Chicago Bears wide receiver Markus Wheaton out 4-6 weeks

Chicago Bears Markus Wheaton is injured yet again. He is expected to miss 4-6 weeks

The Chicago Bears cannot stay healthy. Markus Wheaton cannot stay healthy. Wheaton has already missed two games this season, and now he is expected to miss multiple more. Markus Wheaton is expected to miss four to six weeks with a groin injury.

Wheaton first missed time this year with a surprise appendectomy in training camp. Then, it was a broken pinky that held him out into the season. Last season for the Pittsburgh Steelers Markus Wheaton missed 13 games with a shoulder injury.

The fact that they are not all the same injury gives you some hope that it will not be an ongoing thing. However, at the same time, this signing looks like a complete bust. On a two-year deal, the team is going to get just three games out of potentially the first 10 games of his contract. Add in that in those three games he looked lost and out of the offense, and it is tough to believe that he will even be injected right back into the offense when he gets healthy.

This does open the door for some young wide receivers, though. Tre McBride has already won an outside spot and was going to play opposite Wheaton. With Kendall Wright in the slot, these Wheaton snaps are going to have to go to Tanner Gentry, the preseason favorite or special teamer Josh Bellamy.

The team is 1-4. They know exactly what they have with Bellamy. Gentry is actually a solid fit stylistically across from McBride. The Bears can at least use the next 11 games to see if either of these two young wide receivers can stick, and be a potential starter heading into next season.

Next: Mitchell Trubisky shows off mobility

Given Wheaton’s cap hit in 2018, he will be hard to move on from next year. Still, if Gentry is playing well with Mitchell Trubisky, the smart move could be to ride the hot hand, even when Wheaton is back and healthy.