Trevathan just another name on Bears' long injury list
Inside linebacker Danny Trevathan, the Bears' second-leading tackler, will spend the remainder of the season on injured reserve with a ruptured patella tendon in his right knee.
Trevathan, who was hurt late in the fourth quarter Sunday, will have plenty of company on I.R., where he becomes the Bears' 15th player on the list. The five-year veteran finishes the season with 66 tackles, including 5 in Sunday's 27-21 loss to the Titans.
The Bears will be without both starting inside linebackers and their two leading tacklers for the next three games. Jerrell Freeman began serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's ban on performance-enhancing drugs on Sunday.
Trevathan and Freeman were signed as unrestricted free agents in the off-season to address a glaring weakness in 2016, and their play helped the Bears' defense to the No. 11 spot in yards allowed. The Bears have also improved from 29th in third-down efficiency to 14th.
"He's obviously a very talented player, one that we targeted and went after," coach John Fox said of Trevathan. "It was a semi-contact injury, (he was) behind the ball, he planted wrong and the injury occurred. He'll fight back; he's been through it before." As a member of the Denver Broncos, Trevathan missed most of the 2014 season with a knee injury but led the team in tackles the year before and after. He also missed two games earlier this season after having thumb surgery.
Next man up:
Rookie Nick Kwiatkoski replaced suspended Jerrell Freeman against the Titans and had a personal-best 4 tackles in his second start.
"I've seen him grow for sure," coach John Fox said of the fourth-round pick. "Tennessee is pretty good at running the football (No. 3 in the NFL). Early on, he might have had a couple missed reads, which is understandable, and as the game went on he improved."
With Danny Trevathan on I.R., second-year linebacker John Timu is expected to start next to Kwiatkoski this week.
In good hands:
For only the second time this season, the Bears didn't allow a sack on Sunday, even though quarterback Matt Barkley threw 54 passes.
Credit goes to the offensive line as well as Barkley. Against the Titans, left guard Eric Kush and right guard Ted Larsen filled in for injured starters Josh Sitton and Kyle Long, respectively.
"We protected pretty well," Fox said. "We didn't play as well at the tackle position the week before against the Giants (Jay Cutler was sacked 4 times). Getting (right tackle) Bobby Massie back in there was a little bit of a help. (Including left tackle) Charles Leno, all in all, we protected better. Some of it was Matt's doing and some of it was our protection."
Injury update:
Rookie outside linebacker Leonard Floyd, who is second on the team with 5 sacks, remains in the concussion protocol.
Cornerback Kyle Fuller (knee, injured reserve) is eligible to play Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers at Soldier Field and will be evaluated Wednesday at practice.
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