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An examination of four hot issues from the Chicago Bears’ 40-32 loss to the Detroit Lions:

Run defense: The Bears allowed Reggie Bush to gain 112 yards in the first half, then held him to 27 yards in the second half. With Henry Melton out, the Bears played Stephen Paea at the 3-technique spot and moved Nate Collins to nose tackle. The Bears might want to consider trying Collins at the 3-technique and Paea at nose.

After the game, Paea wore a walking boot due to minor turf toe on his left foot, and maybe that injury diminished Paea’s effectiveness.

“I’ve played some 3 [technique] before, but it’s just a matter of time, repetitions and practice,” Paea said.

Jay Cutler: This could come off as odd, but despite Cutler’s horrid performance (65.6 passer rating with three interceptions, plus a fumble returned for a touchdown), this game might have shown growth on the quarterback’s part.

Detroit scored 17 points off turnovers, and Cutler appeared to be the culprit on every giveaway but one (his first interception). How the quarterback handled himself in the heat of battle and afterward gives reason for optimism. Despite the mistakes, Cutler held up well and nearly brought the Bears back. After the game, Cutler showed accountability for his contribution to the loss and told it how it was, which signals he’ll take the appropriate steps to correct the issues.

“I have to give us a better chance to win. I mean, three picks. It’s hard to come back from that,” Cutler said. “[I] have to play better.”

Third-down conversions: The Bears converted just one of 13 third downs, and no matter how well the defense plays, it’s difficult to overcome that deficiency. It’s not all on Cutler. In the second quarter, Jordan Mills was whistled for a false start on third-and-10. Two series later, Cutler was in a third-and-21 situation after a 9-yard sack on second down. In the third quarter, a 27-yard gain on third down was negated by a Kyle Long penalty. Then, on the next series, Cutler was sacked and fumbled for Nick Fairley’s 4-yard touchdown.

“The big thing was third down,” Bears coach Marc Trestman said. “We did horribly today [on third down], and that starts with me.”

Too much pressure: Cutler was sacked three times and spent most of the day under duress. This team has invested too much into protecting Cutler for this to continue.

"Either we didn't execute on the play or we didn't give Jay enough time to throw the ball," running back Matt Forte said. "Give credit to them for giving a great rush, but we didn't do our part."

DETROIT -- Knowing the capabilities of running back Reggie Bush meant little in terms of stopping him for the Chicago Bears on Sunday at Ford Field.

Bush wrecked the Bears for 112 yards on 11 attempts in the first half to help Detroit build a 30-13 lead at intermission, before hanging on to capture a 40-32 win and first place in the NFC North. Chicago slowed down Bush in the second half, limiting him to 27 yards on seven carries. But by then, the damage had already been done.

“We just missed a lot of tackles,” Bears cornerback Charles Tillman said. “He did a good job of making his moves. You have to give credit where credit is due. He’s a good back.”

Bush made that known almost immediately. Julius Peppers stopped Bush for no gain on the running back’s first attempt, but he ran for gains of 9, 11 and 17 yards on his next three attempts.

Bush’s first two attempts of the second quarter gained 15 and 16 yards.

“I think they had a good game plan for us in the run game. They have Israel Idonije over there, who was a long time player for us, and who also happens to really know our defense,” safety Chris Conte said. “So they really had a great scheme going. But we just have to have a better effort individually. That’s all there is to it.”

Idonije played nine seasons in Chicago, and at least one of the team’s current players suspects his former teammate tipped off the Lions to what the Bears were doing defensively. The player said that Bush broke most of his big gains when Chicago called for its “power” stunt. A stunt involves defensive linemen altering the path of their rush in a coordinated fashion in an attempt to confuse opposing offensive line, which in turn, makes it more difficult for them to block.

Because of Bush’s production during when Chicago ran that stunt, the Bears abandoned the call altogether, according to the player.

Bush broke a highlight-reel run for a 37-yard touchdown with 2:43 left in the second quarter to help the Lions go ahead 30-10 after the extra point, and there’s a good chance Detroit caught the Bears on that play in their “power” stunt.

“A sweet run,” Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “It was a play that, honestly, we have been working in practice all week knowing that they were going to blitz us. Instead of getting out of it, we just ran right into it. Dom [Raiola] made a great call up front. [Tight end Brandon] Pettigrew had a great block. We sealed off the backside, and then Reggie did the rest.”

