Safety Parker on Bears' radar

Just because the Bears signed veteran safety Antrel Rolle late Wednesday night doesn't mean they won't also try to get a deal done with former Chiefs safety Ron Parker, who visited Halas Hall Thursday.

Last year the Bears signed four free agent safeties - Ryan Mundy, Danny McCray, M.D. Jennings and Adrian Wilson - though only Mundy and McCray made it to the season opener.

In the 27-year-old Parker, the Bears would be getting an under-the-radar talent who has been a late bloomer after going undrafted in 2011 out of Newberry College in his home state of South Carolina.

But Parker started 15 games last year for a Chiefs defense that was No. 2 in passing yards allowed. Because he's played some cornerback in the past, Parker would give the Bears another safety with good coverage skills, something absent the past several years. The 6-foot, 206-pound Parker played in all 16 games for the Chiefs in 2013, when he was used as an extra-coverage guy in nickel situations and had 2 of his 3 career interceptions.

Prior to that, Parker knocked around the league, spending time with the Seahawks, Raiders and Panthers.

Utility man:

Part of what convinced the Bears to drop $38.75 million over five years with $16 million guaranteed on former Ravens linebacker Pernell McPhee was the versatility he displayed in Baltimore.

"We see him as a base 3-4 outside linebacker that can play inside in sub packages and bring a lot of versatility," Bears general manager Ryan Pace said of the 6-foot-3, 280-pounder.

The Bears also hope to move McPhee around, from both outside linebacker positions to various spots on the defensive line.

"He does have length and he's able to use his hands very well," said Bears coach John Fox. "He plays with body lean. He collapses the pocket. He's not what I would define as a speed rusher, but an outstanding rusher.

"Comparisons, I don't like doing those very often, (but he's) kind of Michael Strahan, does it with really good technique, really good hands, good leverage."

Trial by fire:

John Fox was the Carolina Panthers head coach in 2010 when rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen was forced to start 10 games for a lousy 2-14 team and went 1-9 with a 58.4 passer rating, throwing 9 interceptions and 3 TD passes.

Clausen, whom the Bears re-signed last week for one year at $1.125 million, didn't start another NFL game until Week 16 last season when he stepped in for benched Jay Cutler in a loss to the Lions.

Clausen had a mediocre 77.0 passer rating in that game, but he managed the offense well enough to earn another year as the Bears' backup.

"I've seen maturity and growth," Fox said. "I had him as a rookie, (and) this league's tough as a rookie. I don't care what position (you play), and quarterback's probably more tough.

"I watched his one start, a lot of preseason snaps that he was involved in and I've seen him grow as a quarterback. So he'll get that opportunity, and I'm excited to watch his growth moving forward."

Looking for volunteers:

Based on the pregnant pause by coach John Fox when he was asked who, on the current roster, can play defensive end in a 3-4 alignment, the Bears have a lot of roster churning to do.

"That's really hard for me to answer right now," Fox finally said. "We still have two big periods to improve and add to a football team (free agency and the draft). Then we'll stack them up and let them compete when we get that opportunity.

"I'm not going to go into a player-by-player evaluation. I'm going to wait and let that sort itself out when we start playing."

None of the players who lined up at defensive end in the Bears 4-3 scheme last year projects to D-end in a 3-4.

Lamarr Houston, who is listed at 6-feet-3, 300 pounds but played last year at about 280, seems like a potential 3-4 end. But Fox said he would get his first looks at the outside linebacker after Houston recovers from last year's torn ACL.

Gold watch time:

Longtime defensive cornerstones Charles Tillman and Lance Briggs, both 34, are free agents who aren't expected back because of their ages and recent injury history.

"We have talked about those players individually," G.M. Ryan Pace said. "They're both unique situations in that they're excellent Chicago Bears. We like to keep those conversations in house, though."

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