Forte also at risk with Bears’ depth a question

The odds, unfortunately for the Bears, are starting to even out.

As we suspected, the healthiest team in the NFL in 2010 is getting hit hard by injuries in 2011, and it had a direct impact on their beating Sunday in New Orleans.

“We’re starting to get a few injuries,” said head coach Lovie Smith. “But we’re feeling good about the 53-man roster, so other guys will get an opportunity.”

Thing is, when they got an opportunity Sunday, the replacements weren’t good at tackle, receiver or safety, which has been the point whenever we’ve compared the expected rash of 2011 injuries with the miraculous performance of the Packers a year ago.

What is so impressive about Green Bay, which will be here Sunday, is that GM Ted Thompson consistently finds players and coach Mike McCarthy constantly makes something out of them.

When it comes to drafting or signing depth, fans haven’t exactly had that sort of confidence in Bears GM Jerry Angelo, nor in Smith and staff in developing that supposed depth.

The Super Bowl champs are among the youngest teams in the NFL and yet last season when they lost 15 players to injured reserve, including six starters, nearly every replacement did the job.

The same can’t be said of the Bears, whose difficulty at safety became a full-blown disaster Sunday.

Consider that last year Angelo admitted one mistake by bringing back Chris Harris to play alongside Danieal Manning, but when the Bears didn’t want to pay Manning, he departed and the Bears moved Harris to strong safety — where, in theory, he’s a better player — and elevated 2010 third-round pick Major Wright to the starting free safety position — where, in theory, he’s a better player.

But Sunday Harris was out with an injury, so Wright moved back to strong safety — where he has played for the Bears in the past — and the newly signed Brandon Meriweather started at free safety, probably his better position.

It was not lost on Saints QB Drew Brees that Meriweather hurt his ankle and was on the sideline getting taped when rookie third-round pick Chris Conte replaced him. It was Conte and Wright on the field when Brees hit Devery Henderson over the top on third-and-12 for a 79-yard touchdown that put the Saints ahead to stay.

Wright allowed Henderson to get behind the safety, which is forbidden in the Cover-2, but Wright also had a go-route to worry about and was caught peeking.

Wright, however, was lost with a head injury when he led with his helmet while attempting to tackle 6-foot-6, 260-pound tight end Jimmy Graham.

When the game ended, Meriweather was back in the lineup, but by then he was with Craig Steltz, a fourth-rounder who hasn’t shown much of anything since arriving in 2008. Harris is now hoping to be back Sunday.

The secondary is scary enough on a normal Sunday, but facing Aaron Rodgers and the Packers with all these injuries makes it an even more frightening proposition, as Brees was 13 of 18 for 170 yards (2 TDs) on plays when the Bears were in the nickel.

At tackle, rookie Gabe Carimi went down with a knee injury and veteran Frank Omiyale reminded everyone why he’s no longer starting, taking 2 false start penalties and getting beat like a drum around the edge.

While Carimi is not expected back soon, the good news — yes, there is some good news — is Chris Spencer has looked good since taking over for Lance Louis at right guard.

At receiver, Roy Williams was already out and Earl Bennett tried to return to the game after taking a helmet to the chest Sunday, but after giving it a shot he was sent to the locker room for the day and may miss the Packers game.

Watching Dane Sanzenbacher drop passes, Devin Hester short-arm them and Johnny Knox get pounded at the line of scrimmage — three receivers with an average height of 5-11 — you had to wonder what Jay Cutler must have been thinking late in the game down three scores and facing a jail break every snap.

It’s completely fair to wonder if Cutler can survive this line with these receivers and Mike Martz’s playcalling, but even if he does, Matt Forte is also getting thumped.

With Marion Barber (calf) injured, Forte is carrying the load by himself and getting hit a lot in the backfield.

On top of that, Cutler is forced to rely on Forte in the passing game to the point of targeting Forte 14 times Sunday.

With receivers not getting open or not knowing the plays, and with the pass rush so heavy, Cutler looks to Forte on the ground or through the air 40 percent of the time as the QB tries to survive and make plays.

But between the stuffs for losses and the open-field hits on pass plays, Forte also is going to wear down quickly if the Bears don’t find some answers.

He’s setting himself up for a nice contract extension with a terrific start to the season, but if the Bears can’t find him help, Forte’s not going to be healthy enough to hold up a pen and sign his new deal.

Drafting and depth is what allows great teams to make it through a long season.

The Bears didn’t need it a year ago. We’ll see what happens now that they do.

Ÿ Hear Barry Rozner on WSCR 670-AM and follow him @BarryRozner on Twitter.