The Bears played a good portion of the opening half in a nickel defense, which features five defensive backs, and just six players in the box to defend the run. Bush admitted to becoming “very excited” upon seeing Chicago’s personnel grouping.

“When we have them in nickel, and there’s six guys in the box, we’ve got to take advantage of that,” Bush said. “We definitely felt that was an area we could take advantage.”

Detroit certainly did that.

Bush said on some runs he “really didn’t get touched a whole lot until I got to the secondary.” By then, all Bush had to do was turn on the speed or juke the defender in space.

“If we don’t tackle, we’ve got trouble,” said Bears safety Major Wright, “especially with a back like that. Today, he came out and had a good game because we didn’t tackle him. Reggie Bush is special. He has speed. He can shake you. He can do everything.”

The Bears knew as much going in. The problem is they couldn’t do anything to stop it, which is a concern moving forward for a Chicago defense whose main goal always is to stop the run first.

The Bears played without franchise defensive tackle Henry Melton, who is out for the season with a torn ACL. Nate Collins played the nose tackle spot, with Paea moving into Melton’s place as the three-technique.

Collins and Paea admitted the Bears are depleted up front without Melton in the mix, but each repeated the team’s next-man-up mentality for dealing with injury. Paea called Bush “another Adrian Peterson, if not quicker,” while Collins mentioned that an inch of daylight for the running back is often too much.

“He’s got quicks. He’s got jukes,” Collins said. “The running plays they had, if there was just a little sliver, he could still get through it quick going downhill. A guy like that, it’s hard enough to tackle him. But when he gets a little space, gets going and gains speed, that makes it even worse.”

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears signed defensive tackle Landon Cohen on Friday, and officially placed franchise defensive tackle Henry Melton on injured reserve.

Melton tore the ACL in his left knee with 12:58 left to play in Chicago’s 40-23 victory Sunday over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Looking to add depth, the Bears brought in Cohen and Daniel Muir for tryouts, before opting Friday to sign the former.

“I just talked to [general manager] Phil [Emery] about him,” Bears coach Marc Trestman said. “I don’t know much, but he’s with us. We’ll find out a little bit more. Phil’s been out of town, so I’ll have a chance to chat with him. I did by phone, but [I’ll] have a chance to talk with him a little bit more.”

Cohen has played in 27 career NFL games (with five starts) for Detroit (2008-09), Jacksonville (2010), New England (2010-11) and Dallas (2013). He has posted 32 tackles.

Fourth-year veteran Nate Collins will start Sunday opposite Stephen Paea, who is expected to move into Melton’s customary spot as the three-technique while Collins plays nose tackle. It’s likely that defensive end Corey Wootton will also kick inside to defensive tackle to enter the rotation, which will also include undrafted free-agent Zach Minter.

Minter had been among the team’s inactives over the first three games.

“[Melton] is definitely a great player. No one is going to do what he does out there,” Minter said. “But when the opportunity presents itself, it’s our job to take advantage, but also step up and play like he’s not missing. So it’s up to us to keep the momentum going, keep the pass rush up and get after the football.”

Melton has 13 sacks since 2011, which ranks second among defensive tackles during that span. So replacing him will be a difficult proposition for Chicago’s already struggling pass rush. Through the first three games, Collins has contributed seven tackles in limited action.

Filling in for an injured Melton at Pittsburgh, Collins posted two tackles.

“I feel like I’m aggressive, like I might be a little undersized,” Collins said. “But in some situations, playing in that phone booth at nose tackle, it’s an advantage as long as I keep my pads down and use my leverage to my advantage.”

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – While Henry Melton might be lost for the season with a knee injury and understandably demoralized, he still has figured out a way to offer the Chicago Bears a little bit more.

Melton reached out to the guy who will absorb much of his playing time moving forward, and Nate Collins was appreciative of the gesture.

“Me and Henry are really tight,” Collins said after practice Wednesday. “He said, you know this is something that happens to guys, and you just have to be ready and take advantage of it. I wish Henry the best. I know Henry’s going through a lot right now. Hopefully it will be a fast, healthy recovery.”

While Collins is itching for his chance, he knows it’s inevitable that his play on the line will be compared to Melton’s. The 6-foot-2, 296-pounder, who has spent much of his four seasons in the NFL at nose tackle, hopes he can be appreciated for his own unique skill set.

“I feel like I’m aggressive,” said Collins, who ran extra wind sprints after practice because he doesn't want conditioning to be a reason he might struggle. “I feel like I might be a little undersized, but in some situations playing inside that phone booth at nose tackle, it’s an advantage if I keep my pads down and use my leverage to my advantage.”

