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HOT TOPIC
Six weeks after signing a five-year contract that could be worth as much as $21 million, Bears cornerback Ricky Manning Jr. had plenty on his mind at last weekend's minicamp trying to learn a new defense and his role as the team's nickel corner. But there's also the distraction of his ongoing legal case.
Manning pleaded not guilty May 26 to an assault charge stemming from an alleged attack on a man at a Denny's restaurant near the UCLA campus on April 23. He waived his right to be in court June 16, when a date is to be set for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to require him to stand trial on a charge of assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury. The 25-year-old Manning is free on $30,000 bail.
"There's a little side of me that's worried about it because you never know, and I prepare for the worst," Manning said between practice sessions Saturday. "But it'll be fine. My lawyer and my agent are very confident that it'll be fine, and I'm confident, too, because it should be. There should be no reason I should suffer any consequences because of this. It just shouldn't be."
According to prosecutors, Manning and two other former UCLA football players, Maurice Drew and Tyler Ebell, are accused of the attack the day before he signed with the Bears on April 24. All three were arrested soon after in Manning's car. The three had allegedly been harassing a man working on a laptop computer at the restaurant. He complained to a manager, and was then kicked and punched in the face by several attackers until he lost consciousness, according to the LAPD.
The victim identified Manning as one of his alleged attackers, police said. Manning is on probation for a similar offense in 2002, also near UCLA. If convicted in the latest case, he would face up to four years in state prison.
"I'm not going to let this distract me, let's put it that way," said the four-year veteran. "The hardest thing is just sitting back and not being able to say anything and not being able to do anything. Actually, even being in this situation at all, that's the hardest thing. But as far as football goes, I'll
focus on football and that's that."
Manning started 26 games for the Panthers and considers himself capable of being a full-time starter in the NFL, but he's satisfied with his job as the Bears' third corner, playing in passing situations with starters Nate Vasher and Charles Tillman.
"I wasn't a starter last year," he said. "I had the same role, just being the nickel guy. I wouldn't say I'm perfectly fine with that, but it's not tough (accepting it). Whatever my role's going to be, I'm just here to give my best and help this team go to the Super Bowl. It's going to take a bit of time. You can't rush perfection, but I think I fit in real well."
And Manning's anxious to have his legal situation resolved, so he can prove he's a good fit off the field, too.
"I don't want people to know me in the wrong way," he said. "If people knew me they would know I would never do anything like that. Hopefully when everything comes out it'll be OK."
PLAYER NOTES
For most of his previous eight NFL seasons, Brian Griese has been a starter, but the Bears brought him in as the backup to Rex Grossman.
"I've always looked at myself as a starting quarterback in the league," Griese said. "So at the times when I wasn't, to me it was just a matter of time and working hard to get back out on that field."
Griese continued to do that over the weekend while he battles back from the knee surgery that ended his 2005 season prematurely.
"The knee felt really good (Friday), and I was happy because I didn't have a whole lot of swelling in it after practice which is the biggest concern," said Griese, who did not practice Saturday morning but was back on the field in the afternoon session and for Sunday's finale.
--For the first time since he was a sophomore at Florida, Bears quarterback Rex Grossman is in the same offense for a second straight season, and the familiarity feels good to the oft-injured fourth-year veteran.
"The big thing about this right now is that at this point the last three years I was learning an offense," Grossman said. "And now I'm trying to perfect an offense and start to practice it instead of constantly thinking, 'What should I do here and where is this guy going?' I know where they're going, and now I can get better. I think everyone out here is doing that. There's a lot more rhythm to it. Everyone understands basically what coach (Ron) Turner wants, and now it's just perfecting that, and I'm no different in that."
The acquisition of veteran Brian Griese, a long-time starter, gives the Bears a more qualified backup at quarterback than they've had in many years, but Grossman said that doesn't necessarily push him harder.
"I'd like to think of myself as a self-starter," Grossman said, "but anytime you have added pressure you have to turn your game up, no matter how much effort you put into it to begin with."
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
MEDICAL WATCH:
--Defensive tackle Tank Johnson didn't participate in last weekend's minicamp but is targeting the start of training camp for a return to full health after suffering a torn quadriceps in March, an odd time to get hurt.
"Coming back from the offseason, working out too fast, just doing too much," Johnson said. "It was just kind of unfortunate."
--Defensive tackle Alfonso Boone is also sidelined after undergoing recent wrist surgery but should be ready for camp.
--Fullback Bryan Johnson is out with a foot injury that has been an off-and-on problem for more than a year.
--First-year wide receiver Airese Currie, who missed all of last season with foot and hamstring injuries, missed Saturday's practices with a quadriceps injury.
FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.
TRANSITION PLAYER: None.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
--QB Jeff Blake (not tendered June 1).
--S Bobby Gray (not tendered June 1).
--LB Marcus Reese (not tendered as ERFA).
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: None.
DRAFT CHOICES SIGNED
--DE Mark Anderson (5th): 4 yrs, terms unknown.
--OG Tyler Reed (6th); 4 yrs, terms unknown.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
--TE John Gilmore: UFA; 2 yrs, terms unknown.
--LB Hunter Hillenmeyer: RFA; $721,600/1 yr.
--DE Israel Idonije: RFA; matched Bills offer $7.4M/4 yrs, $1.6M SB.
--OG Terrence Metcalf: Potential UFA; $12.5M/6 yrs, $3.5M SB.
--TE Gabe Reid: ERFA; terms unknown.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED
--QB Brian Griese: FA Buccaneers; $5M SB, other terms unknown
--CB Ricky Manning: RFA Panthers (Panthers did not match offer and receive 3rd-round pick in 2006 draft as compensation).
--CB Dante Wesley: UFA Panthers; $2M/2 yrs, $475,000 SB.
PLAYERS LOST
--CB Jerry Azumah: UFA; retired.
--WR Eddie Berlin (released).
--S Mike Green (traded Seahawks).
MEDICAL WATCH: No updates.
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