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LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Playing one linebacker down from a full complement of bodies at the position, the Chicago Bears claimed former 2011 seventh-round pick Jabara Williams on Thursday off waivers from the St. Louis Rams.

But don't look into the move as a simple waiver claim. The team actually sees something in Williams, who fits the mold of the run-and-hit type of linebackers coveted in the club's defensive scheme.

"[We] did a lot of work on him leading up to the draft, coming out of Stephen F. Austin; a great player from my area back home [in Texas]," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "So we had a chance to get him."

Williams played in two games for St. Louis before the club decided to release him, but the linebacker was on Chicago's radar even after he was drafted by the Rams. With the team looking to add to the position back in early September, general manager Jerry Angelo cued up game tape of Williams on a screen in his office at Halas Hall, optimistically anticipating the linebacker's potential availability.

Obviously, the Bears couldn't consummate a move until the Rams released him.

As a 21-year old senior at Stephen F. Austin, Williams caught the attention of the league's scouts with his athleticism, and cover skills. Some scouts considered Williams undersized coming out of college and not as stout as teams prefer in a run defender.

But those same scouts raved about Williams' fluidity, and sideline-to sideline range, not to mention the high grades he received in the character department. Many scouts graded Williams higher than Bears' sixth-round pick J.T. Thomas, who is currently on the team's injured reserve.

Williams posted 109 tackles, and 6 1/2 sacks as a senior at Stephen F. Austin in 11 starts to follow up a junior campaign in which he tallied 113 tackles and 9 1/2 sacks.

It also doesn't hurt that Williams is a native of Texas. The current Bears roster features 11 players from Smith's home state.

"We've been one linebacker short for a while," Smith said. "So good pick-up by us by Jerry [Angelo], [director of player personnel] Tim [Ruskell], and the guys with him."

CHICAGO -- The right side of the Bears offensive line underwent yet another change on Sunday when Lance Louis replaced Frank Omiyale at right tackle to begin the second half in the 34-29 victory over the Panthers.

In the first half, Louis entered the game at his customary right guard spot because Chris Spencer was taken back to the locker room with a hand injury. But when Spencer returned after halftime, Louis slid over to tackle and even occasionally reported as a tackle eligible, which allowed Omiyale to sporadically re-enter the contest.

Louis, the club's starting right guard in Week 1, suffered an ankle injury in the first half of the regular-season opener and was forced to miss the Bears road game against the Saints. The third-year offensive lineman was active during the loss to the Packers, but did not play. A versatile athlete who played both offensive line and tight end while at San Diego State, Louis said in the postgame locker room he last lined up in a game at right tackle during his final year with the Aztecs.

"Overall, it was OK" Louis said of his performance at tackle. "I definitely have to work on more stuff if I'm going to be out there. There is a lot of space out there. It's different because there is a lot of space out there, the [defensive players] have a lot of freedom to do anything. When you are inside, the guy is right there, but outside he can line up wider and do all kinds of spins and moves. It's different, but it's my job."

Louis said the move to tackle wasn't unexpected since he took some practice reps on the outside this past week at Halas Hall.

"[Bears offensive line coach Mike Tice has] been trying a few different things to see how I felt about a few things," Louis said. "At the end of the day, it's going to make our line that much more versatile. It's a good thing.”

But don't expect the Bears to get too comfortable with Louis at right tackle. Rookie first-round pick Gabe Carimi will eventually return from a minor knee dislocation, meaning Louis will be on the move again, probably back to right guard. Tice called Louis one of the team's five best offensive linemen on the roster, and vowed to find a spot on the field for the former seventh-round draft choice once his ankle heals.

"I just want to play," Louis said. "I don't care, I just want to be out there helping the team."

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Depth concerns along the offensive line might force the Chicago Bears to dig deep into the roster to find capable backups for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers.

The club could even take a dip into its practice squad, according to a source that indicated Wednesday the Bears are strongly considering promoting practice squad tackle Levi Horn to the active roster, adding the move could take place by the end of the week, depending on the availability of right guard Lance Louis, who has been limited at practice all week due to a sprained right ankle.

The team continues to closely monitor the progress of Louis. If Louis' sore ankle improves enough for him to play against the Packers, the Bears won't need to promote Horn. But if it doesn't, the team will likely make the move.

Signed as an undrafted rookie by the Bears in 2010, Horn spent the majority of last season on the practice squad.

Given the uncertain status of Louis, and the right kneecap subluxation suffered last week by Gabe Carimi that will keep him out for an extended period, the Bears -- should they decline to add personnel to the active roster -- could enter Sunday's matchup against the Packers with six healthy linemen, which means five starters, and only one reserve. That wouldn't be an ideal situation for a team currently leading the league in sacks allowed (11) after the first two weeks of the season.