Stephen Paea still is expected to remain at nose tackle for the Bears this week, but alongside Collins at defensive tackle, the Bears could present something of a double-nose-tackle look at Detroit on Sunday.

“I feel like we’re both guys that can penetrate and push the pocket and we’re both small guys in there,” Collins said of lining up alongside Paea. “We try to use our leverage to our advantage, and when we go against bigger guys we have to stick with our technique and let our technique work everything out.”

First and foremost for Collins will be recognizing his gap and staying in it. He doesn’t have to come out and be the hero.

“The coach says every day, the star of the defense is the defense,” Collins said. “If we stay in our gap, then we’ll have an opportunity to make plays, and when the plays come your way you have to make them. That’s what I think I’ve been doing. There’s always room for improvement. Out here it’s not really about me, I’m just trying to get better.”

If anybody knows what Collins is capable of doing it’s defensive coordinator Mel Tucker. They were together with Jacksonville as recently as 2011.

“He’s a high-effort guy, a high-energy guy,” Tucker said. “He’s stout with a relentless mentality. He plays with a good pad level. He has a chip on his shoulder and I really like him.”

Now that Collins becomes a starter on defense, the question becomes how the Bears organize their rotation on the defensive line. Julius Peppers or Corey Wootton could move inside at times from their defensive-end positions, ramping up the playing time for defensive end Shea McClellin. Or the Bears could test their depth even further by calling on defensive tackle Zach Minter.

The 6-1, 297-pound Minter is an undrafted free agent out of Montana State who has not been active for any of the first three games of the season.

“The biggest adjustment is learning the margin for error,” Minter said. “There is little room to slip up. You always want to be on your game. Just the pace of the game, too. It’s why I lean on these guys, to learn from them and learn from the coaches and trust in the defense and trust in the older guys.”

Minter said he isn’t worried about the speed of the NFL game if and when he gets his first opportunity. He said the Bears go at full speed during much of practice. But now that he is on the cusp of some playing time, he has taken a minute to look at the big picture.

“I think you have to,” he said. “This is the National Football League. Not everybody gets a chance to play here, so when you do you kind of take a step back and figure out where you’re at while figuring out what you have to do to get better.”

While playing time will be a big opportunity for Minter, Collins is trying to downplay things. He was asked if this is the moment he’s been waiting for.

“I mean, you know, I guess you could say that,” Collins said. “But at the same time, just being on the team and having an opportunity to play on defense and being out there, that’s the opportunity. I’ve been on the field, and this is really no different for me. I just have to go out there and make the plays I need to make, and continue to just play well like I’ve been doing.”

Wearing sunglasses and a ball cap pulled down tightly Sunday night, a dejected Henry Melton hobbled out of the locker room after the Chicago Bears bested the Pittsburgh Steelers 40-23 at Heinz Field.

Approximately 12 hours later, back in Chicagoland, a dire diagnosis of a torn ACL puts Melton out for the season and the Bears into grind mode to somehow add depth at the position.

“It’s tough. We’re gonna have to rally,” defensive end Julius Peppers said. “Other guys gonna have to step their game up a little bit and try to fill that void.”

In the next-man-up world of the NFL, fourth-year veteran Nate Collins, who has been one of the defensive line's most consistent players, receives first crack to play in Melton’s spot opposite Stephen Paea. Both are capable of playing either tackle spot, and given that Collins might be a tick quicker than Paea, it’s likely he’ll play the three-technique position while Paea stays at the nose.

Still, there’s a good chance general manager Phil Emery is spending Monday on the phone with agents trying to set up Tuesday workouts with free agents as the Bears explore the possibility of adding depth. Defensive end Corey Wootton is capable of moving inside to tackle where he can contribute as a rotational player, and the team could ramp up the repetitions of second-year veteran Shea McClellin at defensive end. Wootton has seen spot duty inside at tackle as a situational player when defensive coordinator Mel Tucker tries to deploy all four of his best pass-rushers on the field at the same time.

So it’s likely the Bears could go that direction. Undrafted free agent Zach Minter is an unlikely option, too. But they’d still probably want to add at least one more player capable of playing significant snaps because the Bears like to utilize a rotation to keep everyone fresh. Even if Chicago finds suitable depth (which is highly unlikely), make no mistake about the significance of losing Melton.

