With question marks in Chicago Bears secondary, rookie Malik Muhammad II is eager to accept the challenge

If the Carolina Panthers want to pick on a rookie defensive back in Sunday’s season opener, Chicago Bears cornerback Malik Muhammad II is all for it.

“Honestly, I want that to happen,” Muhammad said. “That’ll raise my chances to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. I want that to happen.”

It’s a tried and true tradition in the NFL that veteran quarterbacks will pick on the most inexperienced players in the secondary. Aaron Rodgers was one of the masters of this for years with the Green Bay Packers. Many times it was an inexperienced Bears rookie on the losing end of that battle.

Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is no Rodgers, but he’s experienced enough to know to keep the ball away from Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson. That could put a rookie like Muhammad in the crosshairs at Bank of America Stadium.

Muhammad, a fourth-round pick out of Texas, spent much of August working as the nickel cornerback with the starting defense. With nickel corner Kyler Gordon sidelined by a calf injury, the job could belong to Muhammad for the foreseeable future. Gordon, who is on the physically unable to perform list, must miss at least four games.

Coordinator Dennis Allen’s defense has several unanswered questions in the secondary heading into Week 1, such as who will start at safety alongside first-round pick Dillon Thieneman. The Bears haven’t named a starter at nickel, but Muhammad took most of the reps with the starters during the second half of training camp. When the Bears played most of their starters in their second preseason game, Muhammad was out there with them.

“With the coaches being able to put their trust in me and to throw me out there with the ones with me being a rookie, that boosts my confidence too,” Muhammad said. “At the end of the day it’s football, but with me learning a new position and catching on so fast, I will say my confidence has risen.”

Versatile veteran Cam Lewis could be another option at nickel. But after safety Coby Bryant injured his left knee Aug. 3, Lewis appeared to focus more of his time at safety than nickel.

Muhammad played primarily outside cornerback at Texas, but the Bears drafted him with his versatility in mind.

“I saw a smart, instinctive player that had good speed and good coverage ability,” Allen said. “And so anytime you get a rookie in here, you really want to throw a lot at him and see what they can handle. And he’s been able to handle a pretty good amount.”

Safety might be the bigger unanswered question. Bryant had surgery on his knee Aug. 7, the same day the Bears signed veteran safety Xavier Woods. Throughout August, it looked like a two-way position battle between Lewis and Woods.

In the weeks immediately after Bryant’s injury, Lewis took many of the starting reps at safety. But in the final week of practice before Week 1, it was Woods working with Thieneman and the starters. Practices during game weeks aren’t open in their entirety, and the Bears aren’t obligated to announce a starter at any position.

“I got thrown in the fire since I got here,” Woods said. “So I had no time to prep, but I’ve gotten prepared and I’ve gotten the reps that I needed and I’ve gotten everything down.

“Just the way we practice, the intensity, the speed, just everything that Ben (Johnson) coaches and how they construct practice around here, it gets you ready. I’ve been here about four or five weeks now. I think I’m ready.”

Lewis can play safety or nickel and played in 76 games during six seasons with the Buffalo Bills, but much of his experience came on special teams and he has only 14 career starts on defense. Woods has played in 134 games over nine seasons with 121 starts on defense. He started 10 games for the Tennessee Titans last season.

Asked what he wanted in a safety after Bryant went down, Allen pointed to veteran experience. From an experience standpoint, Woods has seen it all.

“What’s he in, like, Year 10 or something like that?” Allen said. “So, I mean, you see a guy that’s played a lot of NFL football. You see a guy that can see things on tape and then recognize them when they show up on the football field. And that’s the difference between the young player and the veteran player.”

Woods popped up on the injury report Thursday with a groin injury. That will be something to monitor Friday and could throw another wrinkle into the plans at safety.

Injury report: Rome Odunze limited by calf injury

Odunze was back on the practice field Thursday, and the Bears officially listed him as a limited participant. The third-year wide receiver suffered a right calf injury in practice a week ago and wasn’t on the practice field Monday or Tuesday.

Backup quarterback Tyson Bagent (back) did not practice. Woods and offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo (knee) also were limited.

Veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and guard Joe Thuney were given an extra day of rest.

Not on the injury report this week is running back Kyle Monangai. The second-year pro hyperextended his right knee in practice Aug. 16 and missed several weeks of practice but returned Monday.

It was a concerning moment when Monangai and Jarrett got tangled up and Monangai ended up on the ground in pain. Thankfully for the Bears, he avoided the worst-case scenario.

“Just a scare,” Monangai said. “The training staff did a pretty good job to help make that 100%.”

Monangai was able to walk off under his own power after that injury scare. He has thrown himself into preparation for the Panthers this week.

“It’s been a little different, getting myself back on the field, but I’m back,” he said. “So I feel good and it’s just getting back up to speed, getting ready for Carolina.”