Olsen making progress, but not game ready
The Bears had the weekend off, but injured rookie tight end Greg Olsen didn't get to enjoy it.
"I didn't really have any plans," said Olsen, who suffered a sprained left knee in the preseason finale. "It just turned into being (at Halas Hall) two times a day and rehabbing and trying to get back as healthy as possible as fast as possible.
"I have to let the inflammation and stuff go down and try to get back the range of motion."
Olsen, who was walking with a slight limp and didn't practice Monday, is expected to miss Sunday's season opener at San Diego, although he hasn't been officially declared out yet.
"He's making progress," coach Lovie Smith said. "But that will be a game-time decision."
Initially, it was feared the injury might be more serious.
"It's unfortunate that it had to happen," Olsen said. "We're just thankful it isn't anything real serious that would take a large amount of time out of the season."
Doesn't compute: Ron Rivera was the Bears' defensive coordinator the past three years, but he was not rehired by Lovie Smith after last season.
Sunday, Rivera will be on the other side of the field as the Chargers' inside linebackers coach. But Smith doesn't think Rivera's familiarity with the Bears' personnel will be a factor.
"Each year I have been in the league there is someone (familiar) on the other side of the ball," Smith said. "(When) I left Tampa Bay, I knew what they were doing. (Lions head coach and former Bucs assistant) Rod Marinelli and I were on the same staff. Indy, (coach) Tony (Dungy), they knew us, we knew them.
"I don't think that matters a lot once you get down to it. The team that executes the most, the best team normally wins, and that will be the case."
The big bucks: There are plenty of reasons players are excited about the start of the regular season, and money is one of them.
"I'm very excited," said wide receiver and return specialist Devin Hester. "I'm tired of the little $800 checks (during the preseason). Now we're getting the big checks (one-seventeenth of the total base salary each week).
"Not only that, but now we get to play the whole game, and you can really get in the groove."
Captain, my captain: Four of this year's team captains are retaining the role: center Olin Kreutz, wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad, linebacker Brian Urlacher and safety Mike Brown. Linebacker and kick-coverage standout Brendon Ayanbadejo replaces long snapper Pat Mannelly as the special-teams representative.
Taking a break: Defensive lineman Israel Idonije, safety Brandon McGowan, wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad and linebacker Michael Okwo all missed practice Monday with assorted minor ailments.
"We're optimistic about all of them," coach Lovie Smith said.