Tom Pelissero

USA TODAY Sports

Veteran wide receiver Santonio Holmes has a good chance to be more than a stopgap for the Chicago Bears if he shows enough over the next couple weeks to make the roster.

Marquess Wilson — the smooth, speedy offseason standout who had been in line for the Bears' No. 3 receiver job — is likely to be sidelined until at least midseason, a person with knowledge of the injury told USA TODAY Sports on Monday.

Wilson, 21, broke his collarbone in three places when he was injured in practice two weeks ago, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because injury details were to remain private. He had surgery Aug. 5 and the initial timeline for recovery was set at 12 to 14 weeks.

That could make Wilson a candidate for short-term injured reserve if the Bears believe he can return to help them in the second half of the season. They also could save that designation for another player and put Wilson on season-ending IR, or they could carry Wilson on the 53-man roster in hopes his recovery is faster than expected, though that would take away a spot from a healthy player.

Either way, it has created an opportunity for Holmes, 30, who signed a one-year contract with the Bears on Saturday after four often-disappointing seasons with the New York Jets.

Holmes had his best season in 2009 with the Pittsburgh Steelers — a year after he was named Super Bowl XLIII MVP — but was traded the following offseason to the Jets in the face of another off-field issue and looming substance-abuse suspension. He had just 43 catches for 738 yards and two touchdowns in 15 games over the past two injury-riddled seasons, and the Jets cut him in March.

The Bears have perhaps the NFL's best wideout duo with Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery. But they were counting on Wilson to fill the No. 3 slot vacated by the release of veteran Earl Bennett, who is available again after his release by the Cleveland Browns.

Eric Weems got the first crack to replace Wilson but was cut Saturday after struggling in two preseason games. Another veteran, Josh Morgan, also is in the mix.

The Bears haven't specified a timeline for Wilson's return publicly, though coach Marc Trestman acknowledged he wouldn't be ready for the Sept. 7 opener against the Buffalo Bills. A seventh-round pick from Washington State in 2013, Wilson had two catches for 13 yards as a rookie.

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