The Bears opened two roster spots Tuesday by putting safety Coby Bryant and backup tight end Hayden Large on injured reserve and used them to sign defensive tackle James Lynch and linebacker Jack Sanborn.
Bryant and Large got hurt during training camp and counted toward the 53-man roster limit when the team made cuts Sunday evening. They do not count now that they’ve been moved to IR.
More significantly, perhaps, was that the Bears did not put left tackle Ozzy Trapilo, defensive end Austin Booker or running back Kyle Monangai on IR. While that could still happen between now and the Sept. 13 season opener at the Panthers, it could indicate the team expects those players to be ready at some point in the first four games.
Bryant was the centerpiece of the Bears’ offseason, coming in from the defending champion Seahawks on a three-year, $40 million deal as a free agent. He could miss the season, however, after a major knee injury the first week of training camp.
He had surgery shortly after, and the team has said his best-case scenario is a mid-December return.
Lynch, 27, was with the Bears from March through training camp and could be an important depth piece after they traded starter Gervon Dexter. He’s going into his sixth season. He played all 17 games, including one start, for the Titans last season.
Sanborn, from Lake Zurich, played his first three seasons for the Bears, then went to the Cowboys last season.