The Chicago Bears placed defensive lineman Kentavius Street on injured reserve on 4 November 2026, according to the club's announcement that day. Chicago also signed tight end Stephen Carlson to its active roster and defensive lineman Earnest Brown IV to its practice squad.
Street's knee injury changes Chicago's defensive depth
The Bears' transaction notice lists Street under Reserve/Injured. A separate club report on coach Ben Johnson's media session says Street hurt his knee during Monday's win over the Seattle Seahawks. Johnson indicated that Street was likely to miss the remainder of the season, according to that later account. The club has not set out a specific return date in its roster announcement.
SportsRivo checked the transaction notice against the club's account of Johnson's comments. The second report identifies the knee injury and the Seattle game, details absent from the shorter list of roster moves. That comparison establishes the circumstances of Street's absence without treating a likely season-long absence as a confirmed recovery timetable.
The same coach report says Chicago had acquired Jeffery Simmons the previous week. It records his contribution against Seattle but does not present the trade as a direct replacement for Street. The new injured-reserve placement nevertheless changes the options available to the Bears on their defensive line ahead of the next game.
Carlson and Brown enter different roster groups
Carlson's signing puts another tight end on the active roster. Brown's signing adds a defensive lineman to the practice squad. Those are distinct assignments in the Bears' official notice; the release does not announce that either player will appear against Tampa Bay.
Chicago made these moves between its win in Seattle and its home fixture against the Buccaneers. A previous SportsRivo report on Tampa Bay described the visitors' recent win over Atlanta and identified Chicago as their next opponent. The Bears' own fixture guide confirms the matchup at Soldier Field.
What the moves mean before Tampa Bay
- Street moves off the active roster and onto Reserve/Injured after the knee injury described in the coach report.
- Carlson joins the active roster at tight end, while Brown joins the practice squad as a defensive lineman.
- Chicago enters the Buccaneers fixture with its defensive-line group changed, but the club has not announced game roles for its two new signings.
Bears host the Buccaneers next
The Bears' 4 November fixture guide schedules Tampa Bay at Soldier Field on 8 November 2026. Chicago's roster notice confirms where Carlson and Brown have signed, while the team's game selection remains to be seen.
Source: Chicago Bears