Using humor to hide obvious pain Wednesday, injured free safety Mike Brown related the challenge he laid out before replacements Todd Johnson and Bobby Gray.
“I told Todd he has to look at it that he and Bobby have to come and take my job and make them get rid of me,” said Brown, facing seven months of rehabilitation after Thursday’s scheduled surgery on his torn Achilles’ tendon. “Hopefully they do, so I can go get another bonus somewhere else.”
Brown then broke out in the kind of laughter that will be missed in the Bears’ locker room. Not even the $4 million bonus Brown received as part of his $17.5 million contract in 2003 could provide enough money to offset the huge personal price he incurred Sunday in Green Bay.
“I was devastated,” he said.
“I have to look at the positives–I get a year off to rest my body,” he said. “My feelings are hurt, but that’s part of the game.”
In his new role as “assistant coach,” Brown quickly broke down a Bears secondary he acknowledged “has no depth.”
“It’s going to hurt when those guys have to go on special teams because they’re going to get tired,” he said. “[But] I think you guys are going to be pleasantly surprised with how well our defense still runs.”
Optimism reigns
Six weeks after surgery to repair a herniated disc, cornerback Jerry Azumah wore shoulder pads at practice and participated in limited 7-on-7 drills. Coach Lovie Smith confirmed the organizational optimism surrounding Azumah’s return, which could come as early as Oct. 17 against Washington. “It is good to see him out there working, in the flow,” Smith said. . . . Cornerback Todd McMillon tried to explain the difference in getting defensive signals from strong safety Mike Green, who will have to be more vocal in Brown’s absence, and Brown. “Brown is like [former defensive coordinator Greg] Blache and Green is like [former head coach Dick] Jauron. Mike Brown will let you know–get your bleep, bleep in place. And Green is more subtle and will pull you to the side.”
Extra points
Defensive tackle Alfonso Boone underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and will miss up to five weeks, Smith said. Ian Scott should see his first action Sunday. The injury report also listed strong-side linebacker Marcus Reese as probable and guard Mike Gandy and safety Cameron Worrell as questionable with hamstring injuries. . . .
Brian Urlacher earned NFC Player of the Week honors after making 14 tackles, including two for a loss, and forcing a fumble that led to Brown’s 95-yard TD return. It’s the third time Urlacher has won the award and the first since Oct. 7, 2002. . . . The Bears rounded out their practice squad by signing guard David Miller, a Ball State product who spent last year on the Lions’ practice squad. . . . Don’t worry about Smith getting complacent. When asked again about the Packers win, he said, “Green Bay is Green Bay–it’s yesterday’s news. It was good to win it back then, but doesn’t it feel like we played that game two weeks ago?” Losing four starters in four quarters has a way of aging a coach.
