With Bears training camp opening at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL yesterday, here is my training camp preview. Most of the position battles in the next few weeks will be on the offensive side of the ball.

Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton will battle it out for the starting job, while rookies Caleb Hanie and Nick Hill try to make the team as the third-stringer. Grossman has taken a lot of abuse from the media and fans, but I think he is still the most talented quarterback on the team. The big question is: can he be the most efficient quarterback? Talent alone might not cut it this time; the most efficient quarterback throughout camp/preseason will start the season opener in Indianapolis. I don’t know if his confidence level will ever return to what it was in the first half of 2006, but I think he will play well enough to be the starter on opening night.

On July 15^th, the Bears signed former Lions RB Kevin Jones to a one-year deal worth $605,000, a bargain if he is healthy enough to play by the start of the regular season or a few games into it. He has made a remarkable recovery since having surgery on his torn right ACL in early January. Though head coach Lovie Smith said last month that the team did not plan to sign a veteran back, management probably decided that it would be a good idea to strengthen the position if they could do it at their price, which they did. I said last month that Jones would be the only free agent back that would make sense for the Bears, but in light of Smith’s statement, I felt that the team would not sign him unless Forte struggled early in camp. Jones was placed on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list before camp opened yesterday, but the team can take him off the list at any time during camp. Even if Jones is healthy enough to start the season, rookie Matt Forte still looks like the favorite to be the starter, with Jones gradually getting worked in. If Jones needs more time, he could be put on the PUP list to start the regular season and sit out the team’s first six games. Once Jones is healthy and playing, Adrian Peterson might be able to concentrate more on special teams while Garrett Wolfe gets some work as the third-stringer.

Devin Hester, who would’ve run with the first team at wide receiver according to offensive coordinator Ron Turner, was nowhere to be found as camp opened yesterday. He wants a new contract, and he wants it now. Blame the Bears first and foremost for dragging their feet on giving their most explosive player the raise that he deserves (unless he wants #1 or #2 receiver money), but I also don’t think Hester is going about this in a very smart way. He got his message across (that he’s serious about wanting a new deal), but in the process he also pissed off team management, which usually does not negotiate with players who sit out practices. More importantly, he is hurting himself because he needs these reps in practice to try to become the #1 or #2 receiver that he wants to be paid like. A team that already has enough questions on offense and is looking to rebound from a very disappointing season cannot afford to have such a big distraction on its hands for long, so it is imperative for both sides that this issue be resolved as soon as possible, preferably by this weekend.

Virtually every receiver spot is up for grabs, so it would be nearly impossible to come up with an accurate depth chart right now. Marty Booker, Mark Bradley (who apparently is healthy again after knee surgery), Rashied Davis, Brandon Lloyd, Hester, and rookie Earl Bennett would be among the candidates to start, with rookie Marcus Monk fighting for a spot on the team. Lloyd, Davis, and Hester bring speed and quickness in varying degrees, and all of them were praised by the coaching staff for their play in minicamp and OTAs. Booker and Bennett are possession-type receivers, while Monk offers a big, tall target. With more questions than answers at this point, let’s just say that you probably don’t want to build your team around any of these guys just yet. I’ll keep you updated on the receiver situation in my August reports.

The only real question here is whether Greg Olsen can overtake Desmond Clark as the starter. I think Clark will ultimately remain the starter, but it will be a situation where Clark is 1a and Olsen is 1b. In other words, Olsen will see almost as much action as Clark does, and you’ll see both of them on the field in double tight end sets. The team is hoping that athletic rookie Kellen Davis can block well enough to be the third tight end.

1^st round pick Chris Williams signed a five-year contract hours before yesterday’s first official practice. Though he enters camp behind veteran John St. Clair on the depth chart at left tackle, Williams is expected by most to be the opening night starter at the position. Terrence Metcalf enters camp as the starter at left guard, with St. Clair and Josh Beekman also in the mix there. Starting center Olin Kreutz (Achilles heel) was placed on the PUP list before yesterday’s practice, but according to the Bears’ website, the injury is not serious. Beekman is Kreutz’s backup at center. Roberto Garza is the starter at right guard, while John Tait now mans the right tackle position.

At defensive end, Adewale Ogunleye starts on the left side and Alex Brown starts on the right. At defensive tackle, Tommie Harris is the starter at the three-technique, while Dusty Dvoracek, Anthony Adams, and rookie Marcus Harrison fight for the right to line up next to him at the nose. Dvoracek started next to Harris in last season’s opener in San Diego, but he tore the ACL in his left knee in that game and was put on the NFI (non-football injury) list yesterday with a calf issue after dealing with a hand issue recently. Adams is running with the first team at the moment.

On Monday, MLB Brian Urlacher got his new deal, featuring a $6 million signing bonus and $18 million in new money. Lance Briggs (who got his big deal in the offseason) is the starter on the weak side, and Hunter Hillenmeyer is the starter on the strong side.

At cornerback, Charles Tillman starts on the left side and Nathan Vasher on the right. Danieal Manning, who has mostly played free safety in his career, has replaced Ricky Manning Jr. as the nickel corner. According the Chicago Tribune, Manning Jr. is currently running with the third team and doesn’t think that he’s part of the team’s plans for this season. His status has been in doubt ever since the team took Zackary Bowman in the fifth round of this year’s draft. I would not be surprised if Manning Jr. is cut or traded soon, but veteran experience in the secondary is always important; just remember how much the team missed safety Chris Harris when Mike Brown tore an ACL in last year’s season opener. Speaking of Brown, he is healthy again, and as long as he can stay that way, he’ll be the starter at free safety. Brandon McGowan is the current starter at strong safety, with Kevin Payne and rookie Craig Steltz providing some competition for him.

Kicker Robbie Gould got his big payday in the offseason. Brad Maynard is still the punter. Losing special teams ace Brendon Ayanbadejo hurts the kick coverage units, but the team was able to replace departed safeties Todd Johnson and Cameron Worrell last season without much of a drop-off in performance. Hester will still be the main return man… once he shows up.

Coming next month: more updates from Bourbonnais and a season preview with statistical projections.