The Green Bay Packers are not where they hoped they would be entering Week 14, as the Chicago Bears, not Jordan Love and Co., are atop the NFC North standings with a 9-3 record following their Black Friday win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Fortunately, Green Bay has the opportunity to quickly change that narrative in the coming weeks with a pair of matchups against the division-leading Bears, the first of which comes in Week 14. Given the success that Chicago enjoyed on the ground against the Eagles, the Packers should expect a healthy dose of D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai when the two sides meet at Lambeau Field.
It remains to be seen whether it has any major impact on the Week 14 matchup, or subsequent games down the stretch, but one former Packers offensive lineman could be thrust into action after fellow Bear, rookie Luke Newman, landed on the IR with a foot injury, sidelining him for at least the next four weeks.
Ex-Packer Royce Newman Could Wind Up Hurting Bears' Offensive Line
Green Bay would certainly rather have their 2025 draft pick in the rotation up front than being forced to rely upon a veteran who is currently residing on the practice squad. Unfortunately, Chicago may not have that luxury, as other options at the offensive guard position are quite limited.
Should Royce Newman be forced into action of any kind, it will undoubtedly hurt the rushing and passing attack that Chicago has ridden during this nine-game winning streak. Whether it is opening up lanes for the league's leading rushing attack to move the ball on the ground or keeping opposing linemen and linebackers from getting to the QB, the journeyman being thrown into the fire would only raise concerns in the Windy City.
After starting in 16 of his 17 appearances for Green Bay as a rookie, Newman fell out of favor and saw his playing time decrease in each of the following seasons before the Packers released him in August of 2024. Since then, Newman has made one appearance in a regular-season game as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before unsuccessful stints with the Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots.
Simply put, Newman having to play at all is a scenario that Bears fans should be praying they don't encounter. On the flip side, watching their one-time offensive guard square off against Montez Sweat and the rest of Chicago's front seven could be one extremely enjoyable watch for Packers supporters.