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The Bears put right goaltender Kyle Long on the injured reserve on Saturday, one day before the team took the Bills to New Era Field.
According to the NFL rules, the Bears could be activated long after eight weeks. It would be the eve of the regular season finale on December 30 against the Vikings in Minneapolis. He would also be available for a possible playoff series if he had recovered there by then.
Long's injured right foot in the final minutes of the Bears' 24-10 win over the Jets on Sunday at Soldier Field, when striker Dion Sims landed awkwardly on Long's leg in a pile of players. He had long needed coaches to help him out of the field because he could not bear weight on his right leg.
He was in a walking shoe this week at Halas Hall and was using a scooter to get around.
The Bears hired attacking midfielder Taquan Mizzell to take Long's place in the active lineup. Mizzell, a sophomore that the Bears acquired Ravens waivers last year, has been active for three games in 2017, but has only played two offensive passes and has participated in eight special series .
Long, the 2013 Bears first-round selection and a Pro Bowler in each of his first three seasons, was injured in the right ankle late in 2016, forcing him to miss eight games and requiring surgery on several ligaments and tendons. He also finished the season on a reserve of injured last year before undergoing surgeries at the shoulder, neck and elbows.
Bears coach Matt Nagy said Long's current injury was unrelated to the 2016 ankle injury. Nagy did not give full details of Long's injury, except that There was a problem with a tendon, but the Achilles tendon was not damaged.
Nagy did not reveal how the Bears would change their lineage with Long Out.
Rookie guard James Daniels started for the first time against the Jets after sharing the time spent in the left guard with Eric Kush. He could potentially work full time at the left guard, with Kush moved to the right side – if Kush is healed from a neck injury that has limited him. Veteran Bryan Witzmann, who started 13 games with the Chiefs when Nagy was the offensive coordinator, is another option to fill.
Also on Saturday, the Bears said halfback Ben Braunecker (concussion) and defensive lineman Bilal Nichols (knee) did not travel with the team in Buffalo. Nichols missed training on Thursday and Friday with a condition that Nagy called an overuse injury.
Twitter @ChiTribKane
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