Designated the franchise player (a tag that carries a guaranteed salary of $8.45 million), Melton entered Sunday’s game ranked second among defensive tackles in sacks (13) since 2011, and the thought was at his age (26), he was entering his prime. Melton hadn’t quite returned to form through his first three outings, but the club knows it lost a valuable commodity in the Pro Bowl defensive tackle, because his spot is arguably the most important cog in making the team’s scheme go.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Defensive tackle Henry Melton and wide receiver Earl Bennett remained sidelined on Tuesday due to concussions, but both players watched practice from the sidelines for the first time since the Chicago Bears concluded the Bourbonnais portion of their training camp on Aug. 13.

However, Melton and Bennett have still not passed the NFL concussion protocol to return to action, and therefore both continue to be off-limits to the media, per league rules.

While veteran Nate Collins has elevated his game filling in for Melton at defensive tackle, the picture at the No. 3 wide receiver spot is cloudier with Bennett out. Wideouts Joe Anderson, Marquess Wilson, Eric Weems, Terrence Toliver and Devin Aromashodu have all been given an opportunity to run with the first and second teams in recent weeks, but quarterback Jay Cutler said on Tuesday that he has no input on which specific player would fill the void left by Bennett if his absence continues to drag on.

"They don't give me an opinion so we'll see who they throw in there," Cutler said. "We'll see who Marc (Trestman), Phil (Emery) and those guys like. Whoever is out there I trust that they can get the job done."

In other injury news, quarterback Matt Blanchard (hand), fullback Harvey Unga (rib), defensive end Cheta Ozougwu (hamstring), linebacker D.J. Williams (calf), long snapper Patrick Mannelly (rib), offensive tackle Jonathan Scott (knee) and defensive tackle Corvey Irvin (ankle) were all held out of Tuesday's practice.

The news on Blanchard is encouraging. The second-year quarterback is expected to miss about a month, but could still have a role on the team in 2013 in some capacity. Blanchard also remains eligible for the practice squad.

CHICAGO -- Chicago Bears coach Marc Trestman could point to positives and negatives when it came to his team's offense against the San Diego Chargers on Thursday, but he had nothing but good things to say about the play of the Bears' defensive line.

The Bears held the Chargers’ first-team offense and quarterback Philip Rivers scoreless on four possessions over a little more than a quarter, thanks greatly to their defensive line.

“I thought there’s a competition up front defensively,” Trestman said after Chicago's 33-28 win at Soldier Field. “Again, good pass rush. Shea [McClellin] was involved. Corey [Wootton] was involved. Nate [Collins] was involved. And that’s a good thing.”

McClellin led the way on the Bears’ first stop of the Chargers’ offense. On a first-down play, McClellin tackled Chargers running back Ryan Mathews for a 1-yard loss. Facing long yardage, San Diego went to the air on the next two downs, but Rivers threw back-to-back incompletions.

On the Chargers’ next possession, Wootton stepped up. Wootton blew past San Diego right tackle D.J. Fluker on the inside and slammed Rivers to the ground for a sack. Wootton celebrated with a robot dance. Facing third-and-14, Rivers threw an interception on the following play.

McClellin emerged again on the Chargers’ third possession. He got past left tackle Max Starks and nailed Rivers from behind. The hit caused Rivers to fumble the ball, and the Bears recovered it.

The Bears again kept the heat on Rivers on the Chargers’ fourth offensive possession. On third-and-6 from the Bears’ 39-yard line, which is as close as Rivers got to Chicago's end zone, Collins ended Rivers' day by dropping him one final time for a sack.

McClellin, Wootton and Collins combined for 10 tackles, three sacks, three tackles for loss, two quarterback hits and one forced fumble.

With those numbers, it’s no wonder Trestman was so happy.

The belly laugh conjured from the memory contorts Nate Collins into a convulsing mess.

Apparently, he knew much more in April about the Chicago Bears' first-round pick than anyone else in the crowd at the United Center for Game 3 of the Bulls' Eastern Conference playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets.

Read the entire story.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Here are Five Things We Learned in the Chicago Bears' 24-17 loss to the Carolina Panthers in the preseason opener on Friday.

