Bourbonnais, IL -
Confident that defensive backs Jerry Azumah and Mike Green were ready to step into the starting lineup, the Bears didn't fret when they lost Walt Harris and Tony Parrish in free agency.
The concern entering training camp was replicating the depth that Azumah and Green provided as productive reserves last season.
Although it's still early in the preseason, what was projected by some as a possible weakness appears to be a potential strength.
Three-year veteran Todd McMillon, draft picks Roosevelt Williams and Bobby Gray and undrafted free agent Travis Coleman all have excelled in competition for reserve jobs including the nickel back position.
In Saturday's 27-3 loss to Denver, McMillon tied Gray and linebacker Mike Caldwell for the team lead with five tackles and registered a sack, while Coleman recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass.
"We thought we had a chance to have a good secondary," said head coach Dick Jauron. "We had confidence in those guys, so I wasn't surprised how they performed."
Defensive backs coach Vance Bedford is optimistic but cautions that perceptions can change dramatically during the summer, particularly with the explosive St. Louis Rams next up on the exhibition schedule.
"We just had one ballgame so far," Bedford said. "We have three more preseason games to go, so we're still evaluating that situation. Right now it looks like we're going to have a little depth, (but) it's not set yet. We're going to find out these next three ballgames."
Williams rejoined the competition Monday, returning to practice after missing a week with a sprained right ankle.
"I was kind of tired and probably 75 percent," said the third-round pick from Tuskegee. "I'm just trying to come out here and get my ankle stronger."
An ankle sprain can be a devastating injury at Williams' position, but the 5-11, 200-pounder is determined to fight through it.
"You need your ankle to do anything as a cornerback-plant, cut and all of that," he said. "I'm just going to keep coming out here and working hard. If I get beat on a play I'm not going to put my head down because I know I'm not 100 percent. I'll just keep working hard and they'll know when I'm 100 percent.
"I've sprained my ankles plenty of times and this is probably the worst sprain I've ever had. It'll probably take a little longer, but everything should be all right by next week."
As his position coach, Bedford must walk a fine line between pushing Williams and allowing him to sufficiently recover from the nagging injury.
"You don't want to put a person out there who is going to hurt himself," Bedford said. "If a cornerback loses confidence, it's hard to get that back. We want to put our players in a position where they have a chance to be successful.
"(But) right now, no one's 100 percent. Every player I have in the secondary is beat up for some reason. Maybe I'm coaching them too hard, I don't know. They're all beat up a little bit right now and he's another young guy who has to learn how to play with a minor injury."
The concern entering training camp was replicating the depth that Azumah and Green provided as productive reserves last season.
Although it's still early in the preseason, what was projected by some as a possible weakness appears to be a potential strength.
Three-year veteran Todd McMillon, draft picks Roosevelt Williams and Bobby Gray and undrafted free agent Travis Coleman all have excelled in competition for reserve jobs including the nickel back position.
In Saturday's 27-3 loss to Denver, McMillon tied Gray and linebacker Mike Caldwell for the team lead with five tackles and registered a sack, while Coleman recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass.
"We thought we had a chance to have a good secondary," said head coach Dick Jauron. "We had confidence in those guys, so I wasn't surprised how they performed."
Defensive backs coach Vance Bedford is optimistic but cautions that perceptions can change dramatically during the summer, particularly with the explosive St. Louis Rams next up on the exhibition schedule.
"We just had one ballgame so far," Bedford said. "We have three more preseason games to go, so we're still evaluating that situation. Right now it looks like we're going to have a little depth, (but) it's not set yet. We're going to find out these next three ballgames."
Williams rejoined the competition Monday, returning to practice after missing a week with a sprained right ankle.
"I was kind of tired and probably 75 percent," said the third-round pick from Tuskegee. "I'm just trying to come out here and get my ankle stronger."
An ankle sprain can be a devastating injury at Williams' position, but the 5-11, 200-pounder is determined to fight through it.
"You need your ankle to do anything as a cornerback-plant, cut and all of that," he said. "I'm just going to keep coming out here and working hard. If I get beat on a play I'm not going to put my head down because I know I'm not 100 percent. I'll just keep working hard and they'll know when I'm 100 percent.
"I've sprained my ankles plenty of times and this is probably the worst sprain I've ever had. It'll probably take a little longer, but everything should be all right by next week."
As his position coach, Bedford must walk a fine line between pushing Williams and allowing him to sufficiently recover from the nagging injury.
"You don't want to put a person out there who is going to hurt himself," Bedford said. "If a cornerback loses confidence, it's hard to get that back. We want to put our players in a position where they have a chance to be successful.
"(But) right now, no one's 100 percent. Every player I have in the secondary is beat up for some reason. Maybe I'm coaching them too hard, I don't know. They're all beat up a little bit right now and he's another young guy who has to learn how to play with a minor injury."
