[CBFF] CT - Fighting for position

[NEWS ARTICLE]

Fighting for position
Bears get down to business at this weekend's
mini-camp, where several depth-chart battles should
begin in earnest
By John Mullin and K.C. Johnson
Tribune staff reporters

June 1, 2006, 10:29 PM CDT

Even defending division champions coming off 11-5
seasons with 22 starters returning have issues
entering mini-camp.

The Bears don't have the quality and quantity some
teams possess, or that they have faced in recent
years.

But with two of those starters skipping voluntary
off-season workouts, critical questions exist. Perhaps
this weekend's practices and the following three weeks
of organized team activities will bring some answers.

1. What mood will Thomas Jones and Lance Briggs be in?

At least they are here. Jones and Briggs will be at
Halas Hall on Friday after leaving voluntary team
workouts in late April.

Jones has been working out individually. Seeking more
money and annoyed with the Cedric Benson situation, he
has made it clear he would be receptive to a trade.

Briggs stopped attending voluntary team functions
shortly after talks on a long-term contract extension
broke down before the draft. The Bears subsequently
have pulled their offer and picked linebacker Jamar
Williams in the fourth round.

2. Benson or Jones?

Why not both? That's what the coaching staff wants.

Mindful of the demands a 16-game season presents,
particularly for a run-first attack, the Bears believe
a healthy diet of Benson, Jones and Adrian Peterson is
needed.

Jones arguably killed a chance for a deal when he
opted to stay away from the off-season program.
Indianapolis football chief Bill Polian, who had
inquired about Jones, decided he wasn't his kind of
guy.

Jones has understandable concerns. He virtually is
assured of less work with a healthy Benson available.
That would diminish the leverage for a new deal he has
now coming off his career year of 1,335 yards. Jones'
best chance at a contract bump is now, but it isn't in
Chicago.

After a disappointing rookie season, Benson quietly
has studied the offense and his role. The work already
puts him far ahead of last season when a lengthy
contract impasse and later knee injury considerably
lessened his role.

3. Rex Grossman or Brian Griese?

Grossman is the starter, but Griese has a higher
career passer rating. He's certainly had better health
luck, his season-ending knee injury in 2005 after a
5-1 start for Tampa Bay notwithstanding.

Barring injury, nothing of consequence will happen
before exhibition games, if then. Getting Griese was a
priority, ostensibly as a playoff-grade backup. But
the absence of a quarterback controversy at some point
would be news.

4. Will incumbents feel a draft?

The last two times the Bears used a second-round pick
on safeties they landed Tony Parrish and Mike Brown,
both Pro Bowl selections. This year, they took Danieal
Manning in the second round.

Strong safety Brown is still in place, albeit with
injury concerns from each of the last two seasons. At
free safety, rookie Chris Harris was rushed into the
starting lineup last season to replace Mike Green.

Also, with defensive tackle Tank Johnson injured,
Dusty Dvoracek's practice time and opportunities
should increase. Training camp and pads are more
revealing than mini-camps about linemen, but the last
Oklahoma defensive tackle the Bears drafted went to
the Pro Bowl and Dvoracek was Tommie Harris' Sooner
sideman.

Alfonso Boone, Ian Scott and Michael Haynes should
feel some pressure.

In the return game, both Manning and second-round pick
Devin Hester are being counted on to produce quickly.

5. Who's healthy?

The Bears pointed to second-year receivers Mark
Bradley and Airese Currie as "redshirts" coming off
injuries as a factor in not making offense a draft
priority.

With Muhsin Muhammad entering his 11th season at age
33, the need for impact speed and an established No. 2
receiver is urgent. Bradley, Currie, Bernard Berrian
and Justin Gage will be battling.

Position competitions elsewhere could be more
colorful. But the amount of practice time for young
receivers, plus converted cornerback Rashied Davis,
will be key to the offense.

jmullin at tribune.com

kcjohnson at tribune.com

Copyright © 2006, The Chicago Tribune


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