Bears vs. Panthers: TV Info, Spread, Injury Updates, Game Time and More

Two teams with high hopes for the 2013 season will get their preseasons underway on Friday when the Carolina Panthers host the Chicago Bears.

The name of the game in preseason and training camp is avoiding the injury bug. The Panthers have been amazingly lucky so far, but the Bears have taken their lumps.

With injuries running rampant throughout the NFL early on, expect both teams to be cautious. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune and Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer confirm.

Fans will catch a glimpse of the Bears' new offense under new head coach Marc Trestman. Though the time will be brief, fans will be anxious to see Jay Cutler perform in Trestman's system.

The new scheme should be tested by the athletic Panthers defense, and Cam Newton should be a treat on offense for as long as he's on the field.

Here's how you can watch the game as well as information on the spread.

Injuries

The Bears have a growing issue on the defensive side of the ball in regards to health. It is especially apparent at cornerback, where the team recently lost nickel back Kelvin Hayden for the remainder of the season, per Biggs.

In addition to the loss of Hayden, Biggs tweets the Bears will also be without WR Earl Bennett, who suffered a concussion.

Though only Mike Tolbert has been reported to have a significant injury, via Steve Reed of the Associated Press.  

Reed also points out that Jon Beason and a few other notable Panthers who won't be in action versus Bears.

Rookies to Watch

Kyle Long

The rookie guard is currently listed as a co-starter with veteran James Brown, per Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com, but the Bears would probably prefer if Long won the job.

The team used the 20th pick in the 2013 NFL draft to select him and the sooner Long can earn his keep, the sooner the O-line can gain valuable chemistry.

Jonathan Bostic

Bostic may very well be the future at middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears. He's passionate, loves to hit and is in a perfect position to learn from veteran D.J. Williams—who is on a one-year deal—before taking over as the starter.

If he plays well enough, he may not have to wait until his second year.

Isaiah Frey

Technically, Frey spent the 2012 season on the practice squad, but with the injury to Hayden and Frey's solid play in training camp, he looks to be the man in line to inherit the duties at nickel cornerback.

ESPN's Jeff Dickerson and Michael C. Wright offer tweets to convey Frey's training camp success.

He'll have an excellent chance to prove his worth against the Panthers.

Star Lotulelei

The Panthers looked to shore up their run defense from 2012 by selecting the former Utah star with the 12th pick in the draft. Lotulelei has the potential and opportunity to make an immediate impact.

Panthers head coach Ron Rivera is already high on his rookie, per Mike Persinger of the Charlotte Observer:

Predictions

The limited playing time from the starters makes this one anyone's guess. However, with the Panthers playing at home and the Bears' backup quarterback situation being less than stellar, the Panthers should prove oddsmakers right and win 16-13.

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