Bears release veteran guard Metcalf

The Bears voluntarily trimmed their already thin offensive line Wednesday by releasing seven-year veteran guard Terrence Metcalf.

Metcalf played in six games as a reserve in 2008 before being suspended for four games by the NFL for violating of the league's substance-abuse policy.

The 6-foot-4, 310-pound Metcalf was a third-round draft pick (93rd overall) out of Mississippi in 2002.

He appeared in 84 games, including 25 starts in seven seasons with the Bears.

Metcalf's best season was in 2005, when he started 13 games for the NFC North champs but missed three of the last four regular-season games and the playoff loss to the Panthers because of a shoulder injury.

With the expected retirement of right tackle John Tait, and with left tackle John St. Clair still on the market as an unrestricted free agent, the Bears have just three offensive linemen who started for them last season: center Olin Kreutz and guards Roberto Garza and Josh Beekman.

They have also added unrestricted free agent Frank Omiyale, who started one game last year for the Panthers.