Bears’ Andrew Billings Undergoes Surgery

NOVEMBER 7: Billings’ surgery (which did indeed address a tear) was a success, as noted by ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. As he turns his attention to rehab, a stint on injured reserve will officially begin in the coming days.

NOVEMBER 6: While the Bears used two Day 2 picks on defensive tackles last year, they have kept veteran Andrew Billings in the starting lineup. Billings, who signed an extension last year, has started all eight Chicago games this year.

Billings’ run will pause, however, with Matt Eberflus indicating (via The Athletic’s Adam Jahns) the eighth-year D-tackle will require surgery to repair a pectoral injury. Although the NFL saw a few players return after early-season pec tears last year, Billings having suffered a tear would almost definitely sideline him for the season. It is not known if a full tear occurred, though.

The Bears gave Billings a two-year, $8MM extension last November; he has started 25 straight games since joining the team as a 2023 free agent. Billings, 29, initially caught on with the Bears via a one-year, $2.75MM deal. He has provided a good return on that investment, having played 60% of the Bears’ defensive snaps this season — his highest total since 2018.

Pro Football Focus has Billings slotted just inside the top 50 overall among interior D-linemen but has him graded as a top-10 player at the position in the pass-rushing department — even if the seasoned pro has just one sack and three QB hits this season. An IR placement would shelve Billings for four games, but it sounds like his upcoming absence will last longer.

Chicago drafted Gervon Dexter in the 2023 second round and Zacch Pickens in the third. The team traded for former Eberflus Colts charge Chris Williams just before the season as well. Pickens and Williams figure to see more time alongside Dexter moving forward. Dexter has joined Billings in making eight starts for a Bears team that was linked to DT additions this offseason.