Thread: Lovie's A Blue Sky Kinda Guy..................

Smith sees mostly blue sky

Coach says addition of Marshall and Bush will help produce more Bears-style football

Lovie Smith is interviewed by the NFL network during the NFC head coaches media breakfast at the Breakers Hotel. (Steve Mitchell-US Presswire / March 28, 2012)

Dan Pompei On the NFL 8:21 p.m. CDT, March 28, 2012



PALM BEACH, Fla. — Sunshine has not been difficult to find at the oceanfront site of the NFL meetings, but Lovie Smith brought more of it Wednesday in a breakfast with the media.

The Bears coach was particularly optimistic about the addition of wide receiver Brandon Marshall.




"I thought Chicago Bear football, he would be a perfect mesh," Smith said. "I know what he can do catching the football. I'm talking about a big, physical presence, blocking. When I met him, right away, he (hugged me). To me, he was a perfect fit for us."

Asked about Marshall's off-the-field issues, Smith said, "If there was a big concern, we wouldn't have made the trade. We feel comfortable. We feel comfortable with our locker room. We checked out Brandon Marshall."

Smith said Marshall is versatile enough to play all three receiver spots, but indicated he likely would play only split end, at least initially.

That has been Johnny Knox's place. While Smith said he has no idea when Knox will be able to return from back surgery, he did allow Marshall's presence will mean reduced roles for others.

"When you go into the No. 1 position, it affects everybody," he said. "Everyone bumps down one."

Smith said he thought Knox could play elsewhere, however.

"As a wide receiver you want a guy to be able to beat a corner," Smith said. "Unless you are playing a guy in the slot an awful lot, that's where it's different. We have to get these guys on the field and let them tell us exactly where they need to be."

Added to the mix, Wednesday was Giants receiver Devin Thomas, who agreed to a one-year deal.

One way or another, Knox likely will play less in 2012. But Devin Hester's offensive snaps could increase.

Smith said one of the disappointments from last season was not utilizing the returner better as a receiver.

"We've been trying to get this happy medium, this perfect play time," Smith said. "We're going to continue to look for ways because he's special when he gets his hands on the ball."

Smith addressed a number of other topics. Among them:

Smith wouldn't mind going to camp with the current group of offensive linemen. He even expressed confidence in left tackle J'Marcus Webb, who allowed 14 sacks last season.

"I don't want to picture it that we are looking for a left tackle," Smith said. "We feel comfortable with (Webb and Gabe Carimi). … We like (what) we have right now for what we are going to do with them. (But) we are always, right up until almost the opening game, (looking for) somebody we think can improve us."

In addressing Webb's inconsistency , Smith said, "You can look at the situation sometimes and anybody in the league can look bad. There are some things you have to do to help them out at times, which we plan to do."

Smith said Carimi is likely to start camp at right tackle, but did not rule out a shift to the left side.

He also said Chris Williams could move back to tackle, but he probably could make a better case for him at guard.

He is excited about where new coordinator Mike Tice is taking the offense.

"We'll consistently see what we want to be a little bit more than occasionally," Smith said.

Smith said his and Tice's philosophy mesh. But he also said he and Mike Martz were on the same page when he hired Martz, who left in January.

"I wanted (Martz)," he said. "I knew what he would bring to the table. (But) given our personnel, we need to get back where we belong."

He isn't too concerned about Matt Forte's contract stalemate.

Smith pointed out Forte has not missed any team functions.

"I look at offseason as time to negotiate," Smith said. "You do it different ways. He doesn't feel good about his contract situation. He voiced that. It's no more than that. I don't make too big a deal out of it."

Smith believes the Bears are better at running back.

He said Michael Bush will bring more to the Bears than Marion Barber did because Bush can help the team more outside the tackles and in the passing game.

"Michael is a complete running back," Smith said.

Adding Bush wasn't necessarily because the team did not want to promote Kahlil Bell to be the No. 2 back.

"But wouldn't we be even stronger with Kahlil here and Michael Bush?" Smith said. "It's about strength in numbers as much as anything."

Smith did acknowledge Bell's fumbling is a concern.

"We've seen what he can do with the ball when it's secured, now he has to secure it more often," Smith said.

dpompei@tribune.com

Twitter @danpompei