Report: Bears lose Henry Melton for season with torn ACL

Henry Melton was injured Sunday night against the Steelers. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

Bears defensive tackle Henry Melton has torn his left ACL and is out for the season, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Melton planted his left leg awkwardly while he was rushing Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on a fourth-down pass attempt on Sunday night. Melton immediately fell to the turf and stayed down on the field for several minutes before being loaded onto a cart.

The loss of Melton could be a big blow to the Bears Cover-2 scheme, which thrives on his presence in the middle.

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Melton had six sacks on his way to a Pro Bowl berth last year, and was anticipating unrestricted free agency after the 2013 season. He began 2013 playing under a one-year, $8.45 million franchise tender after hoping to receive a long-term deal with the Bears.