The Bears don’t believe outside linebacker Leonard Floyd tore the ACL in his right knee Sunday. While that doesn’t guarantee the outside linebacker will return this season, it bodes well for his offseason training program.
In a lost season, that’s a victory.
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Coach John Fox couched the team’s optimism Monday — “To our knowledge at this point, right now, he did not (tear his ACL), but that’s as of right now,” he said — but it’s clear Floyd could have suffered greater damage when he was accidentally hit by teammate Kyle Fuller early in the fourth quarter.
Floyd “will miss some time,” Fox said, but the team wasn’t sure if he was headed to injured reserve. With only six games left, it wouldn’t take a catastrophic injury to end his season.
“I think all of those options are available,” Fox said. “Again, we’re still evaluating it.”
Floyd had 5 ½ sacks and a fumble recovery this season, showing the development the team hoped for in his sophomore year.
“I mean, he’s one of our top players,” Fox said. “Obviously disappointing. He was having a heck of a game. He was playing extremely well. It’s unfortunate, but it’s reality.”
Fox has talked all season about the value of experience —both in games and day-to-day work in practice. In that sense, missing the final six games would hurt Floyd’s development.
If he doesn’t play again this season, Floyd would have missed 10 of a possible 32 games through his first two seasons; he suffered two scary concussions last year.
He would also join similar company. Since the Bears traded their 2010 first-round pick for Jay Cutler, they’ve selected seven players in the first round. All but three —rookie quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who’s played six games, former outside linebacker Shea McClellin and Floyd, who could still land there — have gone on injured reserve.
Tackle Gabe Carimi dislocated his kneecap two games into his rookie season in 2011, and eventually went on IR. Guard Kyle Long reached three Pro Bowls but missed the last seven games of last season after breaking his right ankle against the Buccaneers. Fuller missed all last season after seemingly routine arthroscopic knee surgery.
And then there’s receiver Kevin White, the 2015 first-round pick, who has had a season-ending injury in each of his first three seasons. He didn’t play at all as a rookie because of shin surgery. He went on IR in each of the last two years, finishing only three games.
The Bears have only three healthy outside linebackers left — Pernell McPhee, Sam Acho and rookie Isaiah Irving — but inside linebacker Christian Jones said he’d be comfortable moving back to his old position in a pinch.
Whoever takes Floyd’s snaps won’t do him justice.
“I think you’re starting to see more of his athleticism — especially when he goes off the edge, man, it’s hard not to miss his burst,” Jones said. “He can get going at any time in the game.
“It’s huge not having somebody like that.”
Follow me on Twitter @patrickfinley
Email: pfinley@suntimes.com
