Bears sign Kennedy to help fill void at defensive tackle
For the Bears, it was another day and another body added to shore up a defensive tackle position thinned by injuries.
Starting nose tackle Anthony Adams (triceps) and backup Antonio Garay (ankle) were placed on injured reserve Monday, and Darwin Walker missed practice Tuesday with an elbow injury.
So four-year veteran defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy, a former first-round draft choice of the St. Louis Rams, was signed to the active roster Tuesday. Kennedy started 30 games with the Rams, including all 16 in 2006, but he was traded in June to the Broncos, who released him before the season.
"I've known Jimmy for a while," said Bears coach Lovie Smith, who was in his final season as the Rams' defensive coordinator the year Kennedy was the 12th overall pick. "We have a few injured players on the defensive line, so it's good to pick up a player like that this late in the year.
"As far as whether he'll play or not (Monday night), we'll let all that take care of itself a little bit later on in the week."
This could be the last chance for the 6-foot-4, 325-pound Kennedy, who never played up to his draft status with the Rams.
"I've been through the grind, and I know what it takes," he said. "It's humbling once you get released and you get a chance to come back. I'm getting the chance to make the best of the opportunity. I'm looking forward to it."
Out but not down: Anthony Adams, who started seven straight games at nose tackle before he was injured against the New York Giants, didn't initially realize the extent of the injury to his right triceps.
"I didn't know what happened," said Adams, who still is second among Bears defensive linemen with 49 tackles and tied for second on the team with 4 tackles for loss.
"I thought it was just real sore, but I got an MRI, and the MRI said that it was torn, so I needed surgery (last Friday)."
Adams, one of the most pleasant surprises on a disappointing team, will be in a sling for a month and spend 3-4 months rehabilitating.
"I'm all right," he said. "I'm in good spirits. You can't climb the mountain if it's smooth. You've got to have some rough spots in the mountain to climb it. So this is one of my rough spots."
Adams played with the Bears' most recent acquisition, defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy, at Penn State, and in 2003 was drafted 57th overall, 45 picks after Kennedy.
Back in action: Neuqua Valley High School graduate Babatunde Oshinowo spent three months on the Bears' practice squad before being promoted this week to the active roster. The defensive tackle said it was worth the wait.
"All the guys on the practice squad will tell you that's what you work for," he said. "The practice squad is temporary. It's not a permanent fix. You can only be there a certain amount of time, so everybody there is working to get activated, staying ready.
"Normally toward the end of the season is when you see a lot of guys getting picked up off the practice squad. So I'm very blessed. I'm very excited to have the opportunity."
Oshinowo played in one game with the Cleveland Browns last season as a rookie.
Injury update: Linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer (shoulder), center Olin Kreutz and wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad missed Tuesday's practice, but cornerback Nate Vasher (groin) participated.