The Bears looked impressive last night in San Francisco, fighting back for a road win against a Niners team that led by 13 points after three quarters. However, the Bears certainly didn’t leave the Bay Area entirely healthy. According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the club intends to place veteran defensive back Charles Tillman on season-ending injured reserve with a triceps injury.
Tillman, 33, has been with the Bears since he was selected by the team in the second round of the 2003 draft, and has long been a disruptive force in the team’s secondary. Tillman has grabbed at least three interceptions and forced at least three fumbles in eight of his last nine seasons, and is a year removed from forcing an incredible 10 fumbles in 2012. Still, he was limited to just eight games in 2013 due to a triceps injury that’s apparently similar to the one he suffered last night.
Because he re-signed with the Bears in the offseason on a one-year contract, Tillman figures to hit free agency next March. Heading into this age-34 season, he may be hard-pressed to find a starting role after sustaining back-to-back season-ending injuries.
The Bears will have an open spot on their 53-man roster to fill when they formally place Tillman on IR.