Start the shuffle on the offensive line.
The Bears will be moving parts this week as first-round draft pick Gabe Carimi will miss time after suffering a subluxation of his right kneecap late in the second quarter of Sunday’s loss at New Orleans.
It’s a partial dislocation that is similar to an injury the right tackle suffered during his career at Wisconsin, and in a best-case scenario, he might be sidelined only two games. The best news for the Bears is there isn’t ligament damage.
Carimi was a durable performer in four seasons as a starter for the Badgers, missing only three games. He left the Louisiana Superdome wearing a knee brace.
With right guard Lance Louis possibly out again this week against the Packers, the Bears may have to consider a roster move. Otherwise, they face the potential of going into the game with only six healthy linemen. The team could wait until the end of the week to make a decision on promoting Levi Horn from the practice squad.
Frank Omiyale will replace Carimi at right tackle and Chris Spencer has been filling in for Louis, who has a sprained right ankle. Omiyale will have the task of trying to contain Packers outside linebacker Clay Matthews, who had 11/2 sacks in three games against the Bears last season, including the NFC championship game.
Through Sunday, the Bears have allowed an NFL-high 11 sacks. That statistic begins with the line, but there is plenty of blame to spread around.
The Bears will have their third lineup in three games, making it impossible for continuity to develop for a unit offensive line coach Mike Tice selected after just a week of training camp. Injuries early last season forced five lineup changes in the first eight games.
The Bears’ offense melted down in the second half against the Saints without Carimi. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz abandoned the run and often went empty in the backfield, leaving five offensive linemen to block more pass rushers than that.
It’s a no-win situation if Jay Cutler can’t make a play. All six sacks came in the second half and five were in the fourth quarter, when there were also three false starts.
“You don’t want to take those (sacks) on the blitz,” Omiyale said. “When the defense brings one more than you can (block), sometimes you’ve just got to get it out or get rid of it.”
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