Competition opens at QB, RB during Bears' minicamp

No depth-chart decision will be made during the three-day minicamp at Halas Hall that begins Friday, but competition officially will begin at several positions.

Except at linebacker, where the only competition will be among the media trying to get the Bears to comment on Brian Urlacher's holdout over a new contract.

On the field, the marquee matchups are at quarterback between Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton, and at running back between Cedric Benson and rookie Matt Forte.

But the left-guard spot is up for grabs, the entire wide receiver position is unsettled, and there are several contenders at safety. For now left tackle is being manned by veteran John St. Clair, but rookie Chris Williams is expected to win the job.

Because of Benson's arrest the first weekend in May for allegedly boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest, more attention has been paid to the impending battle between him and Forte.

The Tulane standout was impressing coaches at the rookie minicamp the same weekend Benson was, according to him and some observers, being mistreated by officers on Lake Travis near Austin, Texas.

Both players say they're looking forward to competing.

"I'm just here to create competition," Forte said after the rookie minicamp. "We're a team, so it's not like we're one against another person. I'm just trying to make everybody better as well as myself."

Bears general manager Jerry Angelo went into the draft adamant about creating more competition for Benson.

"Until somebody proves that they're the guy," Angelo said, "we have to make sure that we create as much competition at that position. I felt like our running game obviously was one of the weak spots on our football team."

Benson has yet to live up to his draft status as the fourth overall pick from 2005, and he might have to perform better than he ever has in his first three seasons in order to keep his job.

Last week during the first batch of organized team activities, Benson looked better than expected following last season's fractured ankle, and he appeared quicker after having dropped 10 pounds, the result of a healthier diet.

"Nobody wants to be given anything," he said of the battle for the featured role in the run game. "It makes it more fun and more exciting when you've got a challenge going. I'm just going to be me and make plays."

Benson has the advantage of three years in the system, but he's coming off the worst of three unimpressive seasons. Forte has had four weeks to learn a system similar to the one he played in last season, when he rushed for 2,127 yards.

"I've been playing football my whole life, so I just have to get used to the speed of the game when everybody gets here," he said at the rookie minicamp.

"I'll take my playbook with me, keep learning it, keep going over the plays and also stay in good shape so when I come out here I can run play after play after play."

Benson and Forte will get playing time with both quarterbacks, who have directed the No. 1 offense on alternate days during the organized team activities, which will pick up again June 4 and run through June 19.

Grossman and Orton are expected to alternate with the first team throughout this weekend.

Offensive coordinator Ron Turner will be looking for specific attributes from the quarterbacks, but a decision might not be made until well into the preseason.

"I think the No. 1 thing is decision-making," Turner said. "Obviously they have to have the physical talent to make all the throws, but decision-making, accuracy and athletic ability (come into play)."

Urlacher has boycotted all voluntary off-season activities in an attempt to get more money than the $18 million the Bears already have offered in a re-negotiation of his nine-year, $56.65 contract that still has four years remaining.

He also is not expected to attend this weekend's activities, which are mandatory and could result in a fine of $8,000.

"I would bet I wouldn't be there," Urlacher told Yahoo! Sports two weeks ago.

"He's not going to be there," Bears outside linebacker Lance Briggs told ESPN on Tuesday.