Hillenmeyer ready for shot

Hunter Hillenmeyer said Monday that he was ready to play middle linebacker for the Bears this season – just don't expect him to be Brian Urlacher.

Urlacher, who dislocated his right wrist in the first quarter of Sunday's game against the Packers, underwent surgery Monday and will miss the rest of the season. Urlacher played the rest of the first half with the injury before the team's doctors kept him out in the second half.

Enter Hillenmeyer, 28, who has started 56 games in seven seasons with the Bears. Most of that action has come at outside linebacker, but Hillenmeyer said he liked playing middle linebacker.

"Especially from an assignment standpoint, I feel very comfortable," Hillenmeyer said. "Now, trying to fill Brian Urlacher’s shoes is another story. I don’t think that anybody can come in and do what he does, and that’s not what I’ll try to do.

"I’ll try to do the best job that I can," he said. "Obviously he’s a guy that you can’t replace."

Bears coach Lovie Smith said the team was looking to add another linebacker to the roster. Besides Urlacher's season-ending injury, outside linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa sprained his knee Sunday and could miss next week's game against the Steelers.

Hillenmeyer said he was ready to start.

"Honestly, you prepare every week like that’s the case," Hillenmeyer said. "I prepared last week like I was starting. Obviously you don’t get the reps in practice, but mentally, I didn’t feel overwhelmed out there.

"I think there’s a comfort factor from having been here for a long time," he said. "Obviously, it’s going to be different. It’s going to be different for guys to not have the guy who’s been the leader of the defense and the face of the franchise out there every day. But it’s my job to make that transition as smooth as possible."

-Tom Musick