Briggs' season over, career may be as well

Seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs has likely played his last game in a Bears uniform and maybe in the NFL.

Briggs, who turned 34 earlier this month, suffered a groin injury in the Week 12 victory over the Bucs and missed Thursday's loss to the Lions, was placed on injured reserve Friday.

Originally, it was assumed the 12-year veteran would miss at least another game or two after he said as much on his weekly TV show.

But the decision was made to shut down the second-leading tackler in franchise history (behind Brian Urlacher), which means more playing time for 2013 second-round draft pick Jon Bostic and undrafted rookie Christian Jones.

Briggs is collecting $5.5 million in the final year of his three-year, $17.5 million contract and will be an unrestricted free agent in March but is not expected to attract much attention in the market at his age and with his recent injury history.

Briggs led the Bears in tackles five times (2004, 2008-09 and 2011-12), and he had more than 100 tackles in nine straight seasons (2004-12).

His 170 starts are the fifth most in franchise history, behind Walter Payton (184), Olin Kreutz (183), Brian Urlacher (180) and Mike Singletary (172).

In his first 10 seasons after being drafted in the third round out of Arizona in 2003, Briggs missed just four games. But he missed seven last year with a fractured shoulder.

He missed three games earlier this season with a rib injury and, even when healthy, was not nearly the same impact player who went to even straight Pro Bowls (2005-11).

Briggs had 63 tackles this season and, despite missing five of 12 games, he's still second on a disappointing defense.

With Briggs now on IR, kicker Robbie Gould and center Roberto Garza are the only remaining players on the 53-man roster from the Super Bowl XLI team.