By Vaughn McClure
CLEVELAND -- Bears linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer did not make the trip for Thursday's final exhibition with the Browns.
Hillenmeyer missed Tuesday's practice with an undisclosed illness. He started last Saturday's game against the Cardinals with Brian Urlacher sidelined by a calf injury.
With Hillenmeyer at home and Urlacher being held out of Thursday's game, Kevin Malast will start at middle linebacker for the Bears.
Starting weak-side linebacker Lance Briggs is also out with an ankle injury. Brian Iwuh is expected to start in his place.
CLEVELAND -- Bears linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer did not make the trip for Thursday's final exhibition with the Browns.
Hillenmeyer missed Tuesday's practice with an undisclosed illness. He started last Saturday's game against the Cardinals with Brian Urlacher sidelined by a calf injury.
With Hillenmeyer at home and Urlacher being held out of Thursday's game, Kevin Malast will start at middle linebacker for the Bears.
Starting weak-side linebacker Lance Briggs is also out with an ankle injury. Brian Iwuh is expected to start in his place.
There;s little incentive to be "healthy" when your team sucks. It's amazing how players recover so much more quickly when they're team is in the hunt...but when times are tough, might as well just rehab and protect your body for the next season--or better yet, another team.
They will trade down pick 3 players and all 3 players if they keep the current staff will be cut in 2 years.
With the first pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears select ...
The entire starting linebacker core out for tonight's game, even though Pisa would probably start next week vs. Detroit over Roach even if he were ready to go. However, this is the most disconcerting aspect of the team currently. Last year the defense struggled mightily without it's best group healthy, the LB's. Da Bears need them to be a force in the middle and sideline to sideline. They must be fast and aggressive. Clearly, those talents are influenced greatly by leg and foot injuries. The real games haven't even begun and last year's issues are already rearing their ugly heads.