"Everybody that's on our roster, in our mind is a future starter," said offensive coordinator Mike Martz, when questioned about depth concerns up front. "We don't have backups. That's how we look at our guys. We look at them all as starters. It's just their opportunity to step up and play well, and be excited that they have that opportunity. We're disappointed the opportunity is there. That means somebody got hurt. But we're also excited these guys who have been waiting for an opportunity like this get a chance."

Listed in the team's media guide as a tackle, Horn also spent time with the Bears working at guard. Horn played with the second team offense in the preseason, and drew praise from offensive line coach Mike Tice for his vast improvement from Year 1 to Year 2 with the team. Because Horn can play either inside or outside, the Bears could use him as a potential backup at two positions.

Asked whether Louis would be available for Sunday's contest, Tice said, "I don't know, he's trying. When Lance comes back we'll find a place for him to play."

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- Undrafted rookie free agent Dom DeCicco could be in the mix for the sixth linebacker spot on the Chicago Bears final 53-man roster.

The Bears generally break camp with six linebackers, but right now only four or five positions are secure: Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, Nick Roach, Brian Iwuh and probably rookie sixth-round draft choice J.T. Thomas. Thomas, however, has been sidelined with a few injuries in the opening weeks of training camp.

The club continues to keep tabs on Pisa Tinoisamoa, but the veteran is still recovering from offseason knee surgery and is doubtful to be 100 percent by the start of the regular season.

If the club opts to fill the void at linebacker in-house, then DeCicco has three more preseason games to further impress the coaching staff.

"Of course we want to see a little more of J.T. Thomas, but Dom DeCicco has done a good job at the middle linebacker spot filling in," Bears head coach Lovie Smith said.

"He played well on special teams (against Buffalo)," Smith said. "We had a few guys play well on special teams, but he was one of them."

DeCicco, who played safety for much of his career at Pittsburgh, did transition to linebacker in the second half of the 2010 season. He made a pre-visit to Chicago and caught the eye of Bears linebackers coach Bob Babich, who happens to be a native of Pennsylvania and a former Pitt assistant coach.

DeCicco was the Bears’ second-leading tackler in the preseason opener versus the Buffalo Bills with four stops.

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- Caleb Hanie returned to his customary role of running the second team Tuesday night, one day after the Chicago Bears coaching staff allowed rookie fifth-round pick Nate Enderle to handle all the reps with the No. 2 offense.

"They just wanted to get Nate some reps and let me sit back and see some things from behind," Hanie said. It's just part of the deal."

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BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- Bears offensive line coach Mike Tice admits to not wanting “to play musical lines” with Jay Cutler's protection, but after the O-line gave up nine sacks Saturday against the Bills, change could be coming.

Tice maintained “it’s important to stay the course right now,” but plans to give the starting offensive line just one more opportunity -- Monday night’s game against the New York Giants -- to improve upon its four-sack outing in the preseason opener against the Buffalo Bills before changes take hold.

At this point, the only position seemingly set in stone, according to Tice, is rookie Gabe Carimi's right tackle spot.

“We have some depth and some opportunity to make moves. I think right now, we give them another week of practice,” Tice said. “Normally from the first preseason game to the second, guys make a big jump. We’re looking for that big jump. We don’t want to hit a panic button because the (sack and quarterback pressure) numbers are what they are. So we’re gonna work diligently on correcting things this week, and hopefully bounce back, have a great week of practice and carry more of those good practices over into the game.”

After breaking down tape from Saturday’s game, Tice said the Bears had “a couple of guys on the cusp of playing winning football,” and “a couple of guys that didn’t play good.”

Left tackle J'Marcus Webb and right guard Lance Louis fit the latter description. But what’s intriguing about the duo is both put together strong, consistent performances all throughout camp, only to watch that progress disintegrate Saturday under the pressure of the Bills pass rush.

Carimi, meanwhile, struggled with inconsistency during workouts, but played his best in real-game conditions. Despite Webb’s problems as Cutler’s blind side protection, Tice said he doesn’t plan to move Carimi back to the left side.

“Gabe was just the opposite (of Louis and Webb),” Tice said. “Gabe had some bad sets in here (at practice). Gabe went out and his best sets of camp were in the game. So if you look at a guy like Gabe, he’s a warrior and a player. The lights came on and he stepped up to the occasion.”

The rest of the unit needs to follow suit.

