Brutal news if true.  We really have to assess our scouting skills if true.  You waste a #14 pick on a guy with a bad back?

From rotoworld:

Bears first-round LT Chris Williams underwent surgery Thursday to repair a herniated disc in his back.

Profootballtalk.com is hearing rumors that Williams may be lost for the year. John St. Clair, who's resembled a swinging gate in past starting chances, will likely start at Indianapolis in the season opener. Assuming he's healthy, Colts RE Dwight Freeney (foot) should be licking his chops

From the Sun Times:

The organization that has had three first-day draft picks spend their entire rookie season on injured reserve over the last two season has had another serious injury.

First-round draft pick Chris Williams has had surgery to repair a herniated disc in his lower back. The plan is to keep him on the 53-man roster at this point, but when the offensive tackle will be able to return, no one can say.

The Bears are considering adding a veteran, including ex-Bear Fred Miller, and have already cleared a roster spot by placing running back Matt Lawrence on injured reserve.

The Bears are comparing the situation to what cornerback Charles Tillman underwent last season. Tillman had surgery following Super Bowl XLI to repair a herniated disc. That surgery happened in February and he was not cleared to fully return to drills until June.

If Williams follows a similar timetable, his chances of playing this season would have to be considered slim. Tillman is a cornerback. As a lineman, Williams is taking pounding on every play.

Williams was injured July 24 in the second practice of training camp, a non-contact drill. The team said it was a muscular issue but when that issue calmed down, they detected the disc issue. Team physician Mark Bowen and Dr. Srdjan Morkovic performed the surgery late Wednesday night.

 

 

According to a report by ESPN's Chris Mortensen, Rodney Harrison has been suspended by the NFL for four games after admitting to obtaining Human Growth Hormone.

I know this is not necessarily related to the Bears directly, but it will more than likely have a huge effect on the NFL.  HGH is not currently tested for,  but it seems like something will be right around the corner after this.

Also, NE now has a pretty mediocre secondary which bodes well for the rest of the NFL, including the Bears.

Robothal:

The White Sox have reached agreement with right fielder Jermaine Dye on a two-year, $22 million contract extension, FOXSports.com has learned. The deal will include a mutual option for a third season. Dye, 33, would be the second potential free agent to remain with the White Sox at a below-market rate, joining left-hander Mark Buerhle, who agreed to a four-year, $56 million extension at the All-Star break. Gonzales: Dye will receive $9.5 million in 2008 and $11.5 million in 2009. The mutual option is $12 million for 2010, with a $1 million buyout. Merkin: Dye had originally spoken of this deal potentially being his last contract but amended that statement to being his last significant multi-year deal. ... "I just wanted to be treated fair, that's it," said Dye, who admitted that he was willing to take less money on the open market in order to be with a team with whom he felt comfortable and had a chance to win a World Series. "I don't want to speculate on money and all that stuff."

There are at least 9 players under the Sox control for 2008, and others like Uribe, Erstad, Cintron, Podsednik, and Crede all have Arb or Team Options.

This extension pretty much guarantees the end of at least one Starter not named Danks and probably Uribe and Crede.

I know it is not Bears related, but it is huge news.

"Two NFL sources said that commissioner Roger Goodell likely will announce this week or next the suspension of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick for the 2007 season."

"That's the direction it's going and has been from the time this started," one of the sources said this week.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AmduGE4ZvhRemj.dFr7eL345nYcB?slug=jc-vick081207&prov=yhoo& amp;type=lgns

Cornerback Dante Wesley, signed by the Bears in 2006 from the Carolina Panthers, is headed elsewhere. He was made expendable by the rapid development of rookie Trumaine McBride. "Dante is not in our plans anymore," Smith said. "We're seeing what options there are out there for him."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cs-070805bearsbits,1,6789272.story

