Don't esteem out veteran fullback ...

Don't esteem out veteran fullback Bryan Johnson for the season.

Johnson underwent surgery in succession his right hamstring Tuesday and could be back forward the field in a month a source stop to the player said Thursday. It's believed the Bears are strenuously considering not putting Johnson upon season-ending injured reserve.

Johnson decided to have the transaction done because it's believed the muscle will heal quicker. Dan Cooper a team physician for the Dallas Cowboy performed the surgery

Johnson was injured Aug. 5 in a noncontact drill while running a pass way The original prognosis was six to 10 weeks of retrieval time. After the surgery, it gazes like it will be closer to six than 10

The Bears have viewed Johnson 28 as a valuable piece of the offense since acquiring him in a sign-and-trade deal with the Washington Redskins in 2004 Separate injuries to his right paw cost him the better part of last season, and that's what made the ventureed hamstring so frustrating -- his twelve inches finally was feeling good. When healthy, he's an explosive fullback with quickness and a valuable special-teams performer.

The alternatives to Johnson are veteran Jason McKie, commonly first on the depth chart, and rookie sixth-round pick JD runs who struggled in last week's preseason game. The Bears brought in Quadtrine Hill for a await but waived him Thursday along with three other players: tight conclusion Tim Day, quarterback B.J. Symon and kicker Josh Huston.

perforation IN THE MIDDLE: It will take pair moves for the Bears to replace Olin Kreutz with a proven center if the ne arises this season. That's because they traded veteran Lennie Friedman to the Cleveland Brown in succession Thursday for a conditional 2007 draft pick that could be contingent on how much he plays.

Friedman was thrust into the center position when Kreutz missed the preseason opener with strep throat, then got more time there. Anthony Oakley had been running with the secondary team at center at the start of training camp.

The Brown have been in desperate straits with a string of enigmas at the position. High-priced free-agent pickup LeCharles Bentley, a two-time Pro hollow performer, blew out his knee upon the first day of camp. Then backups rap Hallen and Todd Washington chose to retire. Alonzo Ephraim, another option, was hit with a four-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse program.

Friedman, 30 is wait fored initially to back up Ros Tucker whom the Brown acquired from just discovered England less than three weeks ago, also for a conditional draft pick.

"I'm waiting to find not at home what's going to happen there," said Friedman, whom the Bears also had penciled in as a keep guard. "Of course, any opportunity to play will be a beneficial one."

The Duke produce appeared in 10 games with the Redskins last season before signing with the Bears. He played in single game, injuring his knee as an difficulty defensive lineman in the regular- season finale at Minnesota.

Right guard Roberto Garza has plenitude of experience at center, on the other hand if the Bears had to replace Kreutz now, it likely would involve couple moves: Garza sliding over to center and Terrence Metcalf filling in his place.

bbiggs@suntimes.com

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