Chicago Bears place Dakota Dozier on IR a week after practice injury

CHICAGO -- The Bears placed Dakota Dozier on injured reserve Tuesday, one week after the veteran offensive lineman suffered an apparent left leg injury during a minicamp practice.

Dozier, 31, was carted off the field toward the end of practice on June 14 when he got hurt nearing the end of a play during the team portion. He did not return for the next two days of the mandatory minicamp.

At the time of his injury, Dozier had been competing at second-team left guard. He had also gotten reps at right guard with the first-team unit earlier this spring.

The Bears signed Dozier to a one-year deal in March after he spent three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. Dozier spent most of the 2021 season on the Vikings' practice squad before being promoted to the active roster in late December. He started 16 games at left guard in 2020.

Chicago filled its available roster spot by signing defensive back Jayson Stanley, a former undrafted free agent who signed with the Atlanta Falcons in 2019 and has played with the Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers. Stanley appeared in eight games for the Seahawks in 2020.