Injury bug bites Bears CB Bowman in hamstring

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Injury bug bites Bears CB Bowman in hamstring
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August 6, 2009
BY BRAD BIGGS bbiggs@suntimes.com
BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- Zack Bowman has been the star of Bears training camp in the first week, and now the cornerback is the first player to go down with an injury -- a cautionary tale about overhyping performance before the first preseason game.

Bowman has a pulled hamstring, and coach Lovie Smith called him day-to-day. The Bears can hope he returns ahead of the man he was replacing, veteran Charles Tillman, who's expected to miss the preseason as he recovers from back surgery.

After Bowman went down Wednesday, trainers tried to stretch him out on the sideline before he walked to the locker room. The good news is it doesn't appear to be a serious injury, although sometimes hamstrings can be pesky. The bad news is Bowman's history of not staying healthy.

Multiple knee injuries at Nebraska limited Bowman to only nine college starts. He appeared in one game last season for the Bears, falling on the ball for a touchdown on special teams, making an interception -- and tearing a biceps.

General manager Jerry Angelo announced on the team's Web site that he's confident Tillman will be ready for the start of the regular season. For now, Trumaine McBride, the seventh-round pick in 2007, will fill in with the first team. This raises questions about the status of Corey Graham, who has been working on the other side behind Nathan Vasher. Smith said the Bears also want to evaluate D.J. Moore and Woodny Turenne, not necessarily with the first team.

''Any position is worrisome when you go down, but I don't think it was a real bad pull or anything like that,'' Smith said. ''[Bowman] should be back in time.''

The question is whether he will be able to stay back.

 

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Injuries in secondary force Chicago Bears to adapt

McBride, Graham, Moore get chance to make impression at DB

Injured cornerback Zack Bowman made his way to the cafeteria Thursday afternoon without favoring either leg but noticeably slowed.

Bowman declined to discuss specifics of the hamstring strain he suffered during Wednesday's practice at Olivet Nazarene. That he walked under his own power was a good sign.

For a Bears secondary already down starter Charles Tillman, the goal is to get Bowman back on the field soon. Until then, the Bears will rely on contributions from Trumaine McBride, Corey Graham and rookie D.J. Moore.

"This is the National Football League ... at any time, you have to be ready to go," Bowman said. "You always have to prepare yourself when your name does get called. You just have to be ready to step up and play."

Bowman is the definition of an opportunist. With Tillman sidelined following back surgery, Bowman stepped in with the first team at left cornerback and was arguably the most dominant defensive player through the first five days of training camp. He picked off Jay Cutler twice, proving his nine interceptions during organized team activities were no fluke.

Now with Bowman's status day to day, McBride gets his chance to make an impression.

"I played with the [starters] a lot my rookie year, so I was just waiting on the opportunity to get in there," said McBride, who took all the first-team reps at left cornerback during Thursday night's practice. "Hopefully I'll make the best of it."

McBride, a seventh-round draft pick, started nine games in 2007 -- eight at right cornerback and one at left -- in place of an injured Nathan Vasher.

Graham started nine games at cornerback last season, and some figured he might overtake Vasher for the starting spot. Instead, Graham finds himself behind Bowman and McBride, at least for now. He was projected to start camp at free safety before Tillman's injury.

After Bowman went down Wednesday, it was natural to assume Graham would be the next guy up at corner. He spent the afternoon getting more reps at nickel back, the position Danieal Manning occupies.

"To be honest, I don't know where I'm going to be," Graham said with a laugh. "Hopefully I will be playing a little bit of corner.

"I want to play wherever I can get on the field. If it's nickel, safety. I'll play defensive tackle if I can play in a game."