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The Chicago Bears steadfastly denied the need to add to the offensive line this offseason because they plan to deploy the pieces already on hand differently, according to sources familiar with the situation, who said veteran Chris Williams will move back to offensive tackle.

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There's an enhanced sense of optimism among Chicago Bears fans following the additions of Brandon Marshall, Michael Bush and others, but quarterback Jay Cutler isn't ready to celebrate offseason moves just yet.

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Chicago Bears second-round pick Alshon Jeffery initially declined an invitation to attend the NFLPA Rookie Premiere event to be held in Los Angeles from May 17-20 because he was reluctant to skip portions of the club's offseason workout program following last weekend's rookie minicamp.

But Jeffery altered his plans when informed of a provision in Article 21 of the 2011 CBA which addresses the necessity for clubs to permit the absence of rookies to participate in the event. In addition, players are not able to work out with their respective teams if they turn down the chance to attend the Rookie Premiere, according to an NFLPA spokesperson.

The 35 rookies in attendance at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere, which will include Jeffery, will be photographed at the Rose Bowl in their respective professional jerseys by trading card companies Panini America and Topps. The 2012 rookies will also be the first class to don the NFL's new Nike uniforms.

Other rookies to receive an invite with local ties include: former Notre Dame and current Arizona Cardinals receiver Michael Floyd, San Francisco 49ers first-round choice and ex-Illinois wideout A.J. Jenkins and Joliet Catholic Academy product and Indianapolis Colts second-round selection tight end Coby Fleener.

Over the past few months, the Chicago Bears have transformed their receiving corps from one of the NFL's shortest to arguably the tallest. They've reunited the key players from the Denver Broncos' dynamic 2008 offense and they've fended off questions -- including some from their quarterback -- about their offensive line. But to me, the most intriguing thing happening in Chicago at the moment is the development of a mysterious package of plays for receiver/kick returner Devin Hester, the latest in a long line of attempts to harness Hester's Hall of Fame speed and skills for their offense.

General manager Phil Emery hinted at the new approach shortly after the draft. Offensive coordinator Mike Tice and receivers coach Darryl Drake offered some morsels to reporters during last weekend's rookie minicamp, and all that's left now is to see if it actually works.

Part of me wants to roll my eyes and cringe, as we did recently on the blog, as the Bears once again refuse to accept what Hester is and isn't -- at least what he hasn't been yet. They remain unsatisfied with him simply being the best kick returner in NFL history. And another part thinks this attempt could prove to be the most productive balance the Bears have tried yet.

Drake might have best explained the plan last weekend by suggesting the "Hester Package" will limit snaps but elevate targets to make more efficient use of Hester's time on offense.

"The talent has always been there," Drake told reporters. "It's just a matter of not having him play 70 plays and throw to him twice. Play him 15 [plays], let him touch it 13 [times.] In order for him to be effective, we don't need to have him out there playing that many plays. If he's out there, put the ball in his hands. We need to have that package, and Mike Tice -- I promise you -- he's going to do it."

On the surface, it makes sense. Hester's combination of speed and open-field running ability is rare and awfully tempting to expand on. And when you look at the chart, you see what happens when a team doesn't have or utilize the speed to stretch a defense vertically. The 2011 Bears, for instance, had one of the least efficient short passing games in the NFL last season.

But running a full game's worth of pass routes probably takes the edge off Hester's energy in the return game. There is reason to think he could have a similar impact in 15 plays designed to involve him than he could in 70 plays that spread the ball around the field.

That appears to be the starting point for a tweak that appears to have emanated from, or at least endorsed by, Emery himself.

"I want to make sure that we have a special plan for Devin," Emery said last month. "We have the 'Devin Package' -- packages of plays as a receiver. You never know where he's going to line up. I don't want to get too far ahead of that in terms of letting other people know what we're going to do with him, but he will have a package of plays that we feel can bring out his dynamic ability to the forefront and if not only as carrying or catching the ball, but sometimes that's a decoy.

"Devin's speed vertically is something that has to be accounted for. So if that pulls people from coverage, to handle that vertical ball, you've got other people; we've got some awfully big targets to hit."

On the other hand, of course, it's not as easy as it sounds. You better believe that opposing defenses will notice when Hester is on the field, especially now that the Bears have announced they want to get him the ball often in the relatively brief period of time he plays offense. I don't think it will make teams leave, say, Brandon Marshall wide open to account for Hester, but his appearance isn't going to surprise anyone, either.