Although the organization downplays some of the offensive line’s inadequacies, it has been in loose contact with other free-agent offensive linemen behind the scenes about the possibility of adding to the position.

It’s also important to remember that players such as center Chris Spencer and guard Edwin Williams have plenty of experience as starters. Tice made it a point Monday to single out their performances against the Bills.

In six seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, Spencer logged 70 starts over 80 games, and Williams started three games last season in place of Louis.

Should the offensive line continue to falter, Spencer and Williams could receive extended looks with the first team.

Interestingly, Garza spent time Monday working at guard, which is where he might be moved if Spencer cracks the starting lineup eventually at center.

“No one’s in freak-out mode here,” Carimi said. “We want to get better and we’ve been doing a lot of good things so far.”

The problem is the ‘good things’ haven’t occurred where they count for this team most: in protection. The Bears put up the NFL’s second-best rushing performance (164 yards) of the preseason against the Bills, yet also gave up more sacks than any other team in the exhibition opener.

“Whenever you give up nine sacks, it’s not a good night for you,” Bears coach Lovie Smith said. “But a lot goes into that. Some of them were the offensive line’s fault. We held onto the ball a few times. You get to the first game, you see where you are, and you start making adjustments from there, which we’ll have to do.”

Chicago’s next matchup would seem to be the most inopportune time to play with an offensive line in disarray. When the teams met on Oct. 3 of last season, the Giants sacked Cutler 42.9 percent of the time he dropped back, eventually knocking him out of the game with a concussion after nine sacks in just one half of action.

Giants pass rusher Osi Umenyiora, who posted three sacks in last season’s matchup, is also expected to be in action against the Bears.

“What a great challenge, and what a great team to play against this week; a team that totally embarrassed us last year,” Tice said. “We should have a chip on our shoulder doing into that game.”

But will it do the Bears any good?

With the regular-season opener against the Atlanta Falcons rapidly approaching, the plan for the offensive line is to gain cohesion quickly. But by potentially changing things after Monday night’s game, Tice runs the risk of stunting the offensive line’s growth.

“Every scenario is different,” Garza said. “Everybody here is working really hard at trying to get that going as fast as possible. Obviously, we need that to happen sooner rather than later.”

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- Barring injury, the Bears are expected to open the regular season with Chris Harris and Major Wright as the starting safety combination, but Craig Steltz continues to quietly put together a solid training camp.

Steltz, entering the final year of his rookie contract, intercepted a pair of Caleb Hanie throws on Wednesday night while working on the second team alongside rookie Chris Conte.

Steltz and Conte are expected to receive significant playing time versus the Bills in the Bears preseason opener.


"He’s definitely showing up,” Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "But that's normally what he does in training camp, he makes plays. For whatever reason, he hasn't had an opportunity to play a lot in the regular season. [But] we notice him. That's what it's about. Not blending in. Making a few big plays for people to take notice."

A 2008 fourth-round draft choice, Steltz has primarily been a special teams contributor over the past three years, making a pair of starts at safety in 2009. With the club expected to keep 10 defensive backs during the regular season, Steltz appears to be a lock to make the 53-man roster.

"It's going well so far," Steltz said. "All I can do is compete every day and move on to the next one. That's really the whole point of training camp. I think [playing with Conte on the No. 2 unit] is going well. We work well together and I'm trying to teach him small things here and there, because he never had a chance to pickup that stuff in OTAs or offseason workouts."

It's unclear whether or not Steltz is in the Bears’ plans beyond 2011, but considering the constant turnover at the safety position the past several seasons, he may be called upon if one of the starters gets hurt.

"You have to always believe the opportunity is going to be there, that sooner or later you're going to get a chance," Steltz said. "If you ever lose sight of that, you won't be around when the opportunity comes. You always have to keep that thought in the back of your mind.

"It was the same process at LSU. LaRon Landry and a couple of other guys were there in front of me [at safety]. I really wasn't a full-time starter, I mean I had started a couple of times my sophomore and junior years, but I wasn't a full-time starter until my senior year. It's the same process. You just have to stay positive every day. Sometimes it's not easy, but you have to do it and continue to compete."

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- Bears coach Lovie Smith stands behind the bold declaration made Sunday by offensive line coach Mike Tice, who said the unit is set with starters Roberto Garza, Lance Louis, Gabe Carimi, Chris Williams and J'Marcus Webb.

Tice said the Bears would open the season on Sept. 11 with the five players as the starters, and that there’s no competition for starting roles at this point.

“I feel comfortable,” Smith said after Monday’s lightning-cancelled session. “That’s why we stayed with this same group for a while. There’s competition at every position out there. But you have to go on what you see right now. That’s the reason why we’ve kept this group together.”

