With starting cornerback Charles Tillman still on the mend, the Bears’ secondary suffered another casualty at training camp on Wednesday.
Cornerback Zackary Bowman, who had been taking most of the reps with the first-team defense in Tillman’s absence, went down with a hamstring injury during team drills. He will be listed as day-to-day.
Bowman’s injury was not severe and is not uncommon in training camp drills, coach Lovie Smith said.
“It’s worrisome when you go down,” Smith said, “but I don’t think it was a real bad pull or anything like that. He should be back in time.
“When you’re running hard and practicing hard, especially with the skill-position guys, (hamstring injuries) happen.”
While Bowman is out, third-year cornerback Trumaine McBride will play with the first-team defense.
“Trumaine has been a good football player around here, so we’ll take a look at him,” Smith said.
Linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer also sat out most of practice with a sore calf.
Competition for LB spot
Newcomer Pisa Tinoisamoa is locked into a battle with Nick Roach for the starting strongside linebacker spot.
The two rotated series playing alongside Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs on the first-team defense on Wednesday.
Roach started nine games at strongside linebacker for the Bears last season. Tinoisamoa, meanwhile, led the St. Louis Rams in tackles, but said he expected to have to compete for a starting spot with the Bears.
“It’s the Chicago Bears,” he said. “I don’t expect anything less than competition. In order to win, you have to have guys that want to play, and that’s what we have here.”
Tinoisamoa said he believes the competition will help the team.
“We’re all making each other better,” he said. “When you can do that, I think you make the team better, and that’s definitely what we’re doing right now.”
Eli Manning’s big contract
Among the biggest National Football League news on Wednesday was the report out of New York Giants’ training camp that quarterback Eli Manning had signed a six-year, $97.5 million contract extension.
Although new Bears quarterback Jay Cutler will have two years remaining on his contract after this season, the possibility of an extension has already come up.
Cutler said that even though he is interested in remaining with the Bears long-term, he needs to prove himself with the team before the two sides will discuss a big-money extension.
“At a certain point, there is going to be a time and a place for that,” Cutler said. “But this year, I’ve still got to go out and play, and prove myself on the field. Maybe after this season, maybe after next season, we’ll sit down.”
Mort comes to camp
Chris Mortensen of ESPN will make an appearance at training camp today. Mortensen’s visit is in conjuncture with his “Mort Goes to Camp” feature currently running on the network.
Mortensen’s NFL coverage colleague on ESPN, John Clayton, was at practice on Monday.
Mortensen has been to San Antonio for the Cowboys’ training camp, Metairie, La. (Saints), St. Louis (Rams), Green Bay, Wis. (Packers) and Mankato, Minn. (Vikings). After leaving Bourbonnais, he’ll head to Terre Haute, Ind., for the Colts’ camp.
I just wanted to leave a brief comment about Pisa Tinoisamoa. I’ve met a lot of Bears players over the years, and Pisa by far was the most personable! We ran into Pisa at Walmart, and had the chance to talk for about 15 minutes. It was a highlight of Bears Camp my wife, Marla, and I won’t forget. Pisa has 2 huge fans here! Good luck Pisa in landing the starting stongside LB spot. Clint Simpson- Boonville, In
I would like to see Greg olsen play some receiver in the red zone