1. The Bears' offense is still a work in progress: Jay Cutler began the Bears' opening preseason game the same way he's kicked off a handful of training camp practices on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University -- by throwing an interception. That early miscue, which Cutler accepted total responsibility for when he met with reporters after the game, set the tone for the night as the Bears' first-team offense didn't accomplish a whole lot in 10 total snaps. Granted, 10 plays is a very small sample size, but I think it's fair to say the offense needs to make significant improvement between now and the regular season opener on Sept. 8. When the games count, there needs to be an emphasis to use Matt Forte on the ground, something the Bears failed to do in nine of the 10 plays Cutler was on the field because the quarterback correctly, according to coach Marc Trestman, changed certain run calls at the line to passes based on the look from the Panthers' defense. That's understandable. But outside of Brandon Marshall, the one constant for the Bears is Forte. He needs to be fed the ball early and often. If the Bears can run the ball effectively, it will open up a world of possibilities for Trestman and Cutler. If they don't run enough, Cutler might not last eight games behind this offensive line.

2. Rookie linebackers looked like they belonged: The game tape from Friday night will likely reveal the mistakes made by rookie linebackers Jon Bostic and Khaseem Greene. But the two 2013 draft picks certainly seemed to be in the right place more times than not as the game wore on. Bostic showcased his elite speed when he intercepted a pass and ran it back 51 yards for a touchdown. Then later in the game Bostic strung out a Carolina run play and forced the Panthers tailback to run straight out of bounds and take a loss. Greene might not fit the mold of the ultra-athletic players Bears general manager Phil Emery prefers to draft, but he was an extremely productive player at Rutgers. And if his first NFL game is any indication, Greene is a sound tackler. Greene tied for the team lead with four tackles against the Panthers, and figures to be a core special teams contributor unless more injuries at linebacker force him onto the field this year.

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BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears released their unofficial depth chart heading into Friday's preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers, and aside from the club designating co-starters at two positions, there weren't any surprises.

At right guard, the team listed James Brown and rookie first-round pick Kyle Long as co-starters. At left end, the club did the same with Corey Wootton and second-year man Shea McClellin, a first-round pick in 2012. It appears Brown and Wootton are set to start in the exhibition opener, provided the latter is healthy, considering the defensive end recently suffered a hip injury.

"I think everybody is (excited) in terms of getting the chance to compete against somebody else besides ourselves," Bears coach Marc Trestman said. "And we'll get a chance to take a look at certainly some of the young guys and some of the new guys, and get involved in the competitive process at another level. They'll get a chance to play under the lights against a different team, in a different environment, and that will all be a part of the evaluation."

The Bears listed three players from the 2013 draft class on the second team on defense, including linebackers Jon Bostic and Khaseem Green and defensive end Cornelius Washington, who is listed behind co-starters Wootton and McClellin.

Two more from the draft class -- receiver Marquess Wilson and right tackle Jordan Mills -- are listed on the third team.

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Sunday marked the first day in pads for the Chicago Bears, and by most accounts, rookie offensive lineman Kyle Long made an impression.

Long planted veteran defensive lineman Nate Collins in an early drill, and afterwards Collins made a point to note Long's strength. Several offensive linemen, including left tackle Jermon Bushrod noticed his work as well.

Remember, Long has some extra work to do this summer after NFL/NCAA rules prevented him from participating in most of the Bears' offseason workouts. He is technically competing with James Brown for the right guard job, but most of us expect him to assume that role as soon as he is anywhere close to being ready for it.

Based on reports from Sunday's practice, that time could be coming relatively soon.

Here is an on-site report on Long's day from Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – As is the case with essentially every first-year NFL player, Chicago Bears offensive guard Kyle Long will undoubtedly commit the occasional rookie mistake this season. But any questions regarding his strength were quickly answered on Sunday when the team conducted its first padded practice.

Long certainly held his own when the offensive and defensive lineman squared off in the individual one-on-one pass rushing drill, which is always the most enjoyable drill to watch from a spectator standpoint. On two separate occasions, Long pushed Bears defenders to the ground before they were able to head up field, the first player being defensive tackle Nate Collins, one of the club’s better inside pass-rushers.

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Free agent defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis is scheduled to visit the Chicago Bears this week, according to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Schefter reports Ellis will also meet with the Detroit Lions after he visited the New England Patriots at the end of last week.

Selected No. 7 overall in the 2008 NFL draft by the New Orleans Saints, Ellis played five years for New Orleans, recording just 12.5 sacks.

Ellis had 36 tackles in 16 games for the Saints last season, but zero sacks. Ellis is considered more of a three-technique pass-rushing defensive end as opposed to a run-stopper.

