As bad as the Bears felt over losing cornerback Charles Tillman to a knee injury, they resume practice without him Wednesday believing it could have been worse.
Tests on Tillman’s right knee detected no ligament tears or structural problems but revealed some soft tissue damage that is the source of the injury, sources said. The type of injury he sustained Sunday against Green Bay often can require surgery, but the Bears medical team does not believe that is necessary in Tillman’s case.
Surgery likely would make it hard for Tillman to contribute this season, whereas prescribed rest should allow him to return in four to eight weeks.
The duration remains so large because soft-tissue injuries heal at different speeds depending on the individual. One source likened it to a hamstring injury that affects different players in different ways. The tissue around the knee simply needs time to heal.
The Bears already had lost free safety Mike Brown for the season with a torn Achilles’ tendon when they learned Monday Tillman would become the third starter of the secondary to be sidelined with a serious injury this season. Cornerback Jerry Azumah suffered a herniated disc in his neck during training camp.
Besides Brown and Tillman, the Bears also lost right guard Mike Gandy and defensive tackle Alfonso Boone against the Packers for as many as four weeks apiece. Gandy pulled a hamstring covering a pooch punt and Boone sprained his right knee.
All the injuries, especially those in the secondary, make it difficult for the Bears to take advantage of momentum created by Sunday’s surprising road victory.
It all means the former “Mr. Irrelevant,” Mike Green, never has meant more to the Bears defense.
Green will move to free safety and Bobby Gray will assume the starting job at strong safety. The Bears ruled out moving Green to cornerback in place of Tillman largely because of how well the fifth-year player from Northwestern (La.) State–the final player taken in the 2000 NFL draft–has progressed at safety.
He has two interceptions in two games and possesses enough quickness and versatility to play nickel back and cover the slot receiver on passing downs. He will remain in that role in the nickel defense and free safety Todd Johnson will enter on passing downs.
The real question mark arises at Tillman’s left cornerback slot, the premier position in any defensive backfield. The Bears didn’t just lose a starter when Tillman sprained his knee–they risked losing some swagger too.
Rookie fourth-round draft pick Nathan Vasher might hold a slight edge on veteran Todd McMillon, though coach Lovie Smith figures to take a good, hard look at both.
Vasher played slightly better in the final exhibition game against Cleveland that was supposed to be an audition for R.W. McQuarters’ spot if he didn’t recover from a pulled hamstring in time for the opener. But McQuarters did return, the scant bit of good injury news the Bears have received this season.
McQuarters’ role also now takes on added importance, especially if the Bears plan to switch him to the left side where traditionally the cornerback faces the best receivers. Whether Smith also decides to risk having McQuarters return punts and expose the Bears to another devastating injury to a secondary starter remains unknown.
But most of the focus Wednesday will be on replacing Tillman because his replacement will be where the next few quarterbacks on the Bears’ schedule focus. Unproven cornerbacks are harder to hide for defenses than unproven safeties, so expect the cornerback opposite McQuarters to get tested more than any defensive back, beginning Sunday with the Vikings’ Randy Moss and a week later when the Eagles’ Terrell Owens comes to town.
To fill the roster opening created when Brown officially was placed on injured reserve, the Bears signed cornerback Alfonso Marshall from the practice squad. Expect Marshall to work into the special-teams rotation when either Vasher or McMillon joins the starting defense.
