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The Bears' first-round draft pick might not see the field as a rookie. Tackle Chris Williams — the first offensive lineman taken by Jerry Angelo on the first day of the draft in six years — underwent surgery Wednesday night to repair a herniated disc in his lower back. The current plan is to carry him on the active 53-man roster, but there's no guarantee he will be back on the field this year.

It's a disaster for a team that planned to rebuild its offensive line this season and already lost left guard Terrence Metcalf, at least temporarily, to arthroscopic knee surgery earlier this week. The Bears are comparing the surgery Williams had to what cornerback Charles Tillman underwent in 2007. He had a herniated disc repaired after Super Bowl XLI and was not cleared for a full return until the end of the offseason program in June. If Williams has a similar timeline, there is no way he'll suit up this season, even if he takes up a roster spot. Linemen, unlike cornerbacks, take a pounding every play.

''[The doctors] are very confident he will be ready to go during the season,'' Angelo said. ''We had it with Marcus Robinson, we had it with Charles Tillman. The time frame might be a little bit different than their timetable, but he's going to be healed and ready to go. We have to wait and see probably for a few weeks and see how the rehab is.''

Source: Sun-Times