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Bradley this year's Berrian?

Posted August 09, 2007 11:00 pm

Reed Schreck

The discussion brought Chicago Bears receivers coach Darryl Drake back in time.

"We were having this conversation at the same time last year about Bernard Berrian," he said. "Nobody thought he was going to be that kind of player he's going to be again."

The player this time is the one who, after minicamps and organized team activities, had his name mentioned more frequently than most as in "keep an eye on."

Which player could vault up the depth charts into a more prominent role? Many would like to; few do, especially on a successful team that returns nearly intact.

If it's going to happen this season, that guy just might be wearing No. 16. Mark Bradley's his name, receiving's his game.

"Bernard was going into his third year and finally healthy; now Mark Bradley is going into his third year and finally healthy," Drake said. "I see Mark having an outstanding year."

Bradley has made impressionable appearances. Then, poof! He'd disappear for weeks or months because of injury.

He missed five games with an ankle injury last year. A torn ACL landed him on injured reserve Oct. 31, 2005 of his rookie season.

So far, Bradley hasn't missed a practice session in training camp at Olivet Nazarene University.

"I feel good, moving around, running around," he said. "This is probably the first time since my rookie year being healthy coming into camp."

That's the key. Now we can find out what Bradley, all put back together in one piece, is capable of doing.

Staying sane wasn't easy while dealing with his extended rehabilitation recoveries. He credits his dad, Danny, a former Oklahoma quarterback, with helping him stay positive by relying on his faith in God.

"He always brought me some words that kept me at peace and kept me relaxed," Bradley said. "I thought about it every time I went to work, putting in rehab time out on the practice field."

At training camp, Bradley hasn't been dominant. He's just showing he fits in with the Muhsin Muhammads, Bernard Berrians and Rashied Davises, which constitutes huge improvement. If he maintain that level, it's easy to come to conclusions -- the Bears would be deeper at wideout, with more weapons to throw at opponents.

Bradley just wants to be included in all the upcoming fun.

"Once you get past the mental mindset that you're healthy enough to run around and do the things you want to do as a wide receiver, that has a lot to do with it," he said. "Because you have a lot of cutting and do different body language in the air making catches."

Other than staying healthy, Bradley said he wants to "go out there and produce as I've been doing every time I have. You look back at the games when I got my chance - I made the best of it."

He caught five passes for 88 yards against Detroit in 2005 before getting hurt. At the time, he was the second-leading receiver among NFL rookies.

Last year, he had 80 yards receiving against the New York Jets and two of the team's three-longest receptions on the season.

"I just want to continue to produce if not break into the lineup," he said. "Just go out there and do what I've been doing all my life."

Doing what? We'll see. He's been utilized at every conceivable receiver position, although he's listed as the top backup to Berrian.

"He just has to make sure he's ready to fit his role," Drake said. "Last year, Bernard did have a role and he fit the role he had - he excelled at it. That's what we need Mark to do, excel in his role."

Offensive coordinator Ron Turner says Bradley "plays well, a lot faster, with a lot more confidence this year. So, yeah, we'll definitely have a role for him.

"Mark's having a good camp. He's healthy - last year he wasn't. He'd practice a day or two and then be off a day or two. And he wasn't 100 percent when he did practice."

Turner said Bradley will be in a mix "of three or four receivers. We've got to play a lot of those guys. We'll be in three-receiver sets, four-receiver sets. He'll be in there. We have some packages where we'll put him on the field with Bernard and Moose and other times it will be with Bernard, Moose and Rashied.

"His speed and ability to get down the field are something we have to take advantage of."

Now that Bradley's body is healthy, so is his outlook.

"I'm just going to do what I do personally," he said. "I can't worry what Moose does, or worry what Bernard does. I can't sit here and say I'm going to push them out of their positions.

"I'm just going to let my play handle that and let the chips fall where they may."

Reed Schreck is the NFL Writer for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached at 815-987-1381 or rschreck@rrstar.com.

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