Bears Notes: McClellin's Injured, Cutler Backs Marshall
By Dan Durkin-
(CBS) Linebacker Shea McClellin suffered a hand injury during practice this week and joins a long list of players who either didn't participate in Friday's practice at all or participated in a limited fashion.
Chicago coach Marc Trestman didn't say who would replace McClellin in the Bears' base defense.
"We'll see," Trestman said. "We've got flexibility with some of our guys. That's part of the Jon Bostic-aspect of learning all three positions. We'll see where we are, we're still working through that and we will up until game time."
The following players also didn't practice Friday:
-- WR Brandon Marshall (ankle)
-- C Roberto Garza (ankle)
-- G Matt Slauson (ankle)
-- CB Sherrick McManis (quad)
-- DT Jay Ratliff (concussion)
-- DE Trevor Scott (foot)
The following players participated in a limited fashion:
-- WR Alshon Jeffery (hamstring)
-- S Chris Conte (shoulder)
Cutler proud of Marshall
Marshall made headlines with his press conference Thursday addressing the issue of domestic violence, and the man who has thrown him 38 touchdowns during his career -- Jay Cuter -- was proud of his teammate and friend.
"I read some of his comments from yesterday," Cutler said. "I couldn't be more proud of him as a person, as a player and as a friend of mine."
The pair were brought into the league at the same time as part of Denver's 2006 draft class. They've spent six of their nine years in the league together as teammates and share a strong bond.
"Because I knew him," Cutler said. "I knew the guy. Anybody that knows Brandon knows that there's a good person there. Like I said, a lot of people make mistakes, and Brandon would be the first one to tell you he made a long laundry list of mistakes. But he's making up for it now, and I think anybody in that locker room would be proud to say that one he's their teammate and two he's a friend."
Reaction to Hester's big night
Last night, former Bears receiver/returner Devin Hester broke the NFL all-time record for return touchdowns, notching his 20th on a 62-yard punt return. Hester also scored a touchdown on an end around as the Falcons trounced Lovie Smith's Tampa Bay Bucs, 56-14.
"As I said to the team today, we're happy for Devin," Trestman said. "I texted him last night, he texted me back and I'm excited for this mountain that he's ascended to. Everybody here knows him as a teammate and coached player and loves him as a person."
Hester had some interesting comments about his final years in Chicago after last night's game.
"I'm happy, man," Hester said. "You know what, I'm going to say it, man. I wasn't happy the last three, four years in Chicago because things weren't going the way I expected. I would always have a great camp, have all the receivers saying and coaches saying I had the best camp of all the receivers. And once the season starts, I'm not there. And I got a quarterback now that, man, he loves even the walk-ons. And the coaches that know how to get the ball to me, make plays for me."
Trestman sidestepped a question on if there are any regrets about the team not being able to incorporate Hester into the offense more while in Chicago.
"What we should be doing today is celebrating Devin Hester's success and applauding him for that," Trestman said. "He's moved on and I think that day is beyond and we should be talking about those things and where we are offensively."
Dan Durkin covers the Bears for CBSChicago.com and is a frequent contributor to 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter at @djdurkin.