The "Hester Package" has already conjured comparisons to the "Randy Ratio" that Tice used after taking over the Minnesota Vikings' head coaching job in 2002. As you might recall, a study of the Vikings' 2001 season showed they won every game they targeted receiver Randy Moss on at least 40 percent of their throws. Tice announced he would make that goal a centerpiece of his offense.

The "Randy Ratio" wasn't a schematic adjustment as much as it was Tice's attempt to cajole the notoriously anti-authoritarian receiver to buy in as a team leader. It backfired on a number of fronts, and Tice himself acknowledged over the weekend that it "came back to bite me in the [rear end]."

Turning serious, Tice said: "Devin is going to be on the field. If he's not on the field, then they should fire me."

That final line speaks to the extent the Bears have prioritized Hester's potential contribution. You know the old saying: If at first you don't succeed, try try again.

The Chicago Bears signed safety Brandon Hardin to a four-year contract on Tuesday.

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ESPN NFL analyst Mark Schlereth explains how the Bears will try to improve on a struggling offensive line.

CHICAGO -- Quarterback Jay Cutler says his right thumb is fine and he can't wait to return to lead a significantly upgraded Bears offense.

Cutler said he's recovered from offseason surgery to repair the fractured thumb. He suffered the injury late last November against San Diego while making a tackle on Antoine Cason, who had just picked off the Bears quarterback.

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LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears have waived offensive tackle Levi Horn, tight end Andre Smith and guard Reggie Stephens.

The Bears announced the moves on Monday, trimming their roster to 89 players.

Horn spent most of the past two seasons on the practice squad. Smith was an undrafted free agent out of Virginia Tech last season, and Stephens joined the practice squad last November.

New York police are likely to wrap up this week their investigation into an a March nightclub incident in which Chicago Bears receiver Brandon Marshall is alleged to have punched a woman in the face, NFL sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

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Lovie Smith hinted earlier Sunday the Bears would sign "a couple" tryout players who participated in the club's three-day rookie minicamp. So it came as no surprise when the team announced later in the day it had inked seven of the tryout players to three-year contracts.

The seven players are: Wisconsin-Whitewater quarterback Matt Blanchard, Texas Southern receiver Joseph Anderson, Illinois State tight end Brandon Venson, Concordia tackle Tyler Hendrickson, Central Florida guard Nick Pieschel, Boston College punter Ryan Quigley and Connecticut kicker David Teggart.

Blanchard is a native of the Chicagoland area. He was a prep star at Lake Zurich High School who originally attended Northern Michigan before transferring to Wisconsin-Whitewater where he won 25 games in two seasons, passing for 44 touchdowns to just six interceptions.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Three months into his tenure as Chicago Bears' quarterbacks coach, Jeremy Bates sees little difference in Jay Cutler from the time the two worked together in Denver.

"He's still the same quarterback," Bates said Sunday. "He's got a great arm. I think the experience of any profession or anything you do, you grow with it, both good and bad. But he's definitely matured as a player because he's had both good games and bad games. You get better every game. The more experiences, the more snaps, you're always going to get better at your craft.'

"I think he's got great talent. He's a Pro Bowl quarterback. I'm excited to be with him."

Cutler enjoyed the finest season of his career while working with Bates and former Broncos and current Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan. In 2008, which ironically turned out to be the final year in Denver for all three, Cutler passed for 4,526 yards and 25 touchdowns en route to earning his first, and so far only Pro Bowl selection. The hope is Cutler can one again reach a Pro Bowl level with the help of Bates, plus the change in offense under Mike Tice and the addition of such weapons as receiver Brandon Marshall, who Bates also coached during his time with the Broncos.

"He loves football," Bates said of Cutler. "He's super intelligent. He can make all the throws. He's athletic and he comes to work every day.

"(Marshall) is a big target. You like to have to those big targets. He's a hard-worker, can get in and out of cuts. It's going to be fun to have those two together again."

Bates spent three years on the Broncos' staff from 2006-2008, where he spent time coaching both quarterbacks and wide receivers. He then jumped to the collegiate level to team up with Pete Carroll at USC and followed the head coach to Seattle where he served as offensive coordinator for just one season. Upon being let go by the Seahawks, Bates spent last year out of football, which made him eager to reunite with Cutler when the opportunity to join the Bears presented itself in early February.

