Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields out again because of dislocated right thumb

CHICAGO (AP) – Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields is inactive for Thursday night’s game against Carolina because of a dislocated right thumb.

Fields got hurt during a Week 6 loss to Minnesota. The 24-year-old Fields has passed for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns with six interceptions in six starts in his third season.

With Fields out, Tyson Bagent is scheduled to make his fourth consecutive start for Chicago. Bagent is an undrafted rookie from Division II Shepherd University in West Virginia.

The Bears’ inactive list also includes wide receiver Velus Jones Jr., linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, offensive lineman Nate Davis, defensive back Terell Smith, defensive lineman Dominique Robinson and fullback Khari Blasingame.

Edmunds is dealing with a knee injury. Blasingame has a concussion, and Davis is sidelined by an ankle injury.

Carolina is playing without outside linebacker Brian Burns and cornerback C.J. Henderson because of concussions. Wide receivers D.J. Chark (elbow) and Laviska Shenault Jr. (ankle) also were sidelined by injuries, and tight end Stephen Sullivan was inactive with a shoulder injury.

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On Friday, the Big Ten conference announced their suspension of Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh from the team’s sideline for the rest of the season.

Following the announcement, Michigan filed a breach of contract complaint, as well as a motion for a temporary, emergency restraining order. The order was not filled before Michigan’s game against Penn State on Saturday; they prevailed without Harbaugh coaching on the sideline, however.

Amid the ongoing NCAA investigation — with Harbaugh at the helm of the sign-stealing scandal — some prognosticate Harbaugh could make a return to the NFL. What about his native playing team? The Chicago Bears?

One ESPN analyst believes Harbaugh could resurrect the Bears’ franchise once and for all.

“He is d— good at his job which is coaching football and then resurrecting programs. Why would we think he couldn’t get the Chicago Bears turned around?” ESPN analyst and former NFL player Chris Canty said on Get Up!

Harbaugh, 59, started his coaching career in the NFL, in fact, with the then-Oakland Raiders in 2002 as their quarterbacks coach. He then moved to college, coaching San Diego, then Stanford between 2004-10.

In 2011, Harbaugh took over as the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, helping them to a Super Bowl appearance against his brother, John, and the Baltimore Ravens in 2013.

Harbaugh took over as the head coach of Michigan’s football program in 2015. He is under contract with the Wolverines until 2026. His contract currently pays him $7.3 million annually.

Speculation about Harbaugh’s potential coaching spot with the Bears is prominent for three reasons.

First, the current investigation Harbaugh is undergoing with the NCAA, and his recent disciplining from the Big Ten, could suggest he wants to move off college football. The NCAA could arguably hit him with a separate punishment, one different than the Big Ten assigned on Friday.

Will his run in with the NCAA motivate him to return to the NFL?

Remember, Harbaugh was drafted with the No. 26 pick in the 1987 draft by the Bears to play quarterback. He played in Chicago for seven seasons, racking up over 11,000 yards passing and 50 touchdowns. Clearly, he already has connections with the Bears organization as the team’s former signal caller.

Finally, the Bears are currently going through their own head coaching turmoil. Since Matt Eberflus took over before the beginning of last season, he’s gone 6-21 with the Bears. Both sides of the ball have failed to improve, and their development has yet to take Justin Fields to the next level.

Harbaugh is known for uplifting quarterbacks and wrangling elite defenses. Remember his championship 49ers? He spearheaded the development of Colin Kaepernick, while delivering a top-three NFL defense.

The Bears should keep an eye out for Harbaugh. If they move off of Eberflus, which isn’t yet guaranteed but possible at this rate, a move for Harbaugh would instantly bolster the Bears’ odds of restoring their franchise.