OT Williams still not sure how he'll do when finally called upon

Rookie offensive tackle Chris Williams admits he's not completely sure how much and at what point he'll be able to contribute to the offense, since he doesn't have a frame of reference.

The first-round draft pick was projected as an opening-day starter, but he suffered a back injury on the second day of training camp that eventually required surgery and kept him off the practice field until three weeks ago.

"It's hard to say, because I've never played a pro football game," Williams said. "No preseason, no regular season. I'm fresh out of college for the most part. It's hard to say if I could jump in, so that's where good coaching comes in. They'll know when I'm ready, and I'll know when I'm ready, and that's when I'll be in there.

"There's a zillion reps that I've got to make up, so that's what I'm working on every day."

Williams said he might be able to contribute after this week's open date.

"I feel like I'm available to play," he said, "but we'll see."

Jumping right in: It's been quite a week for journeyman safety Terrence Holt, whom the Bears signed to the active roster Wednesday to replace Zackary Bowman.

"This is my fourth time zone in two days," said Holt, who tried out with the Seahawks, Titans, Texans and Patriots before joining the Bears. "I was in Raleigh, (N.C.), where I stay, and I flew to Salt Lake City on the way to Seattle, and then I was on my way back to Raleigh when (the Bears) called.

"I haven't had much sleep, and I go out and practice (Wednesday) and the offense runs no-huddle, and I'm out there the whole time."

Holt, the brother of Rams wide receiver Torry Holt, was a fifth-round pick (137th overall) of the Lions in 2003. He spent four seasons in Detroit playing their version of the Cover 2, and last season with Cardinals, who waived him in the off-season after he started all 16 games.

He signed with the Panthers on March 20 but was waived at the end of the preseason. Holt has started 43 NFL games and played in 69 with 245 tackles (172 solos), 8 interceptions and 13 passes defensed.

Ups and downs: The past few days have been a roller-coaster ride for rookie cornerback Zackary Bowman.

On Oct. 14 the fifth-round pick from Nebraska was promoted from the practice squad and last Sunday, in his first NFL game, he recovered a fumble in the end zone for his first career touchdown in the 48-41 victory over the Vikings, earning him the NFL special teams player of the week award.

Bowman later added a game-clinching interception, the first of his career, with 40 seconds remaining to preserve the victory. That play came after Bowman suffered a torn biceps that required season-ending surgery on Wednesday.

Bowman is the first Bears player to record a touchdown and interception in his NFL debut since Gerald "Bones" Weatherly on Sept. 17, 1950.