       Sept. 9 at San Diego, 4:15 p.m.
       Sept. 16 Kansas City, 4:15 p.m.
       Sept. 23 Dallas, 8:15 p.m.
       Sept. 30 at Detroit, 1 p.m.
       Oct. 7 at Green Bay, 8:15 p.m.
       Oct. 14 Minnesota, 1 p.m.
       Oct. 21 at Philadelphia, 4:15 p.m.
       Oct. 28 Detroit, 1 p.m.
       Nov. 4 BYE
       Nov. 11 at Oakland, 4:15 p.m.
       Nov. 18 x-at Seattle, 8:15 p.m.
       Nov. 25 Denver, 1 p.m.
       Dec. 2 New York Giants, 4:15 p.m.
       Dec. 6 at Washington, 8:15 p.m.
       Dec. 17 at Minnesota, 8:30 p.m.
       Dec. 23 Green Bay, 1 p.m.
       Dec. 30 New Orleans, 1 p.m.

According to the NFL Network, the Bears and Lance Briggs/Drew Rosenhaus have begun working on a long term extension.

This would represent a major change from both camps as Briggs has consistently said he will never play another down for the Bears and the Bears have consistently said they will not offer Briggs a long term deal.

Now this could just be misinformation from the previous statements by Rosenhaus or this could actually have some life behind it.

Unbelievable.

Mark Buehrle was willing to go forward and make a deal with the Chicago White Sox that didn't include a no-trade clause, but his overture was rejected.

The White Sox had offered Buehrle a four-year, $56 million deal, and Buehrle had insisted on a full no-trade clause. According to a source familiar with negotiations, the White Sox asked for possible solutions to the impasse. Buehrle's side suggested a new structure, without a blanket no-trade clause -- a four-year, $56 million deal, and if Buehrle was traded, then a $17 million player option for 2012 would kick in. This way, if Buehrle were traded, then his deal would get closer to his current market value; five years and $73 million is equal to what Roy Oswalt got with the Astros last fall.

But the White Sox turned down the proposal, and continue to market Buehrle aggressively. Buehrle threw eight scoreless innings Saturday, and as he walked off the field after the top of the eighth, he waved his cap -- perhaps for the last time with the White Sox.

*****

Update (wiz): Mark Buehrle's agent Jeff Berry, says 'final overtures were rejected':

"Mark loves playing for the White sox and has the utmost respect for everyone in the organization. In an effort to bridge the contractual impasse, we offered a sensible alternative to a full no-trade clause. Those final overtures were rejected and at this point, Mark hopes for resolution prior to the start of the second half," Berry said.

Pro Bowl defensive tackle Tommie Harris returned to practice for the Chicago Bears on Monday, providing relief and optimism to a position severely thinned by defections and suspension.

Harris had been sidelined since December by a hamstring injury that kept him out for the final month of the season and the playoffs. He underwent surgery in December to repair a torn left hamstring tendon and was cleared late last week by the Dallas surgeon who performed the procedure to return to the practice field.

His return to practice was first reported Monday evening by the team's Web site.

Although he is not yet at full speed, Harris said his left leg is strong and he anticipates no problem being recovered for the start of training camp late next month.

"It felt good and I wasn't even pushing it really hard yet," Harris said after an organized team activities session.

The team's first-round draft choice in 2004, Harris, although only 24, generally is acknowledged as one of the NFL's premier interior linemen, and he was voted to a second straight Pro Bowl appearance despite playing in only 12 games in 2006. In those dozen appearances, the former Oklahoma star had 48 tackles and five sacks.

.......
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2901537

It's Official!

NEW YORK (AP) -- Tank Johnson of the Chicago Bears was suspended by the NFL for the first eight games of the 2007 regular season for violating the league's new personal conduct policy.

The defensive tackle recently served a two-month jail stint on a probation violation on gun-related charges.

Goodell said Johnson's suspension could be reduced to six games if he has no further involvement with law enforcement and undergoes counseling.

After meeting with Goodell last month upon his release, Johnson said he was ready to accept whatever punishment Goodell handed down and that he wants to become the NFL's "Man of the Year," the player honored for being its best citizen.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Ag5TP2HHLrKYA2QPc.uqiI05nYcB?slug=ap-tankjohnsonsuspended&prov=ap&type=lgns