Kicker Robbie Gould suffered a season-ending calf injury during pregame warmups this past Sunday . (US Presswire)

The Chicago Bears' special teams have largely been free of the injury wave to hit the offense and defense in recent weeks -- until now.

When the Bears host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday in a game with huge playoff implications, they'll be without kicker Robbie Gould and two other players who have had big roles on coverage and return units, Craig Steltz and Sherrick McManis. 

Gould, the fourth-most accurate kicker in the history of the NFL (.856, 208 of 243 field goals) is out for the year because of a calf injury suffered during pregame warmups this past Sunday. The team put him on injured reserve Tuesday, and he'll be replaced by Olindo Mare, who competed in an open tryout and beat out Neil Rackers and Billy Cundiff. 

Mare, 39, has been a kicker mostly for warm weather or dome teams. He kicked for Carolina, New Orleans, and Miami. Seattle was the only non-warm weather or dome team he has kicked for, and he spent 2008-2010 with the Seahawks. He was with Miami for 10 years. 

Mare's career average is 81.2 percent (350 of 431). He has made 19 of 43 from 50 yards and beyond and doesn't carry along the stigma of missing a big kick in the playoffs like Cundiff or Rackers. In postseason play, Mare is 12 of 14 on field goals. Cundiff has the same mark, but missed the 32-yarder that would have put Baltimore in overtime against New England in the AFC title game. Rackers has made just 9 of 14 postseason field goal tries.

Steltz suffered a chest injury and McManis a knee injury against the Vikings on Sunday and both have been put on injured reserve. Steltz had seven special-teams tackles this year and 44 for his career. McManis was third in special-teams tackles with 10 this year, one behind Eric Weems and Blake Costanzo.

The Bears are expected to add another defensive back after losing Steltz, who was the third safety and played in short yardage and goal-line packages or extensive minutes against run-heavy offenses.

To fill the roster spots, the Bears promoted WR Joe Anderson from the practice squad and signed linebacker Jerry Franklin. The 6-1, 245-pound Franklin was an undrafted free agent with the Denver Broncos out of Arkansas. He also was on practice squads with Dallas and Carolina.

The Bears still have one more addition to the 53-man roster to make because they also cut former Cowboys C/G Andre Gurode, who was signed two weeks ago after knee injuries by Chris Spencer and Lance Louis. It's possible Spencer could be ready to play this week. Louis is on IR. 

The Bears brought G Chris Riley back to their practice squad to fill Anderson's spot.

Follow Bears reporter Gene Chamberlain on Twitter @CBSBears.