CHICAGO, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- The Chicago Bears Tuesday learned that guard Rex Tucker is lost for the balance of the 2002 campaign. He was carted off the field early in the third quarter of Monday night's costly 34-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers with a dislocated left ankle.
Tucker, a 6-5, 315-pounder, was injured when Packers linebacker Nate Wayne fell on the back of his leg while tackling running back Anthony Thomas.
"That was a big blow," said Bears quarterback Jim Miller. "He's worked so hard, he's been so solid for us. That was a very severe injury that he sustained. It was not pretty out there. That hurts to lose that leadership. He protects the inside of our O-line."
Meanwhile, wide receiver David Terrell also was injured against Green Bay. The second-year pro from Michigan suffered a stress fracture in his right foot and is out indefinitely.
Tucker is the second starter the Bears have lost for the season in as many weeks. Linebacker Warrick Holdman had surgery last Monday to repair a torn ACL in last weekend's overtime loss in Buffalo.
In all, six Bears' starters have been sidelined this season, including defensive tackle Ted Washington, who remains out indefinitely with foot and ankle injuries.
Mike Gandy, a third-round draft pick in 2002 from Notre Dame, replaced Tucker against the Packers, and likely will assume his starting job. There's also a chance the Bears could move Bernard Robertson from left tackle to guard and install first-round pick Marc Colombo as the starter at left tackle.
"Rex is one of those people on the line that we depend on, and to have him gone, somebody's just going to have to step up," said right tackle James "Big Cat" Williams. "We've had a lot of injuries this year. You can't blame any of the losses on losing people. Our young fellas are going to have to step up and older guys are going to have to step up too. We're all going to have to pull (at least) our weight."
The Bears have an open date Sunday. Their next game is Oct. 20 at Detroit.
