Bears NT Billings put on IR, likely out for season

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Chicago Bears nose tackle Andrew Billings was placed on injured reserve Thursday after undergoing surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle. He is expected to miss the remainder of the 2024 season.

The defensive tackle exited the second half of Chicago’s 29-9 loss at Arizona in Week 9 with the injury and was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game.

Billings has played in all 25 games game since joining the Bears as a free agent in 2023 and signed a contract extension halfway through last season. In eight games this season, Billings logged 13 tackles and one sack.

“It’s huge,” Bears defensive coordinator Eric Washington said of the void Billings creates. “Andrew [is] just a big physical guy. He’s elevated his game this year in terms of being able to affect the quarterback. He can play from his position to the sidelines, so there’s no replacing Andrew just his leadership, the example that he sets every single day in the meeting rooms and on the practice field. We’ll step up behind him, but it’s something you don’t replace a person like that. A pro like that, but I have tremendous confidence in the players that will step into that position and give us a chance to go out and do the things that we need to do.”

The Bears will look to a combination of players to fill Billings role, including former third-round defensive tackle Zacch Pickens, who missed time this season after tearing his groin, Chris Williams and Byron Cowart.