Three Bears players who started last Sunday's win over the Giants have been ruled out of Thursday's Thanksgiving game against the Lions in Detroit.
Right tackle Bobby Massie injured his ankle versus New York, while receiver Taylor Gabriel and tight end Ben Braunecker sustained concussions.
The Bears also ruled tight end Adam Shaheen (foot), linebacker Danny Trevathan (elbow) and defensive back Sherrick McManis (groin) out of the contest.
At one point this season the Bears had seven tight ends on their 53-man roster and practice squad. But injuries have thinned out the position group with Braunecker and Shaheen now hurt and starter Trey Burton on injured reserve.
The only healthy tight ends remaining are J.P. Holtz, Jesper Horsted and Bradley Sowell on the active roster and Dax Raymond on the practice squad.
Holtz was claimed off waivers from the Redskins Sept. 11 and has lined up at tight end and fullback on occasion, catching two passes for 23 yards.
Horsted signed with the Bears this year as an undrafted rookie from Princeton, where he played wide receiver. He spent the first 10 weeks of the season on the practice squad before being promoted to the active roster and making his NFL debut last Sunday against the Giants. He played four snaps in the game, catching one pass for four yards.
The Lions, meanwhile, announced Wednesday night that third-string quarterback David Blough will start Thursday's game against the Bears.
Second-stringer Jeff Driskel, who has opened Detroit's last three contests in place of the injured Matthew Stafford, hurt his hamstring last Sunday in a loss to the Redskins and was listed as questionable on the injury report after being limited in practice this week. Driskel, nonetheless, will serve as Blough's backup Thursday.
Blough signed with the Browns as an undrafted rookie this year and was traded to the Lions Aug. 30. He appeared in 43 games with 36 starts the past four seasons at Purdue, passing for 9,550 yards with 64 touchdowns and 41 interceptions. He has yet to play in an NFL regular-season game.
When the Bears hosted the Lions Nov. 10 at Soldier Field, an injured Stafford was scratched the morning of the game in favor of Driskel, who completed 27 of 46 passes for 269 yards with one touchdown, one interception and a 73.6 passer rating in a 20-13 Bears victory.
