Does Tarik Cohen see another snap as a Bear?

GSH · Thu Dec 02, 2021 9:24 pm

miss that dude

HisRoyalSweetness · Thu Dec 02, 2021 11:24 pm

For what it's worth, this was reported yesterday in the Sun Times:

Tarik update

Running back Tarik Cohen has yet to return to practice 14 months after he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament while fielding a punt against the Falcons in Week 3 last season.

General manager Ryan Pace said at the end of last season that the Bears were hopeful to have Cohen “ready for training camp.” But he has been on the physically unable-to-perform list all season.

Coach Matt Nagy has been unclear when asked if there had been a complication with Cohen’s rehab.

“This is a guy who comes in literally every single day and rehabs over and over and over,” Nagy said. “Would we have loved to have him back sooner? Yeah. But that’s not the case, and that’s OK. He’s working his tail off to get better. The only thing we can do is attack it every day and see where it’s at.”

And Nagy would not say he was optimistic that Cohen would play this season, though he did not rule it out.

“If I say, ‘Yeah, I’m optimistic,’ and he doesn’t [return], then it looks bad,” Nagy said. “So all I care about is seeing him in there every day rehabbing and being a part of those team meetings. That’s what he’s done, and that’s what I love about him.”

Full article: https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2021 ... ng-wounded

Moriarty · Thu Dec 02, 2021 11:50 pm

When Nagy won't even try to give it some optimistic spin...he broken

Mikefive · Fri Dec 03, 2021 9:41 am

I bought his jersey. Of course his career is over. ;-p

This is one of those things where HiPAA laws make things challenging for fans. Clearly, something went wrong with his original surgery, based on past reporter observations about how he's walking. It's a real shame for him. I'm not a doctor, but I expect another surgery in his future to go back in and try to fix it.

Oh yeah, HIPAA laws that protect your medical privacy... Which doesn't seem to apply to COVID somehow... Hmmmmmm.

Fri Dec 03, 2021 10:47 am

Mikefive wrote: ↑Fri Dec 03, 2021 9:41 amOh yeah, HIPAA laws that protect your medical privacy... Which doesn't seem to apply to COVID somehow... Hmmmmmm.

How does it not apply? Show me any statement from the Bears regarding the vaccination status of any player. All of our guesses of who is vaccinated and who isn't are just that, guesses based on who's wearing masks and how long they are kept out after they test positive.

Regarding Cohen, considering he just signed an extension, I'm guessing that it will be difficult to trade him so I definitely believe he will remain a Bear for as long as there's a chance he can play.

I do think the earliest we will see him again though is 2022.

Z Bear · Fri Dec 03, 2021 10:56 am

Nope, y'all said I was nuts when I said he was limping in that training camp video. I could not have been more spot on! Quick but not fast little dudes who lose their quickness are not going to make it back. Couple that with the fact that "Mr. I Love Gadget Guys" is not coming back spells the end for Tarik.

HisRoyalSweetness · Fri Dec 03, 2021 12:02 pm

Xee wrote: ↑Fri Dec 03, 2021 10:47 am Regarding Cohen, considering he just signed an extension, I'm guessing that it will be difficult to trade him so I definitely believe he will remain a Bear for as long as there's a chance he can play.

I do think the earliest we will see him again though is 2022.

His cap hit next year is $5.75m and dead cap is $3.5m so the Bears could save $2.25m cap-wise by cutting him. It's not a great saving so for me unless he's medically done I'd give him a chance. Spotrac also has a footnote saying that his 2022 salary fully guarantees in March and is already injury guaranteed now.

In 2023 his cap hit goes up to $7.5m with the dead cap falling to $1.75m, so if he doesn't get back to his best the team can save $5.75m by cutting him then.

IE · Fri Dec 03, 2021 4:16 pm

It was clear to me that Tarik even way before camp that shouldn't be expected to be playing this season. He had a complicated surgery and then months later they went back in to clean it up - effectively re-setting his rehab clock. His timetable for return was always '22 season.

Medical science is great in these times - there is a strong possibility he'll return to 100%. It may take one season of part-time play and ho-hum performance for him to return to normal though.

He won't be back playing for the Bears unless his contract is trashed and they start over with him. Which I believe it will be. Nobody else is going to pay him much after all this. I can see the Bears bringing him into camp on a minimum deal with a lot of incentives. Fortunately for him, he's already made a lot of money from the Bears. Now he has to start over - and it will be even harder as damaged goods than as a 4th round undersized scatback.

Maybe I'm dreaming, thinking he'll be back in a Bear uni. But if they can get around the financial constraints (they can) and they like him (they do)... I think it might be his best option.

Grizzled · Fri Dec 03, 2021 5:15 pm

He was just totally misused by the Bears sooner than later. Instead of the second coming of Sproles, he became some weird tool that Nagy would put in unenviable situations. I feel bad for him. On the cold blooded side, there will be other guys, small and super fast and shifty available through the draft in the lower rounds.

Mikefive · Fri Dec 03, 2021 5:45 pm

Xee wrote: ↑Fri Dec 03, 2021 10:47 am
Mikefive wrote: ↑Fri Dec 03, 2021 9:41 amOh yeah, HIPAA laws that protect your medical privacy... Which doesn't seem to apply to COVID somehow... Hmmmmmm.
How does it not apply? Show me any statement from the Bears regarding the vaccination status of any player. All of our guesses of who is vaccinated and who isn't are just that, guesses based on who's wearing masks and how long they are kept out after they test positive.

Regarding Cohen, considering he just signed an extension, I'm guessing that it will be difficult to trade him so I definitely believe he will remain a Bear for as long as there's a chance he can play.

I do think the earliest we will see him again though is 2022.

I don't want to get into politics. But let's just say that there's enough information available to figure this stuff out. I guess that's as far as I'm going to go with it.

Bears Whiskey Nut · Fri Dec 03, 2021 5:54 pm

Grizzled wrote: ↑Fri Dec 03, 2021 5:15 pm He was just totally misused by the Bears sooner than later. Instead of the second coming of Sproles, he became some weird tool that Nagy would put in unenviable situations. I feel bad for him. On the cold blooded side, there will be other guys, small and super fast and shifty available through the draft in the lower rounds.

Yeah... Still trying to figure out why in hell you would ever run Tarik Cohen between the tackles. But run him Nagy did, and on a regular basis. On 4th downs.

In regards to the original question. No, I think Cohen takes snaps next year. But his quickness will be gone due to a permanently damaged knee, and he will fade off into scrap heap of injured gadget players.

Moriarty · Fri Dec 03, 2021 6:04 pm

HisRoyalSweetness wrote: ↑Fri Dec 03, 2021 12:02 pm
Xee wrote: ↑Fri Dec 03, 2021 10:47 am Regarding Cohen, considering he just signed an extension, I'm guessing that it will be difficult to trade him so I definitely believe he will remain a Bear for as long as there's a chance he can play.

I do think the earliest we will see him again though is 2022.
His cap hit next year is $5.75m and dead cap is $3.5m so the Bears could save $2.25m cap-wise by cutting him. It's not a great saving so for me unless he's medically done I'd give him a chance. Spotrac also has a footnote saying that his 2022 salary fully guarantees in March and is already injury guaranteed now.

That's the problem. If he weren't injury guaranteed, he could go now. But the odds of him somehow counting as "healthy" in next 3 months are slim to none.