Of secondary concern

The Bears' uneven play at cornerback in training camp might be of double concern. First and foremost, it portends trouble for a defense that will be facing some of the best quarterbacks in the league this season, including Donovan McNabb, Kurt Warner, Ben Roethlisberger, Carson Palmer, Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers and Matt Hasselbeck.

Secondly, you have to wonder if the Bears are getting a false positive with the breakout performances they've seen from bigger receivers such as 6-3 Brandon Rideau and 6-2 Devin Aromashodu. Veteran cornerback Charles Tillman has yet to practice, and Zack Bowman went down with a hamstring strain.

The hope is that the secondary will play significantly better in the second week of camp, in part because it will be healthier. Bowman and Danieal Manning are expected back, and the other members of the group should have their legs underneath them.

''You have to train hard to play well,'' defensive backs coach Jon Hoke said. ''You want practice to be a very hard, demanding thing so that game days become a little bit easier. We have some guys down, but they will have plenty of time to get back. They will get rest before they have to play a game in the season, but it's important to put in the work right now.''

Nobody wants to admit the Bears are working harder in training camp than they have in previous seasons under coach Lovie Smith, but they have spent a lot of time in pads. The secondary, in particular, is doing an inordinate amount of backpedaling and lateral-movement drills.

SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM

''I dream about backpedaling,'' cornerback Nathan Vasher said with a laugh. ''Through [organized team activities] and the first week of training camp, we've probably backpedaled enough to get from [Bourbonnais] to Soldier Field -- a lot of miles. Your body takes time to get used to it. Nothing shocks your body like backpedaling, planting and breaking with the kind of violence and intensity we do it with, so it takes some adjusting to.''

Corey Graham isn't dreaming about backpedaling, but he's one of a group dealing with the consequences of so many short, quick steps on a nightly basis.

''We're waking up in the middle of the night rubbing our legs,'' Graham said. ''Hopefully, that pays off during the season.''

Hoke said nobody does a better job of working with players than Rusty Jones, the team's strength and conditioning coordinator. But even Jones' proven program, which helps reduce strains and tears associated with dehydration, has been coming up short in the secondary.

''You have to train your body to know how to backpedal and plant and drive,'' Hoke said. ''Rusty can't train all those muscles. Rusty does a great job, but for that specific skill set, he can't do it all. So they just have to keep doing it and doing it and doing it. It's all about training your body. We are a little behind on shuffle technique, just moving laterally. You have to train those muscles. They will be sore for a few days with it, but you have to train.''

ABILITY TO MULTITASK

If there is an upside to the Bears' injury woes in the secondary, it's that quite a few players are being asked to do a lot of different things. When Tillman went down, for instance, Graham, who was moved to safety in the offseason, had to be moved back to cornerback. Manning was moved to safety in addition to his nickel-back duties. Graham then was worked at nickel when Manning went down.

''You would rather have a player zero in at one position, but in pro football, you better have multitaskers,'' Hoke said. ''You are dealing with a 53-man roster with 45 playing on game day. It's been my experience that the more guys can do, the better off the team will be. If they can multitask and play several positions, it gives you a little more flexibility on defense. You don't get into panic mode as fast. You know they might not be as good, but at least you can function as a defense and they can fill their role.''

Nobody aspires to be limited to the role of utility infielder. An established position is preferred, but playing time is what it's all about in professional sports.

''I just go out and play wherever they ask me to play, if it is safety, corner or nickel, it doesn't make a difference,'' Graham said. ''It's still not set in stone where I am going to be, but hopefully, I will be somewhere. I could be doing anything. You guys are going to have to wait it out and see what happens same as I do. I don't mind it at all as long as I get on the field.''

Bowman will be back this week, but given his injury history, the hamstring strain is a bit scary. Tillman should be back for the preseason finale, meaning he'll have a couple of weeks before the start of the season. Graham looks like a pretty good option at this point.

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Color Photo: Scott Stewart, Sun-Times / Cornerback Corey Graham returns an interception for a touchdown during practice Saturday at Soldier Field. ;