Chicago Bears center Grasu likely to miss season with torn ACL

With starting center Hroniss Grasu feared lost for the season with a torn ACL in his right knee, the Bears' already thin offensive line is now looking anorexic.

During Saturday afternoon's practice at Soldier Field, Grasu crumpled to the turf and was carted off the field.

"I actually saw it right in front of me," Bears coach John Fox said. "He just landed pretty funny. We'll see what the extent (is). He was changing direction, and it didn't go well. It was a noncontact injury."

According to Sun-Times reports, an MRI revealed the dreaded torn ACL, which would end Grasu's season. The 2015 third-round draft pick had played impressively during training camp a year after being force fed eight starts as a rookie, during which he played inconsistently.

Critics of the often-maligned grass surface at Soldier Field were quick to blame the turf, which has some noticeable seams. But bad luck may have more to do with the injury than field conditions.

"You can't really blame everything on the field," said Bears defensive end Akiem Hicks, who played at Soldier Field as a member of the New Orleans Saints. "The turf is fine. It's in the same condition that I played on three or four times since I've been in the NFL, so I'm familiar with how it feels and it seems like it's in the same condition."

The logical O-line adjustment is for the Bears to move veteran Ted Larsen into the middle, although rookie left guard Cody Whitehair has taken some snaps at center during training camp practices.

Ten of Larsen's 57 NFL starts have been at center. Whitehair started 51 games at Kansas State at four different O-line positions, but none at center.

"It's not like we only have one," Fox said. "We'll adjust."

Larsen has gotten most of his snaps at right guard with the first team, while starter Kyle Long recovered from a calf injury suffered in the first camp practice.

The greater concern is that with Larsen and Whitehair in the starting lineup, the Bears have almost no depth. Of the backups, only fifth-year veteran Amini Silatolu has any significant NFL experience. The 6-foot-4, 320-pound Silatolu started 28 games over the past four years with the Carolina Panthers, but he just recently returned to practice after starting camp on the PUP (physically unable to perform list) following ACL surgery last year.

The Bears signed veteran interior lineman Manny Ramirez on March 30th, but he retired June 8th.

In May the Bears' cut longtime starter Matt Slauson, who started all 16 games last season, 12 at left guard and four at center when Will Montgomery and Grasu were injured.

Slauson is now the San Diego Chargers' starting center.

Grasu had been enjoying an impressive camp before his injury after an off-season spent adding bulk and strength.

"I'm in contact with him literally and figuratively about every play," quarterback Jay Cutler said last week. "I think he's done a fabulous job, and I do believe him, that probably every single day he was doing something to help him be a better football player.

"That's just the type of football player he is. He doesn't want to let anybody down out there, and I'm really happy with where he's at. I know the coaches are really happy with where he's at. He's continuing to get better and better as a player."

• Follow Bob's Bears reports on Twitter @BobLeGere.