Pro Bowl defensive tackle Tommie Harris is expected to be out for the rest of season because of a “significant” pull of his left hamstring, though one source close to the Bears described the injury as “more than a pull.”
Harris will visit a specialist in Dallas on Friday, coach Lovie Smith said. If the hamstring is torn or even severely pulled, Harris’ return for the Bears’ first playoff game, which would be more than five weeks off if they earn a first-round bye, is highly doubtful.
“He has a significant pull, [a] severe hamstring injury, ” Smith said. “With that in mind, it could be the regular season; it could be further than that.”
Harris, who suffered the injury in last Sunday’s victory over the Vikings, was listed as out on the injury report Wednesday. “Normally we don’t put a player `out’ that early,” Smith said. “That tells you how severe we think this is.”
Harris was a two-time NFC defensive player of the week in the season’s first four weeks. He ranks seventh on the Bears in tackles, third among defensive linemen with 48, and he has five sacks.
“We’ll miss Tommie a lot,” defensive end Alex Brown said. “We have guys who can play the position, but you can’t replace Tommie.”
Harris became the target of near-constant double teams as offenses recognized his disruptive force inside, playing typically on the outside shoulder of the guard.
The injury occurred Sunday on the second play of the third quarter when Harris tackled running back Chester Taylor. He was unable to get up after the play and said afterward he felt like he had done “the splits.”
He was carted into the locker room and later left the stadium on crutches and with a plastic cast on his left leg.
“No one in the league has a player like Tommie Harris,” Smith said. “So now we’re like everyone else. Everyone else has played without a dominant player like that. Does it change the dynamics of our team, the defensive line? Yes, for sure.
“But we have some other options. That is the one position on our team where we have a lot of depth, and now we’re going to call on that depth.”
– Linebacker Leon Joe, safety Todd Johnson and cornerback Nathan Vasher didn’t practice Thursday. All are listed as questionable and could return Monday, but the Bears are not expected to rush anyone back with the division clinched.
“I’ll be pushing to try to play, but you know Lovie ultimately has the final say on those things,” Vasher said. “It’s tough. Even missing practice [Thursday is] tough, but I’m going in for treatment and rehab and hopefully by Monday I’ll be all right.”
Notable non-practicing starters for the Rams were guard Adam Timmerman (probable, ribs), safety Oshiomogho Atogwe (questionable, concussion) and defensive end Victor Adeyanju (questionable, forearm).
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jmullin@tribune.com