The Bears have already made a handful of moves at tackle in the offseason; the club brought back defensive tackle Nate Collins and also signed DT Corvey Irvin, the 2009 third-round pick of the Carolina Panthers. The Bears briefly had veteran tackle Andre Fluellen on the roster, but he was released. There are also several undrafted rookie defensive tackles under contract with the Bears.

Former Bears defensive tackle Amobi Okoye remains unsigned.

ESPNChicago.com continues its Bears draft preview series with a look at the defensive tackles.

The Chicago Bears' decision to apply the franchise tag to Pro Bowler Henry Melton eliminated the need to pursue a starting-caliber defensive tackle in free agency, but the idea of adding another interior defensive lineman via the draft seems plausible.

With Melton and former second-round pick Stephen Paea already in place to anchor the first-team, the Bears re-signed Nate Collins to a veteran minimum contract deal and recently picked up former Detroit Lions defensive tackle Andre Fluellen to provide depth after the Bears released Matt Toeaina. Defensive tackle Amobi Okoye also remains unsigned.

Under former general manager Jerry Angelo, the Bears routinely used high draft picks on defensive tackles, selecting such players as Paea (2011), Jarron Gilbert (2009), Marcus Harrison (2008), Dusty Dvoracek (2006) and Tommie Harris (2004). The Bears always placed an emphasis on speed, not size, in the old defensive system run by ex-coach Lovie Smith, so it will be interesting to see if the philosophy changes with new defensive coordinator Mel Tucker calling the shots.

Next 10: Jordan Hill, Penn State, 6-1, 303; Montori Hughes, Tennessee-Martin, 6-4, 329; Josh Boyd, Mississippi State, 6-3, 310; Bennie Logan, LSU, 6-2, 309; Everett Dawkins, Florida State, 6-2, 292; Nicholas Williams, Samford, 6-5, 309; T.J. Barnes, Georgia Tech, 6-6, 369; Kwame Geathers, Georgia, 6-6, 342; Cody Grissom, South Florida, 6-2, 306; Mike Purcell, Wyoming, 6-3, 305.

Grade: B

Analysis: Until Melton is locked up to a long-term deal, the Bears need to be serious about searching for his replacement. The jury is still out on Paea, whom the Bears moved to nose tackle his rookie season, despite the fact he was billed as a three-technique coming into the league. Paea started 14 games last season and finished with just 2.5 sacks. However, on a positive note, Paea made it through the regular season in relative good health, a major improvement from his rookie campaign.

Reserves Collins and Fluellen possess certain pass-rushing traits, but defensive tackle is still considered a need. Unless the Bears are sold on one of the early-round prospects, there seems to be a couple potential mid-round prospects that could entice the Bears later in the draft.

With the release of veteran defensive tackle Matt Toeaina on Tuesday, the Chicago Bears created a void at the position they'll need to address through the upcoming draft or veteran free agency.

As it stands now, the club carries just three defensive tackles into its offseason conditioning program in Henry Melton, Stephen Paea and Nate Collins. At the end of the 2012 season, the Bears were carrying four players at the position.

According to the team's game-by-game participation statistics, the Bears rotated six players at defensive tackle, including free-agent defensive end Israel Idonije, who started two games at one of the interior spots.

Given the importance of the defensive tackle position in a 4-3 scheme, the Bears certainly need to acquire at least one more player to serve in the rotation. On the offensive line, players participate in entire games at their set positions. But on defense, teams typically like to rotate the more athletic defensive linemen in and out of the lineup to keep them fresh.

Veteran defensive tackle Amobi Okoye may still be a possibility for the Bears, but he's testing the free agent market. A four-year starter with the Houston Texans, who drafted him No. 10 overall in 2007, Okoye has never lived up to the expectations that accompanied his high draft position. Because of Okoye's history with former defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli, who recently joined the Dallas Cowboys, it was rumored the Cowboys might be interested. But Okoye remains unsigned, and there's a small possibility he could return to the Bears on a veteran minimum deal.

Idonije appears to be another option as a rotational player, although he started the first nine games of last season at left defensive end, opposite Julius Peppers. Idonije possesses the versatility to kick inside to defensive tackle in a pinch as a starter or as a situational pass rusher. Idonije received $2.5 million last season in salary and bonuses. But a return to Chicago for Idonije would have to come at a greatly reduced rate.

So whether the Bears use the draft in April or veteran free agency to address defensive tackle it appears certain the team will add at the position before it gets into the meat of its offseason schedule with minicamps and organized team activities looming.

After all, just getting through practices would seem to be a difficult task with just three defensive tackles on the roster.