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Bears place Henry Melton on IR, expect to sign DT Landon Cohen as replacement

By Spongie
Brian A. Westerholt

The Bears have placed Henry Melton, who tore an ACL during Sunday's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, on Injured Reserve.  On Tuesday they worked out two defensive tackles and the team is expected to sign one of them, fifth-year veteran Landon Cohen.

The Tribune's Brad Biggs reports that:

Cohen, 27, will be able to fill in immediately for the Bears if the coaches want to use him because he is familiar with the defensive scheme. He was active for the Dallas Cowboys in the first two weeks of the season and former Bears defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli is using the same system there as the line coach. Marinelli actually drafted Cohen when he was the head coach of the Detroit Lions, so he’s been a fit for this system.

Furthermore, Cohen has ties to the current staff as he appeared in two games for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2010, under current Bears defensive coordinator Mel Tucker. Brad Biggs thinks he projects to be a three-technique but warns: "...it would be a stretch to believe he can make near the impact Melton did."

With Zach Minter also in the mix for third DT in the rotation, it seems likely that Corey Wootton and/or Julius Peppers will only be rotated inside in the nickel package.

What are your thoughts? Journeyman veteran drafted for the system, or rookie UDFA who's also presumably a fit for the system, to be the 3rd DT in the Bears' rotation?

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