Another reason is apprehension about playing musical chairs at the position the way the team did last season in using five combinations of starters along the offensive line before coming to consensus on a permanent group eight games into the season.

Tice said early in training camp that the team would tinker with the offensive line for a few days, before quickly locking in players at their respective positions. Tice approached Smith, and general manager Jerry Angelo about his plans before the start of training camp, and the duo agreed to let the offensive line coach tinker, as long as he zeroed in on a starting group quickly.

“You would like to lock in as soon as you can with the starting five and go from there,” Smith said. “But everybody will get an opportunity. Some of the things I said before… we need to get to a game, first off. But we’re getting a great evaluation of our offensive line. We have an excellent defensive line. It’s not like they’re going to go against a better defensive line during the course of a year. So we have an idea, but we’ll let that continue to play out.”

Prior to cancellation of Monday’s session, rookie Carimi and second-year man Webb experienced some success against perennial all-Pro defensive end Julius Peppers. Although Carimi has struggled some at camp, he neutralized Peppers on a couple of running plays during an inside run drill.

On another drill, Webb took down Peppers and held him down on the ground until the end of the play.

Surely, such actions proved pleasing to Tice. Asked whether his bold declaration Sunday was merely a message to some of the other linemen vying for spots, Tice never hesitated.

“Nope,” Tice said. “It’s a done deal.”

Apparently, Smith agrees.

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- Don't rule Joshua Moore out as candidate for the Chicago Bears starting cornerback job opposite Charles Tillman.

Moore, currently working on the second team, remains very much in the mix along with Tim Jennings and Zack Bowman.

Talent was never the issue with Moore, who collected six interceptions over three seasons at Kansas State. The problem was the coaching staff felt Moore, a 2010 fifth-round draft choice, lacked the necessary upper body strength last season to be a viable option either on defense or special teams. Moore spent his rookie year basically as a game-day inactive -- he did dress for three regular-season games -- then headed down to Miami in the offseason to try and bulk up.

"We worked on a lot of speed and quickness, so I feel like that's my advantage this year," Moore said. "I feel last year I wasn't as strong coming in. I felt like in the offseason I had to get stronger, and I did, so now I feel like I'm a better player all the way around."

The plan worked and the cornerback added 10 pounds of muscle. He weighed in last week at 189 pounds, much to the delight of the Bears.

"The coaches were happy," Moore said. "When I came in they were happy with how my body looked. I figure, now I just have to go out and make plays. This year, I already know what is expected of me. I worked hard in the offseason and came in this year with a lot more confidence. I'm ready to play. I have a lot to prove."

“I know I'm under the radar, but I just go in every day and try to prove myself. I can't worry about what other people think. All I can do is try to improve and work hard. I know by the end of training camp, I will have put myself in a good spot."

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- Lost in the Soldier Field controversy, Matt Forte's potential new contract, and receiver Johnny Knox's latest woes, defensive tackle Henry Melton looms as one of the Chicago Bears' most significant storylines headed into the season.

Why? Well, let’s not forget that the foundation to Chicago’s scheme lies in the middle of the defensive line, where the club took advantage for years of near-guaranteed production from recently-departed defensive tackle Tommie Harris.

Now, it’s Melton’s turn to take on the bell-cow role.

“After we watched the video from last year, [we noticed] he did a lot of good things. That’s why we started him off as our starting three-technique under tackle,” said Bears coach Lovie Smith.

Smith tempered enthusiasm for Melton in the offseason because the rising third-year man hadn’t made much of an impact thus far. But depth-chart moves don’t lie, and as of right now, Melton is running with the starters opposite veteran Anthony Adams.

“Everything you’re looking for in a defensive lineman… I’m talking about quickness, speed, strength. He’s gotten his weight up. He’s a good pass rusher inside. I just think he has everything that you’re looking for,” Smith said. “Right now he just needs to play and continue to get reps.”

Coming off a disappointing rookie season spent on the injured reserve, Melton made tremendous strides in 2010 while contributing in a limited role. Melton finished the regular season with 17 tackles, 2½ sacks and nine quarterback pressures.

Melton started the season with just two tackles in the first five games, but came on as the season progressed, pumping out 13 stops during a five-game stretch from Oct. 17 through Nov. 18.

Although his production tapered off toward the end of the season (two tackles and a half sack over the last six games), Melton flashed enough talent with limited opportunities to convince the staff he could be even more disruptive with increased snaps.

