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Bears WR situation unsure going into 49ers game

By WTOP Staff

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler will not know who his options are at wide receiver for Sunday night’s game with the San Francisco 49ers are until shortly before kickoff.

Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall didn’t practice Friday after saying Thursday he expected to try to test his injured ankle.

Backup receiver Josh Morgan was downgraded to doubtful after missing a second straight practice with a groin injury.

Starting receiver Alshon Jeffery practiced Friday for the first time this week. He is questionable with a pulled hamstring.

“We’ll see where we are closer to the game,” coach Marc Trestman said. “We’ve got up to 90 minutes before the game to make those decisions and we’re going to use every minute of it to make sure we make the right decision in the best interests of the team, and certainly for the player.”

Marshall just jogged and went through the team’s walk-through portion of practice, while Jeffery did participate in some of the plays that were run.

Jeffery had left Sunday’s 23-20 loss to Buffalo shortly after the second half began.

“I feel pretty good,” he said after Friday’s practice. “I mean, practice and the game are different. We’ll see how I feel.”

Trestman said he has no overall policy about using a player who hasn’t been able to practice during the week, calling it a “player to player decision.”

“The No. 1 thing I want to be sure is that the player is healthy enough to play the game and can be safe out there,” he said.

Without Marshall, Morgan and Jeffery doing much, Santonio Holmes has been the only wide receiver on the active roster who participated in most practices this week. Holmes didn’t come to the team until the week before the third preseason game.

Practice squad players Josh Bellamy, Rashad Ross and Greg Herd worked with the first team and wide receiver Chris Williams was signed Wednesday after being cut at the end of preseason.

Bellamy had been with Washington last year and Kansas City in 2012, and with the Bears in preseason made seven catches for 140 yards.

“I recall that when he had some opportunities, he made some plays,” Trestman said. “The last game he made some plays, he showed some speed and did some good things.

“We’ll see how this thing continues to progress, but he’s been with us a long time, he knows the system.”

Coaches had Cutler working more with backups during training camp and preseason than he had in past years with the team.

“That was a smart move looking back on it, taking a lot of reps with those guys in training camp and even OTAs,” Cutler said. “I’ve got a good comfort level for what Josh Bellamy and Josh Morgan and all those guys can do physically, what they’re good at, what routes they like, how they’re coming out of cuts.

“So it’s a good thing that we did that.”

The Bears’ offensive line situation is clearer.

Center Roberto Garza and left guard Matt Slauson have been ruled out with ankle injuries after missing a full week of practice. Michael Ola will play left guard and Brian de la Puente center after both finished the loss to Buffalo at those positions.

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Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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