Report: Tillman Won't Move to Safety

Brad Biggs of the Chicago Sun-Times said this in his Wait a secondary: Tillman to stay at CB:

"With all the talk of the Bears experimenting in the secondary, you can cross one possibility off the list.

Left cornerback Charles Tillman won't move to free safety in 2009. Tillman -- who former Bears defensive coordinator Greg Blache said on draft day in 2003 would be a ''Pro Bowl safety'' if he ever moved from cornerback -- had been rumored to be changing positions."

What do I think?

I think this is the right move considering Tillman had reconstructive surgery on his right shoulder Jan. 15 and won't be cleared to participate in the three-day veteran mini-camp next month.

The other cornerbacks on the Bears roster are Nathan Vasher (played eight games last season, could be released), Corey Graham (started nine games last season, recording 91 tackles and one interception), Trumaine McBride (played in 16 games last season, recording 11 tackles and one interception), and Zackary Bowman (played in one game last season, recording one interception and a special teams touchdown before going on injured reserve).

It would be risky to move Tillman to safety because it might not be an easy transition.

The safeties on the roster are Kevin Payne (started all 16 games in 2008), Danieal Manning (played nickel back for most of the 2008 season), Craig Steltz (struggled as a rookie), Brandon McGowan and Cameron Worrell. McGowan and Worrell will both be free agents.

I don't know who will start at the safety positions next season, but what I do know is Charles "Peanut" Tillman won't be making the switch to safety this offseason.

Vasher done for the year

The Bears placed Nathan Vasher on injured reserve Saturday with a broken right hand, ending the defensive back’s season.

He recorded only 29 tackles with one interception and three pass breakups.

He has 18 career interceptions, but only two in the last two seasons.

Nathan Vasher had surgery on his wrist earlier this season but re-aggravated the injury after sustaining the break against the Rams.

This is the second consecutive season Vasher has been placed on IR.

A partially torn groin muscle ended his 2007 season.

Corey Graham will take over Vasher's role in the starting lineup.

Trumaine McBride and Danieal Manning will be the other active corners looking for some playing time.

Bears Release Veteran Cornerback Ricky Manning Jr.

We all saw this coming.

Today veteran CB Ricky Manning Jr. was released by the Chicago Bears.

"Getting released was more emotional for my wife than me," Manning Jr said.

"She was a little upset that they said I was a part of the program, then they released me this late in the process when it could have been done a while ago. That would have made things easier for my family."

Manning Jr. signed with the Bears as a restricted free agent in 2006 off-season.

In two seasons with the Bears, Ricky Manning Jr. appeared in 31 games with 11 starts.

Manning Jr. had 106 tackles, three sacks and five interceptions in his time with the Bears.

Manning Jr. had no interceptions last season, while playing nickel-back with the Bears D.

All five interceptions made my him, came in the Super Bowl season.

Manning Jr. was a third round pick out of UCLA, by the Carolina Panthers.

He had 168 tackles and nine interceptions in his three seasons with Carolina.

Ricky skipped practice this morning, showing his displeasure towards the team.

He wants an opportunity to play as a starter, but with his stats from last year he might not have a chance.

Hopefully Manning Jr. will get a shot somewhere, he was very good in the Bears Super Bowl season.

Detroit, New Orleans, Tampa Bay and Cleveland have said to have interest in Manning Jr.

People look at this move like the Chris Harris trade last off-season, which was terrible, but the Bears have plenty of CB's.

They not only have Nathan Vasher and Charles Tillman, but they have Corey Graham, who is looking good and Trumaine McBride, who started in place of Vasher last season, due to injury.

The Bears defense will be fine, remember they didn't blitz at all in the Niners game.

This is what coach Lovie Smith had to say about the performance “Well, it’s still a preseason game. Do you not feel the same way? It’s a preseason game. You don’t want to play that bad obviously, but we did. We know what we need to correct, and we’ll do it. Come the Indy game, you won’t see that defense, I’ll tell you.”

They don't want to give away any plays for the other teams in the league.