Young could be out for season
Outside linebacker, who has two sacks, suffered triceps injury
Outside linebacker Willie Young won’t play Monday, and maybe not anytime soon.
He has a tear in his triceps, a source confirmed Saturday. The injury could be season- ending.
Young was injured this week. He was a limited participant in practice Thursday but did not participate Friday or Saturday. On Saturday, the Bears ruled him doubtful for the game Monday night against the Vikings, but coach John Fox offered little further detail.
Initially, Young thought he could play through the injury. He has two sacks and has played on 48 percent of the defensive snaps, serving as the steady veteran opposite Leonard Floyd. He had 7 ½ sacks last year.
The Bears will have to hunt the Vikings’ quarterback with Pernell McPhee, Floyd and others. But which one? Sam Bradford, who hasn’t played since the season opener because of a left knee injury, was limited in practice Saturday and ruled questionable for the game. If he can’t play, the Vikings will stick with Case Keenum, who has started their last three games.
The Bears signed Young away from the Lions in 2014 and gave him a two- year, $ 11.05 million extension in July 2016 that runs through 2018. In between, he moved from defensive end to outside linebacker when defensive coordinator Vic Fangio arrived in 2015.
Seeking added outside- linebacker depth, the Bears signed Howard Jones on Friday to their practice squad. He played in 20 games with the Buccaneers from 2015 to 2016. In 2015, he had five sacks. The Bears could promote an outside linebacker to the 53- man roster Sunday.
“You lose a starter — I think there’s a reason they’re the starter — but, you know, I feel good about our backups,” Fox said. “I feel good about the replacement people we’ve had in there. We’ve got more depth this season than we’ve had in the past. So I feel confident in the people we’ll have out there and the options we have.”
Young’s injury is another significant blow to the Bears’ defense. Inside linebacker Jerrell Freeman was put on injured reserve with a pectoral injury suffered in Week 1. His replacement, Nick Kwiatkoski, avoided the designation with a similar but less serious injury in Week 2. He hasn’t practiced since and was listed as doubtful for the game against Minnesota.
Inside linebacker Danny Trevathan also will miss the game after being suspended for a violent hit on Packers wide receiver Davante Adams last week. Adams, who suffered a concussion, traveled with the Packers to Dallas on Saturday.
Center Hroniss Grasu ( hand), who was limited in practice, and cornerback Marcus Cooper ( back) are questionable. Fox said Cooper, who did not practice Saturday, “had some back spasms.” The team will assess him further Sunday. Cooper started against the Packers but rotated with Prince Amukamara.
Defensive end Akiem Hicks ( foot) practiced in full and is expected to start.
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