The Chicago Bears will have to play the rest of the season without their star edge rusher.
According to a report from NFL.com, Khalil Mack will be placed on injured reserve and undergo season-ending foot surgery. Mack has been out since Week 7 and has not participated in any practices since then. He finishes the season with six sacks and seven quarterback hits in seven games.
The Bears did not place him on injured reserve at first, which led to cautious optimism that he'd be able to return within a three-game window (players placed on IR must sit out a minimum of three games), but it appears that will not happen. In Mack's absence, the Bears will have to count on Robert Quinn as their top edge rusher, with support from recently-signed Bruce Irvin, among others.
Mack is not the only Bears defender who will be out for the season. The team also placed linebacker Danny Trevathan on injured reserve, and he is not expected to return this year. Linebacker Cassius Marsh was elevated to the active roster in his place.
Chicago has routinely counted on its defense to cover up for an inconsistent offense, but that will obviously be a much more difficult proposition without two important starters in the lineup.