“The plan is for him to play more, and hopefully be a starter,” Angelo told ESPNChicago.com at the NFL owners meetings. “Everything we saw this past year we liked. The arrow’s going up. We feel, physically speaking, he’s got everything you want in terms of size, speed, toughness. Now it’s just a matter of learning the position that will come with the repetition of more plays.”

In addition to tremendous athleticism (he scored 10 touchdowns as a freshman running back at the University of Texas) and a seemingly non-stop motor, Melton continues to hone his craft in technical areas of pass rushing and run support such as hand placement and leverage. Similar to defensive end Israel Idonije, who played multiple roles before finally locking in on a spot in 2010, Melton might also benefit from specializing at one or two spots along the defensive front.

Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said Melton and the entire unit are making progress.

“It counts more when you get the pads on, and we really just had a couple of days there,” Marinelli said. “We’re seeing good progress. I think when you motivate people it’s about getting better at your basic fundamentals. Then when they see it on tape, your confidence goes up. You take these men, you see where they’re at and now you just work them, every day.

Melton bulked up during the lockout from his listed 2010 weight of 260 pounds to close to 300 pounds. Although Smith and Angelo effusively praised Melton during the offseason, it’s important to note the team still used a second-round pick in April to bring in Stephen Paea, who is currently alternating between the nose and under-tackle spots.

So nothing is guaranteed for Melton.

The roster already contains two run stuffers at defensive tackle in Adams and Matt Toeina. Now the Bears hope Melton adds the pass-rushing dimension at the under-tackle role vacated by Harris.

“He’s working hard,” Smith said. “I’m expecting a big year from him.”

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- As Lovie Smith likes to put it, training camp depth charts are made out in pencil.

That is especially true at wide receiver, where several Bears newcomers are threatening to change the pecking order.

One of those players is undrafted rookie free agent Dane Sanzenbacher, who might end up being more than your standard training camp myth.

The buzz around Sanzenbacher, a first team All-Big Ten choice last year at Ohio State, is real.

So real, in fact, he is challenging Earl Bennett for first team reps in the slot.

"Seeing is believing," Bears receivers coach Darryl Drake said. "You can't minimize the fact he's done some good things. I'm not. You know, this game is based on production. The opportunities are based on production. Now, he's got to go out there in the preseason and prove it against other people, but he's going against some pretty good guys now.

"I'm trying to put him in the most stressful situations I can put him in."

The prospect of being an undrafted rookie without the benefit of team offseason workouts sounds stressful enough. Throw in the difficult process of having to learn the Mike Martz offense, and it's fair to say Sanzenbacher has accomplished an awful lot in a short period of time.

"It's a good position to be in, regardless, when you're a rookie," Sanzenbacher said. "You can't ask for anything more than to get a chance, and to get reps out there. It's a lot to try and sort out, digest at first. You're thinking about not only getting the play right and position right on the right with your splits, but then you got to read the defense and everything. It's been a learning experience, but it's been really cool to learn on the fly."

The 5-11, 180-pound rookie caught 55 passes for 948 yards and 11 touchdowns during his final season at Ohio State.

"We've only been here a little over a week, but it seems like it's been forever with all the classroom time we've had trying to learn this offense," Sanzenbacher said. "I wouldn't say I'm ahead of where I thought I'd be, not saying it in an arrogant way, but when you come into this situation you know you have to capitalize on you opportunities. I didn't set a timeline for myself, but you have to know from day one when you walk in, that if you do get a shot, be prepared."

Drake cautions people not to assume Sanzenbacher is a lock to make the team -- last year the Bears kept five receivers on the 53-man roster -- but the rookie clearly has a legitimate opportunity.

"Are we ready to crown him? No," Drake said. "But we do see something there and so we are just going to continue and help him develop."

Jeff Dickerson covers the Bears for ESPNChicago.com and ESPN 1000.

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- Chicago Bears safety Major Wright considers his interception of Jay Cutler in Tuesday's practice a mere prelude of what's to come during the regular season.

Expecting to take one of the starting safety spots this year, Wright prepared adequately.

"A lot of picks this year for me, you know," Wright said. "By staying healthy and coachable, I can do that."

Wright spent the offseason training at Xtreme Performance Enhancement in his home state of Florida with Chiefs cornerback Brandon Flowers and safety Eric Berry, among others. Berry was the fifth overall pick of Wright's draft class, and blossomed into the first Chiefs rookie to earn a Pro Bowl nod since linebacker Derrick Thomas (1989).

Wright, meanwhile, missed five games in a rookie season mired by injuries; first straining a groin early in training camp, followed by breaking his left index finger against the Chargers in the preseason and later pulling a hamstring against the Cowboys that put him on the shelf for five weeks.

