Wondering about a player, a past game or another issue involving the Bears? Senior writer Larry Mayer answers a variety of questions from fans on ChicagoBears.com.
I've been eager to see Alex Leatherwood get some playing time. With the injuries at right tackle, do you think the Bears might start him against the Packers?
Roger D.
Joliet, Illinois
After Riley Reiff (shoulder) and Larry Borom (ankle/knee) both exited last Sunday's loss to the Jets with injuries, coach Matt Eberflus mentioned Monday that potential replacements could be Alex Leatherwood or Michael Schofield III, who entered the game after Borom was injured. (Borom had replaced Reiff early in the contest, while Leatherwood was inactive.) Both Reiff and Borom sat out practice Wednesday, so we'll have to continue to monitor that situation as the week progresses. Eberflus said Wednesday that he's been impressed with the strides that Leatherwood has made since he returned to practice Oct. 12 after missing about a month with an undisclosed illness. Said Eberflus: "We've seen progress cause he's played inside and outside for us over the last several weeks [in practice] since he came back. We are excited and intrigued to see where it goes because he's a heck of an athlete at that position … if he has the opportunity to play, I think he'll play well."
Have the Bears ever made a trade with the Packers?
Brant L.
Port Washington, Wisconsin
The Bears have made five trades with the Packers during the Super Bowl era, but none since 1998 when they sent a 1999 seventh-round draft pick to Green Bay in exchange for return specialist Glyn Milburn. It was a deal that benefitted both teams; Milburn was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1999 and set a Bears record for all-time kickoff return yards (before it was broken by some guy named Hester). And the Packers selected receiver Donald Driver, who was voted to five Pro Bowls and remains Green Bay's all-time leading receiver.
The most significant trade between the two teams occurred in 1970 when the Bears dealt the second overall pick in the draft to the Packers in exchange for linebacker Lee Roy Caffey, center Bob Hyland and running back Elijah Pitts. Green Bay chose Notre Dame defensive tackle Mike McCoy with the second pick.
In the other three trades, the Bears obtained defensive back Bobby Jeter in 1971 for a 1972 sixth-round pick; quarterback Zeke Bratkowski in 1972 for a 1974 sixth-round pick; and a 1993 fourth-round selection they spent on defensive end Albert Fontenot for picks in the fifth and sixth round.
How do Jack Sanborn's stats in his first four starts compare to Roquan Smith's in his last four starts with the Bears?
Phil K.
Carpentersville, Illinois
The production is similar: In Roquan Smith's final four games with the Bears before he was traded to the Ravens, he registered 37 tackles, 2.0 sacks, two tackles-for-loss and one interception. In rookie Jack Sanborn's first four starts, he recorded 43 tackles, 2.0 sacks, three tackles-for-loss and one fumble recovery.
