CINCINNATI – Injuries have shaken the Bears’ depth at receiver, and now they’ve rattled their defensive front.
Eddie Goldman and Jeremiah Ratliff were injured in second quarter and did not return against the Bengals Saturday night at Paul Brown Stadium.
The Bears’ second-round pick this year, Goldman was pegged for a starting role at nose tackle with the Ratliff suspended for the first three games of the season.
Goldman’s brute strength was a factor in the first quarter when Bengals running back Jeremy Hill was stopped on three runs inside the Bears’ 3-yard line.
But he didn’t play much longer after that. Goldman was hurt on Cincinnati’s first play in the second quarter – a five-yard run over the left guard by Hill.
Ratliff started at left defensive end before leaving with a left ankle injury. He was on crutches and in a walking boot after the game.
“It’s not broken,” coach John Fox said. “I don’t know how much we would have played in him in the last preseason game. … He’s going to have a minute to heal.”
Banged around
There were several Bears players who were injured on Saturday. Cornerback Tracy Porter re-injured his hamstring, while linebacker Jon Bostic left in the fourth quarter with a leg injury.
On offense, running back/returner Senorise Perry (left foot) and receiver John Chiles (concussion) didn’t finish the game.
In the fourth, backup quarterback Jimmy Clausen was hit in the head by linebacker Paul Dawson while trying to slide.
Clausen passed concussion tests afterward, but Fox definitely didn’t like the hit. Dawson wasn’t penalized.
“Player safety is player safety,” Fox said. “We’ve got to fix it. I’m sure they’ll look at it.”
Still sitting out
As expected, injured receivers Alshon Jeffery (calf strain), Eddie Royal (hip) and Marquess Wilson (hamstring) did not play.
Jeffery didn’t travel with the team, while Royal and Wilson watched from the sideline.
“We thought it was better medically that we left him back for treatment,” Fox said. “And that’s what we did.”
Safety Ryan Mundy (hip) and tight end Chris Pantale (illness) remain out.
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Email: ajahns@suntimes.com
