Renardo

Foster

Chicago is auditioning roster replacements for LG Chris Williams, who was placed on injured reserve Monday. The Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs reports a fourth player could be worked out on Wednesday. Edwin Williams is expected to get the first crack at taking (Chris) Williams’ place in the starting lineup.

This could be the end of the 36-year-old’s 14-year career. Surgery is expected within the next week. Rookie Renardo Foster, who played for coach Bobby Petrino at Louisville but was not highly touted as a draft prospect, will take over on Joey Harrington’s blind side. Foster is likely to struggle all season.

Unheralded and subsequently undrafted out of Louisville, he faces a daunting task in protecting Joey Harrington, and presumably Byron Leftwich’s blindside down the line. First up for Foster: Osi Umenyiora on Monday night.

Foster was filling in for Wayne Gandy, who was lost for the season with a knee injury. The combination of Joey Harrington at quarterback and a third-string left tackle protecting his blind side could be disastrous.

This is the second season ending injury Atlanta has suffered at the left tackle position, and leaves untested sophomore Quinn Ojinnaka to take over. It’s more bad news for Joey Harrington, and maybe Chris Redman eventually. Foster showed some promise in two starts as an undrafted rookie, but may have a hard time securing a roster spot in 2008 coming off a serious injury.

The veteran was on crutches and visibly shaken in the locker room after the game. “I’m very concerned about Wayne,” coach Bobby Petrino said. “It didn’t look good.” Undrafted rookie Renardo Foster is Gandy’s primary backup.

He was carted off the field. Foster is already subbing for the injured Wayne Gandy, so losing him would be a big blow.

Foster was released by the Falcons on Tuesday. His agent says the Rams have placed a waiver claim for the massive tackle. He would be a backup in St. Louis.

Foster spent all of 2008 on the PUP list, but did start two games for Bobby Petrino as an undrafted rookie the previous season. Still, he had little to hang his hat on under a new front office while coming off a torn ACL.

The Rams beat several teams to the punch when they plucked Foster off waivers in June, but he may not be ready to contribute after last season’s ACL surgery.