The Bears will put inside linebacker Roquan Smith on injured reserve, ending his season, coach Matt Nagy said Monday.
The former first-round pick tore a pectoral muscle against the Cowboys on Thursday night.
In the last month or so, Smith had begun playing like the all-pro candidate the Bears believed him to be at the start of the season.
“Overall, I really thought that you felt him, especially here the last couple games, really turn it on,” Nagy said.
The Bears replaced Smith with veteran Kevin Pierre-Louis on Thursday. Starter Danny Trevathan, who dislocated his elbow earlier this season, could return at some point before the season’s end.