The Chicago Bears place Martellus Bennett on Injured Reserve

The Chicago Bears have decided that the rib injury sustained by tight end Martellus Bennett is severe enough to end his 2015 season. Bennett originally hurt his ribs during the week 11 game, he then missed the trip to Green Bay the following week, but was active on Sunday. He aggravated the injury at one point, but he still toughed it out playing in 60 of 78 (77%) of the offensive snaps.

With only one year remaining on Bennett's contract after this year, it is possible he has played his last game as a Bear.

To take Bennett's place on the roster the Bears have signed five year pro Rob Housler. The 6'5", 250 pound tight end was originally picked in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft by Arizona out of Florida Atlantic University. Housler worked out for the Bears last week.

Coming out of college scouts pegged Housler as an athletic pass catching Joker TE, that needed to work on his blocking. He ran a 4.55 forty yard dash at the combine.

Housler has 27 starts in 61 games with Arizona (2011-14) and Cleveland (2015). He was let go by the Browns a month ago. In his career he has 106 receptions for 1,139 yards and one touchdown.

Former Bears practice squad quarterback Matt Blanchard was signed back to Chicago's practice squad today. To make room for the Lake Zurich, Illinois native, the Bears terminated the practice squad contract of quarterback Justin Worley.

After originally being signed by the Bears as an UDFA in 2012 from Wisconsin-Whitewater, Blanchard spent time with the Carolina Panthers, Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts.

The Bears also announced that rookie tackle Tayo Fabuluje has been removed from the reserve/suspended by the commissioner list, but the team currently has a roster exemption for him.