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The Chicago Bears have placed an 18th player on injured reserve in wide receiver Eddie Royal. Cornerback Kyle Fuller is still technically on IR, but the Bears have a couple more days in his 21 day window to evaluate him before either activating him off IR or shutting him down for good.
Royal hasn’t played since week 12 with a bothersome toe injury and with no guaranteed money due next season, the odds are good that the Bears cut him to save $5 million in 2017. Royal ends his 2nd Bears season with 9 games played, 33 receptions, 369 yards and 2 touchdowns. His 2015 season ended with just 9 games played, 37 receptions, 238 yards and 1 TD.
Royal is the 3rd Bears receiver to end up on IR after Kevin White and Marquess Wilson.
Chicago currently has Alshon Jeffery, Cameron Meredith, Deonte Thompson, Josh Bellamy and Daniel Braverman at the receiver position. They have two WRs on the practice squad, Bralon Addison and Dres Anderson.
Inside linebacker Jerrell Freeman is back this week after finishing his 4 game suspension for PED use. Even after missing four weeks, Freeman still leads the team with 91 tackles. The interior of their D could use his veteran leadership after surrendering nearly 10 yards per carry to the Packers yesterday.
Here are a few other nuggets from Halas Hall today.
#Bears HC John Fox on Sunday's loss to GB: "The biggest factor in that game was minus-four in the turnover ratio."
— Larry Mayer (@LarryMayer) December 19, 2016
#Bears coach John Fox on QB Matt Barkley: "He's been given the opportunity. He's made the most of it."
— Zach Zaidman (@ZachZaidman) December 19, 2016
#Bears HC John Fox: "At 3-11, we have a lot of work to do. That's probably an understatement."
— Larry Mayer (@LarryMayer) December 19, 2016
#Bears coach John Fox: "If you haven't been beat as a corner, you haven't played...[LeBlanc] is a tough young man who will respond right."
— Zach Zaidman (@ZachZaidman) December 19, 2016
Fox: "At 3-11 we have a lot of work to do. That’s probably an understatement."
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 19, 2016
#Bears coach John Fox: "You hire coaches to coach. I do trust our coaches."
— Zach Zaidman (@ZachZaidman) December 19, 2016
What are your thoughts as the Bears head into their last two games of the 2016 season?