A Closer Look at Chicago Bears’ Injury Replacements on Defense
Published by Bear Heiser on September 24, 2014
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
The injury bug has bit the Chicago Bears for the second consecutive season. Unlike 2013, when the Bears were signing guys off the street, the roster appears to have the depth needed to withstand it.
The injuries started Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills: Left guard Matt Slauson and center Roberto Garza both were lost to high-ankle sprains, and receivers Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery suffered ankle injuries.
The losses continued Week 2 against the San Francisco 49ers when defensive tackle Jeremiah Ratliff suffered a concussion, cornerback Charles Tillman tore his triceps, special-teams ace Sherrick McManis was sidelined with a quadriceps injury and safety Chris Conte injured his shoulder.
In the Thursday practice leading into the team’s Week 3 encounter with the New York Jets, linebacker Shea McClellin fractured his hand. Then on Monday night against the Jets, fullback Tony Fiammetta injured his hamstring, Marshall reinjured his ankle, Conte did the same to his shoulder and safeties Ryan Mundy and Danny McCray were also hurt.
So there’s the Bears injury update in a nutshell.
Now because Chicago played Monday night, the team doesn’t practice until Thursday. The Bears tweeted a list of the injured players and whether they would have participated Wednesday had a practice been held.
Jared Allen, Fiammetta, Garza, Marshall, McClellin, McManis, Ratliff and Slauson all would have missed this ficticious Wednesday practice. Conte and Mundy would have been limited.
We know Tillman won’t be playing Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. Head coach Marc Trestman announced Wednesday that McClellin won’t either. Garza and Slauson are unlikely to be back, meaning the suddenly familiar faces of Michael Ola and Brian de la Puente will start for the third straight week.
As for the rest, it’s unlikely we’ll know much of anything until the team rules them out or places them on the active list no later than Sunday morning.
So there’s a good chance we’ll once again see Brock Vereen roaming the secondary, Will Sutton and Ego Ferguson plugging up the defensive line, Jon Bostic at linebacker…and who knows who else.
Let’s take a few moments to get to know some of the new faces on defense.
