Safety Harris going strong
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BY K.C. JOHNSON
August 16, 2006
BOURBONNAIS--On the down side, the Bears' defense will play without their emotional leader Friday night and will start a rookie second-round pick and a second-year, sixth-rounder at safety.
On the bright side, Mike Brown's strained left Achilles' allows Chris Harris to move to strong safety and gives rookie Danieal Manning valuable experience at free safety.
Coach Lovie Smith said the positions are fairly interchangeable, so he isn't concerned about Harris making the transition or losing experience at free safety for whenever Brown returns.
Harris, though, is excited about the move.
"I like both positions, but with strong you get the chance to do a lot more hitting," he said. "You get in the box, take on lead blocks and try to spoil things. There's more action. At free, the picks come a bit easier because you're center field playing the ball.
"But we're all in the meeting room together. The strong knows what the free is doing and vice versa. Any safety can play either position."
Given Harris' propensity for big hits, such as the one he laid on Bernard Berrian during Tuesday's practice, the move seems to play to his strengths.
Nobody's going to unseat a healthy Brown, but the Bears feel confident Harris and Manning can handle their assignments if Brown's injury woes spill into the regular season.
"Danieal and I just have to keep communicating," Harris said. "Some mistakes might occur. We're both young. But I learned a lot last year. I saw a lot. Now he will."
Depth charting
Smith also lauded the play of reserve safeties Todd Johnson and Cameron Worrell, who also will see more action against San Diego. Worrell landed on injured reserve last season after dislocating his right shoulder during the third exhibition game.
An undrafted free agent out of Fresno State, Worrell consistently has come up with interceptions during training camp.
"He has come out of nowhere and has been good in all the off-season work," Smith said. "We know what Johnson can do. You can't have too many good players at any position."
Extra points
Receiver Justin Gage returned after missing two practices with a sore hip. . . . Rookie guard Tyler Reed practiced after being excused for personal reasons. . . . Ruben Brown rested as a veteran's privilege, while the Bears held out receiver Mark Bradley as part of the plan to get his surgically repaired right knee rest. . . . Wearing a helmet, Cedric Benson took handoffs from trainer Tim Bream and appeared to get his injured left shoulder raised properly to receive them. . . . The Bears waived injured cornerback Willie Amos. . . . Smith said the Bears would use a more developed game plan against San Diego, which they don't face again this year.
kcjohnson@tribune.com
Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune
HARRIS GOING INTO THE BOX
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