"This is a great, historic franchise," Bates said. "At the same time, I tell my receivers and quarterbacks in the meeting that if you can't beat them, join them. We (Seattle) lost (to the Bears) in the 2010 playoffs. I'm just very fortunate to be with a great staff, great ownership and good players."

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Bears receivers coach Darryl Drake brought about thoughts of Animal Planet on Sunday when assessing the potential of his position group.

“We’ve got two giraffes outside, and we’ve got some cheetahs inside,”
Drake said. “So I’m looking forward to it. I’m excited about this group because I think there’s an awful lot of talent. There’s an awful lot of potential, and it’s my job to make sure that potential comes out.”

The mix of stalwarts such as Earl Bennett, Devin Hester, and Johnny Knox -- if he’s able to return from his back injury -- could make that easier. Not to mention new additions Brandon Marshall and second-round pick Alshon Jeffery, who actually surprised the staff somewhat over the three-day rookie minicamp by showing “he’s a little bit better getting out of breaks” than the club anticipated, Drake said while adding that “I’ve been amazed how well he picks things up.”

Couple that with a new plan of attack for how they’ll deploy Hester in
2012, and it’s easy to see why the Bears think they could field one of their most talented and deep receiving corps in recent history.

Drake doesn’t anticipate Bennett and Hester being threatened by Jeffery’s presence.

“They don’t fear anybody. Why would they?” Drake said. “I promise you Devin’s not reading press clippings about Alshon Jeffery. Alshon Jeffery’s reading press clippings about Devin Hester. Devin Hester don’t give a crap. He’s gonna go out there and play. And I’ll say this about Devin Hester, and I’ve always said it: all we’ve got to do is use him and you’ll see what kind of player he is, period.”

In the past, the club didn’t sufficiently involve Hester -- arguably one of the league’s most dangerous players with the ball in his hands
-- according to Drake. The Bears plan in 2012 to change that with their newly-designed playbook, which features a package specifically for Hester.

“The talent has always been there. It’s just a matter of not having him play 70 plays and throw to him twice,” Drake said. “Play him 15 (plays), let him touch it 13 (times). In order for him to be effective we don’t need to have him out there playing that many plays. If he’s out there, put the ball in his hands. We need to have that package, and (offensive coordinator) Mike Tice -- I promise you -- he’s gonna do it.”

As for Marshall, apparently he’s already making significant contributions towards elevating the level of play from his peers; especially with his input during meetings. Drake called the veteran “a student of the game.”

“He’s the one that’s forcing Earl and Devin and Dane and those guys to raise their games,” the coach added. “He’s the one that’s forcing them to do that because of his talent.”

Tice called this “a very successful offseason up to this point,” and pointed out he’s “very excited about the draft picks, and I like the change in schemes, the change in philosophy and personality; all of it.”

The key now is to find a way to successfully utilize all the weapons, which will also include tight ends and running back Matt Forte.

“As far as the amount of talent, there’s some depth, and guys (have) got to fight (to play). If you want to play, go out there and make plays, do things the right way,” Drake said. “I see some guys that have that kind of ability. Brandon Marshall, he does that. Alshon Jeffery, even though he’s a rookie, he has the ability to do that. We know that Earl Bennett is gonna be consistent, catch the football and get open. Devin, we’ve got to make sure we play to his strengths.
Johnny (Knox), when he gets back, you let him do the things he does.
So I feel real good about the group. I’m looking forward to those guys doing the things they’re capable of doing.”

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- A few of the 34 tryout players who attended the three-day Bears rookie minicamp are expected to be offered contracts, head coach Lovie Smith told the media at the conclusion of Sunday's practice at Halas Hall.

"The group of tryout guys who came here without a contract, I'm always anxious to see what we have for those," Smith said. "A few of the guys really made us take notice. We'll end up signing a couple of those guys. I can't really go over the names yet because we haven't told them. But this was an excellent group of guys who can hopefully contribute someway to us."

At least one position group stood out over the weekend to the untrained eye: quarterbacks. While tryout quarterbacks have struggled over the years in the Bears rookie minicamp setting, both Wisconsin-Whitewater's Matt Blanchard and Indiana State's Ronnie Fouch turned in relatively solid performances. Blanchard, 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, possesses a live arm and looked the part of a quarterback, who at the very least, deserves to be invited to somebody's training camp in the summer.

