Bears’ Cameron Meredith Suffers Gruesome Knee Injury; ACL Tear Suspected

The Chicago Bears’ thin wide receiver corps may have gotten even thinner this weekend.

Bears wideout Cameron Meredith went down with a nasty-looking left knee injury during the first quarter of Chicago’s preseason game against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Meredith had to be helped onto a cart with an air cast supporting his leg, and the team appears to be bracing for the worst.

In fact, the injury was so bad that the FOX broadcast refused to show a replay of Meredith’s injury. You can watch it below, but be warned: It’s graphic.

The injury comes at a tough time for Meredith, who was coming off a breakout season in 2016 and appeared ready to take another step forward in 2017. An undrafted free agent out of Illinois State in 2015, Meredith led the Bears in both receptions (66) and receiving yards (888) last season while catching four touchdown passes. With Alshon Jeffery traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, the 24-year-old was slotted as Chicago’s No. 1 receiver entering this season.

The Bears have very little receiving depth behind Meredith, as tight end Zach Miller was the club’s third-leading receiver in 2016 behind Meredith and Jeffery. Second-year receiver Kevin White could see more action but played in just four games as a rookie in 2016, while offseason acquisition Markus Wheaton is sidelined while recovering from a fractured finger. Chicago also signed veteran wideout Victor Cruz this offseason, but its passing attack doesn’t look to potent at the moment with quarterback Mike Glennon at the helm.

Meredith was one of several NFL players to suffer a major injury this weekend, as Julian Edelman and Spencer Ware both are expected to miss the season with ACL and PCL injuries, respectively.

Thumbnail photo via Christopher Hanewinckel/USA TODAY Sports Images