Bears place rookie Gabe Carimi on IR

For the second time in four days, the Bears placed a former starting offensive lineman on injured reserve.

This time Friday it was rookie right tackle Gabe Carimi, who started the first two games and played so well that offensive line coach Mike Tice called him the team’s best lineman. It was originally hoped Carimi would return from the partially dislocated kneecap in a few weeks. But after practicing for the first time on Nov. 3, Carimi experienced soreness, which necessitated an arthroscopic debridement, a procedure to remove loose or foreign matter. He hasn’t practiced since.

On Monday, Chris Williams, who started the first nine games at left guard, was placed on I.R. following surgery for a dislocated wrist. Even after Carimi’s scope, the Bears had hoped to get him back in December and have him as a backup at both tackle spots.

“It’s disappointing,” said Bears coach Lovie Smith. “But he’s been out awhile, and we’ve played most of the season without him. Gabe eventually will be a great player for us. But right now other guys have stepped up, and we’ve moved on.”

To replace Williams and Carimi, rookie guard Ricky Henry and first-year tackle Levi Horn have been promoted from the practice squad. The 6-foot-4, 310-pound Henry was signed by the Bears as a free agent in July after he went undrafted out of Nebraska this year, even though he started all 28 games in his two years in Lincoln, Neb.

The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Horn was signed as a free agent last year after going undrafted out of Montana, and he spent most of the 2010 season on the practice squad.

Neither Henry nor Horn has ever suited up for an NFL game. But journeyman Frank Omiyale is now the only other offensive lineman on the Bears’ roster aside from the five starters.

Horn described his mindset as “anxious,” and said: “I’ve always gotten a little anxious, even in college. But I try to use that as a positive, and just go out and run with it. I’ll get myself as ready as possible, know the plays inside and out, and (without) getting any reps, go through the plays in my head and the technique that I need to use.”

Even though Horn and Henry are unlikely to play, the O-line will have a new member Sunday when Edwin Williams makes his first start of the season and sixth of his NFL career in place of Chris Williams.

“The biggest thing is the continuity of not being in there with the guys,” Tice said. “So that’s going to take some time; there will be some bumps. But a lot of people in this building felt he had one of the better preseasons of all the guys.”

The Bears are also expected to have a new starter at nickel back, since D.J. Moore was unable to practice Friday for the second straight day after suffering a sprained ankle in Wednesday’s practice. Corey Graham, who took over at nickel last week when Moore was ejected, is the logical replacement.

“This is an opportunity you wait on,” said Graham, who started eight games at cornerback for the Bears in 2008. “It’s been awhile since I got a chance to really play, so I’m just very excited about it.”

Graham, who led the Bears in special teams tackles last season and is second this year, had an interception last week, the second of his five-year career.

“D.J. Moore has made a lot of plays for us,” coach Smith said. “We consider him a starter, similar to the third receiver on offense. We’ll miss him. If he can’t go, Corey Graham has played a lot of football for us, been around here and started a lot of games. He should be OK.”

The Bears did get some good injury-related news Friday, when Lance Briggs (neck), Matt Forte (shoulder), Devin Hester (ankle) and Julius Peppers (knee) all were full participants and listed as “probable.”

The Chargers are in much worse shape. Four starters have already been declared out: offensive tackle Marcus McNeil, linebacker Shaun Phillips, defensive end Luis Castillo and wide receiver Malcom Floyd. Guards Tyronne Green and Louis Vasquez are doubtful, as is cornerback Marcus Gilchrist.

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