"Last year with me getting injured, I really studied. I couldn't do much, so I studied, studied and studied," Wright said.

The extra classroom sessions seem to be translating on the field, according to Bears secondary coach Jon Hoke, who admits Wright's health is the team's main concern.

"No question [the major concern for Wright is staying healthy]," Hoke said. "He was a guy who through his whole college career never missed anything. Then it was weird. The first year here he broke his finger in the San Diego game, then a hamstring in the Dallas game.

"But we're always encouraged with our guys. We like what they're doing. I mean, it's early. There were no OTAs or anything, and we're only a few days into camp. But we're encouraged by what we see, [and] he's going to get an opportunity. He played a ton last year."

Almost immediately after the season came to conclusion, Wright put his time and energy into the playbook, "going over plays, working on my breaks, working on [tracking] the ball," he said, in addition to chiseling his frame to make it virtually impervious to injury.

Training with Berry at XPE, Wright said the achievements of his colleague pushed him to attain similar success in his first real opportunity to take over one of the safety spots full time. Free agent Danieal Manning signed with the Texans, leaving Wright as the most logical candidate to start opposite Chris Harris.

Wright says he's ready.

"There's no pressure because I come out and get better every day. I'm coachable, and I do what I have to do out here in practice so when it's game time, I'm prepared," Wright said. "I feel like I'm in better shape than I was in last year. I went out and I went at it [during the offseason]. Working with Eric Berry -- with him being the No. 1 safety coming out of my class -- it pushed me."

Coming off an 11-5 regular-season record and a berth in the NFC Championship Game, the Chicago Bears still enter 2011 with a variety of needs to fill, especially up front on both the offensive and defensive lines. Because the NFL offseason is currently being interrupted by a lockout, it's unclear when the Bears will be able to sign free agents, which makes this upcoming draft even more vital for Bears general manager Jerry Angelo and the coaching staff. Here is a quick look at the Bears’ top five needs in order of importance.

1. Offensive line: While the offensive line was successful opening holes for Matt Forte on the ground, the pass protection was subpar for much of the year. Starting quarterback Jay Cutler was sacked 52 times during the regular season, nine of those hits coming in the Bears’ Week 4 defeat at the hands of the New York Giants that resulted in Cutler leaving the game with a concussion. The Bears are high on second-year tackle J'Marcus Webb, who may be moved over to the left side, but it remains to be seen whether or not 2010 left tackle Frank Omiyale sticks in the starting lineup, or if the Bears decide to move Chris Williams back outside. If Williams lines up at tackle in 2011, the Bears must find a new starting left guard, and if Olin Kreutz does not re-sign, Angelo must find a new starting center. Even if Kreutz returns, as most expect, the Bears might still need to add two new starters on the offensive line in the offseason.

2. Defensive line: The search is on to find a three-technique defensive tackle to replace Tommie Harris, who was released earlier in the offseason after yet another disappointing season. Former fourth-round pick Henry Melton, who turned in a solid sophomore campaign, figures to see increased playing time next year, but the Bears still need to find a game-changing under tackle with an explosive first step like Harris used to have before injuries derailed the former Pro Bowler’s career. The Bears could also use depth at nose tackle, even though Matt Toeaina signed an extension during the regular season and the organization may opt to bring back dependable veteran Anthony Adams. Marcus Harrison is a major question mark considering he was inactive 13 times in 2010. Since the draft is stocked with quality rush ends, it would not be a shock to see Angelo select another defensive end, despite taking Corey Wootton in the fourth round last spring.

3. Cornerback: The plan was never for Tim Jennings to start at cornerback in 2010. Keeping that in mind, it's clear the Bears would prefer an upgrade at the cornerback position, and in a perfect world, that might come via the draft. But even if an in-house candidate (Jennings, Zack Bowman, Joshua Moore) ends up winning a starting job, there is no guarantee veteran Charles Tillman can stay healthy again for all 16 regular season games. Eventually, the Bears will have to replace Tillman, so adding another big, fast, physical cornerback to the mix in 2011 would be a wise move. D.J. Moore had an excellent year at nickelback, but like Jennings, he probably doesn't possesses the necessary size to be a consistent, every-down cornerback in the Bears system. If Corey Graham is forced to return to Chicago as a restricted free agent, he is expected to only be used on special teams.

