Okwo Placed on Injured Reserve

Head coach Lovie Smith is already down from eight linebackers to seven, as rookie Michael Okwo, a fourth-rounder out of Stanford, injured his shoulder in last Thursday's preseason finale against the Browns and will miss all of 2007.

Per the Chicago Bears:

LAKE FOREST, IL – The Chicago Bears signed fullback Lousaka Polite (pronounced Loo-SOCK-a Puh-LITE) today to their active roster. Polite spent the last three seasons with the Dallas Cowboys after joining the team as an undrafted free agent in 2004. The Woodland Hills, PA native appeared in 27 games for the Cowboys with two career starts. The University of Pittsburgh product has registered 12 receptions for 97 yards and 1 touchdown during his NFL career. Polite also rushed for 26 yards on nine carries with the Cowboys.

The Bears were able to sign Polite after placing linebacker Michael Okwo on injured reserve today due to a shoulder injury he suffered in Chicago ’s 2007 preseason finale. Okwo was selected by the Bears in the third round (94th overall) out of Stanford in this year’s NFL draft.

JC's Take: Okwo will now join the Jamar Williams Memorial Redshirt Club along with fellow rookie Dan Bazuin. GM Jerry Angelo selected two defensive players in the first three rounds of the draft this past April, and now both of them will watch their entire first seasons from the sideline in street clothes. Polite will immediately step in behind Jason McKie at fullback with Obafemi Ayanbadejo currently serving a four-game suspension.

John Crist is the Editor in Chief of BearReport.com and a member of the Professional Football Writers of America. To read him every day, visit BearReport.com and become a Chicago Bears insider.