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Chicago Bears tight end Martellus Bennett going on IR

By John Buhler

Dec 6, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears tight end Martellus Bennett (83) is tackled by San Francisco 49ers inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman (53) during the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 6, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears tight end Martellus Bennett (83) is tackled by San Francisco 49ers inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman (53) during the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /
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Martellus Bennett’s 2015 season with the Chicago Bears is officially over, as the team placed their tight end on Injured Reserve Tuesday afternoon.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Chicago Bears have placed starting tight end Martellus Bennett on season-ending IR with a rib injury. Schefter also reports that the Bears have signed tight end Rob Housler.

The Bears are coming off a tough overtime loss at home in Week 13 to the San Francisco 49ers, falling to 5-7 on the year. Chicago’s hopes for the NFC Playoffs have taken a turn for the worse as their starting tight end in Bennett will not play for them for the rest of 2015.

At 5-7, the Bears will need to win at least three of their final four games to have a shot at making the NFC Playoffs, as both NFC North rivals in the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings are 8-4, three games ahead in the divisional race. Chicago trails the 7-5 Seattle Seahawks for the final NFC Wild Card spot by two games.

Bennett, who made a Pro Bowl with the Bears in 2014, finishes 2015 with 53 receptions for 439 receiving yards and three touchdown catches. Under the new coaching staff in place in Chicago, Bennett along with offensive tackle Kyle Long and running back Jeremy Langford were considered franchise-caliber pieces for this rebuilding team.

Chicago has exceeded expectations in 2015, already matching their win total from the year before in the final season of the Marc Trestman era in the Windy City. Though Housler, who last played the Cleveland Browns this season, has 55 career games and 105 career receptions under his belt, sending Bennett to IR signifies that the Bears may no longer envision themselves as a legitimate playoff with their 5-7 record entering Week 14.

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