(670 The Score) Bears offensive line coach Juan Castillo stepped away from the team Wednesday after coming in contact with a person outside the organization who tested positive for COVID-19.
Castillo hasn't tested positive for COVID-19 but will remain away from the Bears through their game at the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, coach Matt Nagy said. Castillo will lead the Bears' offensive line meetings virtually. Assistant offensive line coach Donovan Raiola will lead the unit through drills in practice.
The individual whom Castillo came in contact with wasn't Bears practice squad member Badara Traore, Nagy said. The rookie offensive lineman Traore tested positive Saturday and was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
The Bears adjusted their practice schedule Wednesday to conduct their work in the afternoon rather than the usual late morning time.
"These are the times that we're in right now," Nagy said after practice Wednesday.
The Panthers, whom the Bears play Sunday, are dealing with their own situation related to the virus as they work through the NFL's intensive protocols following contact with a Falcons player who tested positive. Carolina is conducting meetings virtually and practicing with mandatory personal protective equipment.
The Bears-Panthers game Sunday isn't considered to be in jeopardy despite the COVID-19 situations involving both teams.
Nagy acknowledged the challenges of this season have worn on him away from Halas Hall. Each night, Nagy finds himself waking up worried as he checks the cell phone to make sure there's no missed text or call of somebody in the Bears organization testing positive.
The Bears have taken their own extra precautions this season, discouraging players from congregating in the locker room, limiting capacity in the weight room, conducting meetings virtually through Zoom and spacing their team out through multiple airplanes and buses for travel.
"That's a credit to our organization for allowing us to go above and beyond," Nagy said. "Those are the little things. But it's real. Every single day, this thing consumes us. It's real. Not only does it consume us, but it consumes our extended family members that we go home to at night.
"It could be me, sometime I get it or somebody in my family gets it. We just got to be able to roll with the punches and do every single thing we can to make sure that we don't mess around with this thing."
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.