| News: Ogunleye (bruised quad) returned to practice Thursday and was removed from the injury report, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Gotta love Lovie Smith Big Lovie Smith of Big Sandy, Texas, becomes the first Bears coach to twice make the playoffs during his first three seasons with the team. If the boys in blue win Sunday, Smith will be the first black coach to bring a team to the Super Bowl. If the Colts win, coach Tony Dungy - who Smith counts as a mentor and friend - will break that ground. And yes, his name really is Lovie. Two reasons to be concerned about the Bears’ prospects against New Orleans Tommie Harris and Mike Brown. Harris, a defensive tackle in his third year, and strong safety Brown, billed as the brains of the defense, are injured. The Bears defense hasn’t been as strong since both players landed on IR. (That’s shorthand for injured reserve.) Bears’ Jones, Briggs not happy campers Chicago Bears running back Thomas Jones and linebacker Lance Briggs participated in Friday afternoon’s opening minicamp practice, but both could be gone again following practices today and Sunday. Both starters dropped out of the Bears’ voluntary off-season conditioning program in April in hopes of receiving more lucrative contracts. Neither had much to say Friday about absences from workouts the past month. Neither attended last week’s organized team activities Wednesday and Thursday, the first two of 14 off-season practices, and it’s unclear whether they will participate in the remaining 12 OTAs, which continue Monday through Thursday the next three weeks. Chicago Bears tap college ranks to find defensive backs coach Steven Wilks is the newest occupant of the ever-changing position of Bears defensive backs coach. Before hiring Wilks, the Bears struck out with Michigan defensive backs coach Ron English, who accepted the position but then backed out when he was given a promotion to defensive coordinator with the Wolverines. Wilks is an 11-year college coaching veteran who spent the past two seasons under Ty Willingham (at Notre Dame in 2004 and Washington last year). Wilks inherits a secondary that features two Pro Bowlers, cornerback Nate Vasher and strong safety Mike Brown, and he believes the group will benefit from his enthusiasm. Cedric Benson Healthy for Playoff Game Cedric Benson wasn’t positive what kind of response he’d get from the right knee he sprained seven weeks earlier. But he came out of the Viking game feeling better. “I was about 95 percent sure I was OK, and a couple of hits finished the rest of the 5 percent for me,” said Benson who picked up 35 yards on 9 carries. “It felt pretty good. It was a little sore (afterward), but that’s expected. I made it through; did pretty good, too.” Benson said he’d be even healthier for the Bears’ playoff opener. Airese Currie Added To Active Roster The Bears added some much-wanted speed at wide receiver Wednesday when they moved rookie Airese Currie onto the active roster after Currie spent all of training camp, exhibitions and the regular season on the non-football injury list because of a foot injury suffered at Clemson. Currie, the Bears' fifth-round draft choice, has yet to play in an NFL game. Slow and steady Refusing to set a target date for his return, a contemplative Cedric Benson said he has been riding a stationary bicycle and hopes to resume light jogging next week as he works to return from a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee. Speaking to reporters for the first time since the Bears said Benson would miss three to six weeks following the Nov. 13 injury, Benson said he has pain unless he walks straight. Jerry Azumah (hip), Ruben Brown (chest) and Olin Kreutz (elbow) had the day off from practice but are probable and expected to practice Thursday. Benson and Bernard Berrian (hand) are out. Adewale Ogunleye is going to give it a go for the Chicago Bears Dealing with a left ankle sprain all week, Adawale Ogunleye is going to give it a shot. Adawale Ogunleye practiced Friday and said a day of rest today should enable him to play defensive end Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals at Soldier Field. If Ogunleye is unable to play, backup Israel Idonije will take his spot. Israel Idonije will play if Ogunleye is unable to go. “I felt good today,’’ Ogunleye said. “It is still a little stiff and all, but Sunday I think it will be ready to go.” Bears coach Lovie Smith has a rule that players must practice at least once during the week in order to play Sunday. Veteran Fiedler makes courtesy visit with Bears Tuesday at Halas Hall, the Bears entertained another veteran quarterback who is likely to sign elsewhere. Nine-year veteran Jay Fiedler stopped in to meet with the Bears but did not receive an offer on his way to a Thursday visit with the New York Jets, where he is expected to sign by the weekend. |
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