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Tillman, Hester shrug off incident

Posted August 15, 2007 11:00 pm

Reed Schreck

It wasn't much of a scuffle, as scuffles go. Both corner Charles Tillman and receiver Devin Hester said as much of their very brief altercation at the end of Tuesday's practice.

After Wednesday's workout at Olivet Nazarene University, the two spent time offering their viewpoints on what Tillman said was overblown. "There wasn't no fight. I didn't see no blows. I didn't throw no blows. It was nothing," Tillman said. "You're all hyping it up way more than it really is."

There was no rematch of sorts Wednesday because Hester sat out with "general soreness." Head coach Lovie Smith said Hester "should" be back at practice today.

It was more who was involved than what they actually did. The training camp's other two confrontations were more visible but didn't have such high-profile players tangling.

Hester said the competition between them simply was stepped up a level.

"That's just football," he said. "Emotions get hot time to time. Yesterday was a big challenge. It's the physicalness of the NFL. You hope to continue going out there and using it as preparation for the games."

Tillman shrugged it off.

"Yeah, I think he's trying to make me better and I'm trying to make him better," he said. "I think it goes both ways.

"People say I'm a veteran and a good test for him. But Devin is quick. As fast as he is, he gives me a couple problems as far as like trying to jam him. So I'm just trying to stay on my 'A' game. I'm sure he's trying to stay on his 'A' game."

Roster shuffle

The Bears waived injured offensive tackle Aaron Brant, a seventh-round pick from Iowa State. They also waived fullback Jon Goldsberry, claimed June 26 after being waived by Tampa Bay.

They signed Steven Vieira, an offensive tackle who entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent by Cincinnati in 2005. He has played in Europe with the Berlin Thunder and Hamburg Sea Devils.

He finished his college career at UCLA with 41 consecutive starts at either guard or tackle.

Who's in, who's out

Returning to action Wednesday were receiver Muhsin Muhammad and No. 3 quarterback Kyle Orton, although the latter wore a brace on his right knee. Sitting out were center Olin Kreutz, receivers Mark Bradley and Devin Hester, linebacker Brian Urlacher, defensive tackle Tommie Harris and safety Tyler Everett.

"All of our team is available for play right now," Lovie Smith said of Monday's game at Indianapolis.

Don't show up

Saturday's final practice has been closed to the media and public. That makes Friday's 3 p.m. session the final one for fans to attend.

Camp sights

Greg Fassitt, demoted from third- to fourth-string right corner this week, made the catch of the day. He leapt all-out to intercept a Kyle Orton pass intended for wideout Drisan James. ... Rookie corner Trumaine McBride picked off a Brian Griese pass intended for receiver Brandon Rideau. ... Wideout candidate Mike Hass made a one-handed catch and later a juggling grab. ... Bernard Berrian beat Mike Brown and Charles Tillman to snag a bomb from Rex Grossman. ... Berrian handed off to Rashied Davis on an end-around. ... Second-team running back Adrian Peterson got work with the first team in two-minute drills.

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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