Wolfe's preseason progress has Turner, Bears smiling

Garrett Wolfe is the smallest player on the Bears' roster, but if the preseason is any indication, his role this season will be anything but small.

Wolfe was the team's leading rusher in the preseason with 104 yards on 39 carries in a ground attack that is still working out the kinks.

The third-round pick from Northern Illinois also led the Bears with 11 catches, and his 76 receiving yards were fourth-best.

Wolfe had a game-high 17 touches (carries and catches) Thursday night against the Browns.

After working through a strained hamstring early in training camp, he seemed to get better each week.

"We feel good about Garrett, and he's made progress each game in a lot of areas," offensive coordinator Ron Turner said.

"Catching the ball out of the backfield, he picked up a couple blitzes Thursday, showed that he has a good understanding of that and is willing to do it, and we know he has good running skills. Every week he's gotten better and better. I think he's playing with more confidence, playing faster."

The running skills were abundantly evident at NIU, as Wolfe rushed for 5,164 yards on 807 carries the last three years for an NCAA Division I-A record 6.4-yard average. His 156.5 yards per game career rushing average was fourth in NCAA Division I-A history behind only Ed Marinaro, O.J. Simpson and Herschel Walker.

But at 5-feet-7 and a generous 185 pounds, entering the draft Wolfe had every NFL team concerned about whether he would be able to block anyone in blitz pickup, let alone linebackers who outweigh him by 60 pounds.

That's why more than a few eyebrows were raised when the Bears used a third-round pick (93rd overall) to select the Holy Cross High School (River Grove) graduate.

He proved against the Browns that he was not only willing but able to protect the quarterback, even when severely outsized.

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall," Wolfe said. "Granted it does present a challenge, but I'm not expected to go out there and block those guys for 10 seconds. I'm expected to stop the charge -- and keep them off the quarterback.

"If I get run over and I don't give up the sack, then I did my job, and that's all that matters. It may not look as pretty as when Cedric (Benson) or Jason McKie run up there and block because those guys are (220) and 245 pounds. But I'm not concerned with how pretty it looks, as long as I get my job done."

Wolfe remains the Bears' No. 3 running back, firmly behind Benson and backup Adrian Peterson, but that's nothing to a guy who arrived in DeKalb ninth on the depth chart.

He realizes the reality of his situation, but he's prepared to deal with it.

"The No. 3 running back last year didn't play that much (Peterson got 10 carries and caught 6 passes), and I don't expect to play a whole lot," Wolfe said. "But whatever happens, happens. If there are opportunities for me to get the ball, I most definitely am going to try to take advantage of them. But if not, I just have to know my role and accept it and play with it."