4. Linebacker: Angelo called the 2011 linebacker draft class weak, but because of expiring contracts and the uncertainty of the free agency, the Bears need to add a body or two at the position. Pisa Tinoisamoa, Rod Wilson and Brian Iwuh are all unrestricted free agent, while Nick Roach is stuck in limbo between being an unrestricted free agent or a restricted free agent with four years of NFL service. With only Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher guaranteed to be under contract with the Bears in 2011, Angelo might have to use a pick on a linebacker, despite his claims the rookie crop is below average. If nothing else, the Bears probably need at least one new linebacker to help out on special teams in the fall.

5. Wide receiver: It's true the Bears remain high on receivers Johnny Knox, Devin Hester and Earl Bennett, but with the departure of Devin Aromashodu, Angelo could use a bigger target in the passing game to help out Cutler. Maybe the answer is former CFL star Andy Fantuz, who is expected to compete for a roster spot when (or if) the Bears are permitted to conduct a training camp. However, to assume Fantuz's transition from the CFL to the NFL will be seamless is a bit of a stretch. Angelo believes in waiting until at least the third round to select receivers -- the lone exception came in 2005 when the Bears took Oklahoma WR Mark Bradley in the second round -- so while fans might be screaming for the Bears to chosse a wideout early, it probably won't happen. A mid-to-late round selection would seem appropriate considering the loss of Aromashodu and the impending free agency of veteran Rashied Davis, who because of special teams value, the Bears should strongly consider re-signing.

Normally a position of stability, linebacker morphs into an area concern for the Chicago Bears in 2011 with just two starters -- Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs -- currently under contract.

Bears coach Lovie Smith predicts an infusion of youth at the position through the upcoming draft or free agency.

"This year, when you look, we don’t have a lot of linebackers signed," Smith said. "We’re gonna have to bring somebody in. But I like the play that we’ve gotten from our backups. Our backups have really stepped up."

Whether they’ve done so sufficiently remains in question with the team looking ahead to the April draft and free agency once the lockout comes to conclusion. In addition to adding youth at the position, the club needs to determine how to fill the remaining starting role at strong side linebacker alongside Urlacher and Briggs.

At this point, the only candidate currently under contract with any real experience is Nick Roach, a rising fifth-year player, who started in six games and contributed 11 tackles.

"It’s hard for me to talk about some of those [other] players when we only have a couple of guys really signed right now," Smith said. "Just talking about last year, Nick Roach has started a long time for us. Nick, Pisa [Tinoisamoa], all those guys have started. Brian Iwuh, when he filled in for Lance Briggs, [he] played well; would’ve gotten the game ball if we had beaten Seattle [on Oct. 17]."

The problem right now, though, is Tinoisamoa and Iwuh aren’t under contract. An unrestricted free agent, Tinoisamoa missed all or parts of seven games in 2010 and wants to return in 2011, but acknowledged his injury history as a potential hindrance to striking a new deal with the Bears.

Tinoisiamoa posted 51 tackles last season, in addition to a sack and a forced fumble.

Iwuh led the Bears with 12 tackles (10 solo) in his only start last season, and finished the year tied for second in special-teams stops (18). The Bears attempted to sign Iwuh to a multi-year contract prior to the lockout, and it’s likely the sides will come to an agreement once NFL business resumes.

Rod Wilson, who saw his most significant action filling in for an injured Roach against Detroit on Dec. 5, was signed last September to replace Hunter Hillenmeyer, but doesn’t appear to be in the team’s plans for 2011. Wilson and his representatives haven’t heard from the team since the end of the season.

So in terms of potential candidates currently on the roster for the vacant starting spot on the strong side, there’s just Roach -- who was tendered a one-year offer earlier this month -- along with Chris Johnson and Patrick Trahan, a pair of rookies in 2010 who in January signed reserve/futures contracts.

It’s also worth noting that although Urlacher and Briggs show no signs of declining play, they’re 32, and 30, respectively. (Urlacher will be 33 in May).

"We’ll be [fine]. But you just have to keep in mind what we try to look for [at linebacker]," Smith said. "The linebacker [positions] -- [numbers] three through seven or [numbers] three through six -- have to be core special-teams players. Whoever we have in the mix, they’re gonna have to be core special-teams guys that we feel really good about."

Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith envisions four players competing for two starting cornerback spots when business resumes in the NFL.

That number, however, could swell if the Bears address the cornerback position in the draft or free agency, a strong possibility since Bears general manager Jerry Angelo has selected a cornerback in each of the past four years.

"Charles Tillman has been injured quite a bit, but this past year, no injuries,” Smith said earlier in the month at the NFL owner’s meetings in New Orleans. “The guy played so well with what he brought to the table, stripping the ball and just being a tough guy. Tim Jennings, you know, he was on the outside looking in. Zack Bowman was the starter, Tim was a backup. [We] picked him up [as a] special teams player, you know. But he made so much progress and he was competing so hard, we got great corner play out of those guys. We still haven’t given up on Zack Bowman. Zach’s size, speed and hands, he has all those things. I can’t wait to see that competition.

