The Bears lost a key part of their offensive line when starting left guard James Daniels exited the Buccaneers game with a pectoral injury. He is out for the season after an MRI confirmed he tore the muscle, the NFL Network reported.
Earlier Friday, coach Matt Nagy said the Bears were still waiting for final word about the injury.
Daniels played about half the game Thursday, which the Bears won 20-19, before heading to the locker room. The Bears replaced him with Alex Bars, a second-year player from Notre Dame.
The Bears could also consider veteran Rashaad Coward, who started 10 games at right guard last season, as the starter.
Daniels, the team’s second-round draft pick in 2018, has started 31 games in three seasons. The Bears tried to move him to center last season, but switched him back to left guard and he appears to have settled into that position this season.
Before the injury Thursday, Daniels had played all but one snap this season.
He is in the third season of his four-year, $7 million rookie deal, which means he’d be up for a contract extension this offseason if the Bears want to continue with him.
