Chicago Bears Linebacker Willie Young to Miss the Rest of the Season With Triceps Injury
The Chicago Bears have just lost another starting defensive player to a season-ending injury.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times' Dan Wiederer, Willie Young is expected to miss the remainder of the season due to a tear in his triceps and he will have to undergo surgery to repair the damage.
With 10 days of rest in between games, the Bears were initially hoping to see Young back on the field by the time they take on the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, Oct. 9. The veteran outside linebacker even participated in practice last Thursday, albeit in a limited capacity. However, he was held out of practice on Friday and Saturday and they would soon know more about the severity of the injury.
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The Bears already lost starting inside linebacker Jerrell Freeman to a torn left pectoral muscle earlier this season, and safety Quintin Demps joined him on the injured reserve list a couple of weeks later after he broke his left arm in the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 24.
Now Young is out for the season as well.
"Any time you lose a starter, (it's difficult). There's a reason they're the starter. But I feel good about our backups. I feel good about the replacement people we've had in there," Bears head coach John Fox said on Saturday, via the Chicago Sun-Times.
With Young sidelined, Pernell McPhee will likely get the start alongside Leonard Floyd. Sam Acho should see a significant increase in playing time as well.
"It's definitely going to impact the rotation. That's another guy who knows how to get after the quarterback. This is where the depth in our room is really going to show and how much we trust in each other. I think we have the guys who can make up for it. But you really can't make up for Willie," McPhee said.
The Bears may have to consider promoting Isaiah Irving from the practice squad to the active roster as well.
