Bears coach Lovie Smith would not publicly comment on any personnel changes, but there are some adjustments in the works.
Hunter Hillenmeyer is expected to return to middle linebacker in place of Nick Roach, according to a league source. Roach would then return to strong-side linebacker.
Although Smith praised Roach's play in previous weeks, Roach has had his struggles. He replaced Hillenmeyer at the position after Hillenmeyer suffered what he said were at least three cracked ribs at Seattle.
Hillenmeyer originally took over in the middle after Brian Urlacher went down with a season-ending wrist injury. Smith initially said Hillenmeyer was the team's best option in the middle.
All Bears news delivered to your mailbox on Friday and Monday mornings. 
When sports news breaks, be the first to know. (To get alerts on a mobile device, text CHISPORTS to 31286.). 
Get our updates on 
@BlowChow Bob: you say Lovie gave Urlacher too much money? Coaches don't negotiate contracts with their players.
@Ruben: Like the other idiots saying Briggs should've gone to MIKE, you don't really understand the 4-3 defense or what it means to move your top player from his natural position to a new position. First, the WILL is the clean-up hitter in this defense--which is why Briggs game-in and game-out is typically the leading tackler, or 1-2 behind #54. Plus, Briggs' talents are better suited to WILL--he has fewer coverage responsibilities, which means he can flow with the play. So he's really good at WILL, where he's played his entire pro career. You want to move him to a new position, and then move someone else to a new position to replace him? Stupid.
Hillenmyer is good when he doesn't have to cover anyone. HH gets burned by TEs way too often. That, plus the disasterous dissection of the Cover-2 (sans #54) exhibited in Cincy, hopefully will lead Lovie to drop the Cover-2 until they actually have the personnel (especially a better FS) to run it.
I like Roach; he did well enough before the Atlanta game. Hopefully @ the SAM, he'll get enough game experience to get more used to the speed and responsibilities. He reminds me of Dante Jones (post-Singletary MLB); capable, but without the potential of the guy he's replacing.
I'm really surprised that Jamar Williams is out of the equation right now.
Lovie's GOTTA GO! With the coaches available, Dungy, Gruden, Cowher, Shannahan there is NO reason to keep this guy. He has no emotions and is basically Dick Jauron part 2.
He's average at BEST 45-35 (.563) in the regular season and 2-2 in the post season. Not the stuff great teams are made of.
He bungled the handling of two top NFL RB's, in Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson.
Gave way too much money to a hurt/crybaby Urlacher....The list goes on. No WR's , No Secondary..........
GOTTA GO LOVIE.
Sorry you're a nice guy. Just not a good coach.
DA - agree with you there too. It only made sense with the LB's we had remaining, to put HH in the middle. Then again, Lovie is out there everyday, he'd know best, right? (LOL) ... t-i-c.
dddave. Good post. agree with u. prob's about 87% fans do not watch enough, did not play sports, and just do not get the subtleties of sports.
It may be sad, but, I usually watch a Bear game over and over, I watch each play over and over until I am satisfied I figured out what went wrong or right with that particular play.
I think most fans watch very little of what is really going on with the trenches. It's not pretty, it is some fierce hitting going on each play.
As you said, and I have said too, this is not our year, I was hoping by next year, we'd challenge for the crown. BU getting hurt, maybe it was a good thing, he can come back really fresh. But, we have some holes to fill now that our two O-linemen look like they peaked after the last spring training game.
Regardless, whiners, as you pointed out are just that, clueless as well.
I'm surprised this wasn't done after that ATL game when HH came back. You could tell Roach lost focus when things went too fast (no huddle) for him. Glad to have you back in the middle Hunter. Roach can still be a playmaker on the strong side.
Sweet34 you've nailed it. Probably the most value H.H. brings to the field is his experience and ability to ID formations & tendencies, and football intelligence makes you play faster in the NFL. Similar to what we (those who actually understand football - not from the living room) missed when M. Brown went to K.C.
Putting Briggs in the middle would simply have been taking a pro bowl player and asking him to play an entirely different position, including different responsibilities, needs and skill-set. At least 1 out of 3 starters remains in his proper place with Lance on the weak side. This is probably not our year but perhaps we get some depth development on D and at the offensive skill positions and a bit of badly needed cohesion across the offense. I also think it's fair to say the experiment with Pace and the signing of Omiyale will have us looking in another direction for next year's O line composition. Good luck armchair QB's (ruben.sandwich & rockhead81), it has to be frustrating when you really don't understand what's going on..
Hunter is gifted at recognizing. Not the swiftest. But he called a good game vs. Pitt. Then he was hurt. Roach is heck of a player, but, was asked to do too much. Give Hunter a chance. It's not like were going to have two all pro MLB. BU went down, need to live with what we got and stop whining.
They should have put Briggs in the middle as soon as Urlacher went down. Now they are playing musical chairs at one of the most important positions on the entire team. I don't know who has their head up thier a$$ in Lake Forest but it appears to be everybody from the V.P. on down. Bear Down Chicago. It is going to be a LONG season.
what are you kidding me the water boy could play better linebacker then hillenmeyer i cant wait til the day loser hillenmeyer go and lovie smith and his gang of losers hit the unemployment line