“Then Josh Moore, we like Josh Moore, a player that you didn’t get a chance to see last year. Those four, I’m anxious to see what they can do. But just like I say with the defensive line, you’re always trying to improve your cornerback position and add a player to the mix.”

It’s tough to imagine the Bears pushing Tillman out of the starting lineup -- barring injury -- after the veteran finished 2010 tied for the team lead in interceptions (5) and forced fumbles (3), while ranking third in tackles (101) and second in passes broken up (11).

That likely leaves just one spot open for the other challengers.

The most intriguing of the current bunch is Bowman. Despite leading the Bears with six interceptions in 2009, which led to Bowman being elevated to the team’s No. 1 cornerback (LCB) the following offseason, the 2008 fifth-round draft choice lost his starting job in 2010 following the Bears’ 20-17 win over the Green Bay Packers in Week 3.

Bowman began to fall out of favor with the coaching staff after Detroit receiver Calvin Johnson caught what appeared to be a game-winning touchdown in the season opener at Soldier Field. Even though the play was ruled a non-catch and the Bears won the game, Bowman took the heat for allowing the near completion, despite the fact Smith made a poor defensive call on the play. Although the Bears head coach claimed in a postgame news conference the unit was playing its signature Cover-2 defense on the play in question, it was later revealed Smith called for a three-deep style coverage, which left Bowman without help over the top versus the 6-foot-5 Pro Bowl wideout.

After failing to record a takeaway against Detroit, Dallas and Green Bay, Bowman, whose first interception in 2009 came in Week 5, was pulled in favor of Jennings after he missed an open-field tackle during the Packers game. The cornerback appeared to be working his way back into the rotation when the Bears hosted Seattle on Oct. 17, but Bowman suffered a foot injury in the meeting with the Seahawks, and subsequently missed the next three contests.

Initially, the foot injury wasn’t believed to be serious, but Bowman wasn’t cleared to return by the Bears medical staff until Nov. 18 when the club traveled to Miami. Smith, who famously tells reporters “he’s not a doctor” to deflect injury questions, seemed to take issue with the amount of time Bowman was forced to miss, which led to the defensive back falling deeper into the head coach’s doghouse.

Where that leaves Bowman for 2011 is unclear.

“You can’t be real excited about a guy’s play that year when they’re beaten out by someone else,” Smith said. “Zach went into the season as the starter, and didn’t play as well as he needed to early on, which allowed Tim to take advantage of that opportunity. So Zach needs to come back [strong] this year, which he’s capable of doing.”

Moore, a 2010 fifth-round choice out of Kansas State, is expected to receive a strong push from the coaching staff, and from a talent standpoint, has the necessary skills to be a starting caliber player. However, questions continue to linger about Moore’s upper body strength -- he managed only two reps at 225 pounds in front of scouts at the 2010 NFL Combine. Plus, entering only his second year in the league, Moore still needs a little seasoning, which is perfectly understandable for a player who received few reps at practice.

Signed by the Bears as a free agent last offseason, Jennings performed admirably much of the year despite standing at 5-8. An above average tackler, Jennings’ 2010 campaign ended on a sour note after he struggled in the NFC Championship Game versus the Packers. Although Smith continues to publically support Jennings, the veteran forced only two takeaways in 15 starts, including the postseason.

“Tim did some good things, but we lost to the Super Bowl champion,” Smith said. “They have good receivers. We didn’t lose the game based on Tim’s play. We didn’t lose any games based on Tim Jennings’ play. I’m pleased with how he played.

“A lot of times you talk cornerback play. We’re going to talk about our defensive line, too. Pass coverage is both. If we can just keep getting players that play as hard as Tim, and brings to the table what he brought, we’ll be OK.”

As ESPNChicago.com reported last month, cornerback Corey Graham plans to leave Chicago if he reaches unrestricted free agency. Graham, however, only has four accrued NFL seasons, and might be classified as a restricted free agent -- the Bears tendered Graham a restricted free agent qualifying offer -- when a new collective bargaining agreement is reached or if an injunction is issued by the courts to lift the lockout.

Graham is not expected to be in the mix at cornerback if he returns to the Bears for a fifth season.

“Corey has been more of a specialist for us,” Smith said. “To say he can’t play [cornerback], I wouldn’t say that. He’s gotten his opportunity to play for us, and didn’t play as well as we probably would’ve liked.”