held Allen out of football activities during Weeks 2 and 3. He returned to practice this week in limited capacity Wednesday and Thursday before being upgraded to a full participant Friday.
Allen said he dealt with a similar injury last season with the Los Angeles Chargers and classified it as “a wear-and-tear type of deal.” He does not believe this injury will hinder him throughout the remainder of the season.
“Nah, that’s why we’ve been playing it safe, just going day by day with it, week by week, seeing how I feel,” Allen said. “Last week we just decided to sit it out and still playing it day by day.”
Bears coach Matt Eberflus said the team expects Allen to be available against the Rams (1 p.m. ET, Fox).
Rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze, who showed up on Thursday’s injury report with a hip injury, does not carry an injury designation for the Rams game. Bears right tackle Darnell Wright, who has a back injury, is also set to play.
