Beekman getting his chance on uncertain O-line

BOURBONNAIS - For the time being, the Bears are standing pat on the offensive line.

That despite the fact they are holding an uncertain hand after last week's injuries, which included season-threatening back surgery for first-round pick Chris Williams and a knee scope for Terrence Metcalf.

Williams was supposed to assume the left-tackle position soon, but if it happens this season it will definitely be later. And Metcalf was the starting left guard when he went down.

So journeyman John St. Clair remains at left tackle, and Josh Beekman, last year's fourth-round draft pick, is the left guard du jour.

Beekman played in one game last season - briefly. St. Clair hasn't been a full-time starter since 2004, and even then he played in the usually less-challenging right-tackle spot.

Beekman spent much of the off-season and the early part of training camp backing up six-time Pro Bowl center Olin Kreutz, but he's back at the spot where he started 34 games for Boston College, and he's getting a crash course.

Beekman started and played all of the preseason opener Thursday, which is almost unheard of these days. He will take all the reps he can get.

"I'm still a rookie, in my mind," Beekman said. "I still have to prove myself. These guys that I work with every day, they've been doing this in their sleep since I was a little kid, so if I have to play a whole game, then so be it."

Beekman spent an extra 20 minutes after Sunday's two-hour practice working on his technique under the scrutiny of offensive-line coach Harry Hiestand, assistant offensive line coach Luke Butkus and Kreutz.

He knows he's getting an opportunity that isn't ever guaranteed, so he's doing all he can to capitalize.

"I embrace it fully," said the 6-foot-2, 310-pound Beekman. "This is a situation that could possibly happen in the (regular) season.

"I remember when Ruben Brown (the Bears' starting left guard from 2004-07) said, 'There are going to be seasons when a guy never gets hurt, and there's going to be a season where everybody could get hurt, so you have to be ready.'

"I just want to do more positive than negative out here on the football field."

Beekman did enough in his extended play Thursday to be given a shot to win the spot that could be an Achilles' heel for the Bears all season if someone doesn't step up in a hurry. He says one of the most valuable resources in his quest for knowledge is Kreutz.

"Olin's been in this league 11 years," Beekman said. "That's just an honor unto itself. Think about it. . . six Pro Bowls. He must be doing something right. So every time he speaks, I'm silent, and I listen and I try to soak it up like a sponge."

If Williams hadn't been injured, he already may have claimed the left-tackle spot from St. Clair, who doesn't have nearly the upside potential that the rookie possesses.

But St. Clair has the experience of 91 NFL games, including 39 starts, although just six have been at left tackle. The Bears never really got a chance to see what they had in Williams, but they know what they've got in St. Clair.

"I'm sure Chris is going to be a great player, and he was working hard, but we never really had him, so I don't know what we lost," Kreutz said.

"John St. Clair's been our starting left tackle (since the off-season), and he's been there from Day One. So we have all our starters and we're ready to go.

"As an offensive line, you don't have to have one great player. You just have to be good together."

It remains to be seen if the Bears can build a winning hand from the current personnel.

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