"Both of the guys did some good things. Quarterbacks have an opportunity (at a rookie minicamp)," Smith said. "They know they're going to get a chance to throw the ball and prove what they can do. Again, we did take notice."

Veteran Josh McCown, who attended Sunday's workout as a spectator, and 2011 fifth-round draft choice Nate Enderle and currently the third and fourth quarterbacks respectively on the club's depth chart.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Day 2 of Chicago Bears rookie minicamp wrapped Saturday in the rain with no surprises, according to coach Lovie Smith, who said the team’s “draft picks are pretty much what we thought they would be after a couple of days.”

The key now is to indoctrinate the players into the club’s way of doing things.

“Good second day (of practice),” Smith said. “We set the bar (Friday) for the guys. There’s so much our rookies need to learn about what we’re doing, how we’re doing things. So today was a little better as far as that is concerned. We’ll have one more good practice tomorrow, and try to blend them with the rest of the guys. Hopefully, they won’t get in the way much.”

They shouldn’t, but undoubtedly, the team’s rookies are swimming in the vast sea of information dumped on them over two practice sessions. In addition to learning roles on defense, draft picks such as Shea McClellin, Brandon Hardin, Isaiah Frey and Greg McCoy, are having to learn special teams assignments.

It’s especially more difficult for Hardin, who is making the transition from college cornerback to NFL safety.

“There’s a lot to learn, a lot of coaching,” Hardin said. “But I think it’s going really well so far. Mentally, it’s a little difficult. Physically, though, I have all the physical aspects to be a good safety. Now it’s just learning a new position, taking in the coaching and learning the different schemes and coverages.”

McClellin’s foray into special teams might not last long, according to special-teams coach Dave Toub. As the club’s first-round pick, McClellin is expected to challenge for a starting job on defense opposite Julius Peppers.

But if McClellin earns one of the top two spots on the depth chart, he likely won’t be a contributor on special teams, according to Toub.

“We’re going to work him,” Toub said. “Until he’s either a first or second guy -- either a one or a two – we’re going to work him on special teams as much as we can. We don’t anticipate him being that guy. We think he’s going to move up and be where we think he’s going to be (on the depth chart). But in the meantime, everybody comes in and they have a role on special teams. That’s just the way we do things.”

The rookies certainly are learning; and fast. Second-round receiver Alshon Jeffery spent time prior to minicamp working with backup quarterback Josh McCown, which the rookie said helped tremendously. Still, it hasn’t cut down the learning curve associated with making the jump from college to the NFL.

Jeffery said he’s looking to mesh the physical component of adjusting to the NFL with the mental side of the team’s new playbook on offense. He’s shown progress throughout the first two sessions, and has emerged as a standout at minicamp.

“It’s going well,” Jeffery said. “(It’s) just getting the playbook down, playing faster and getting a lot more reps and playing with confidence. That’s for you all to judge if I’m standing out. I’m just trying to get better and compete.”

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Receiver Alshon Jeffery returned to the field on Saturday after leg cramps caused the second-round pick to miss the tail end of the teams' first day of rookie minicamp on Friday.

Jeffery and Bears head coach Lovie Smith both described the leg cramps as a non-issue.

"Most of the guys are a little sore right now, but we see a guy with great hands, a big target that will only get better," Bears head coach Lovie Smith said. "He should be in the mix to help us win games this year."

The 6-foot-3 Jeffery has stood out the first two days of rookie camp, but still must adjust to the speed of the NFL game. However, from a playbook perspective, his transition into the Bears' offense was aided by veteran quarterback Josh McCown, who worked with the rookie wideout last weekend in South Carolina.

"That helped me out a bunch just being able to learn some things," Jeffery said of catching balls from McCown. "He taught me a lot. Not just running routes, but also the concepts of what everybody is doing."

McCown and Jeffery had no prior relationship before the receiver joined the Bears at the end of April. It was the veteran quarterback who reached out to Jeffery to arrange the meeting, which occurred in Rock Hill, South Carolina, a town about 30 minutes outside of Charlotte.

"He just texted me," Jeffery said. "Then we started exchanging some texts and it went from there."