Bears noticing Toeaina's improved play

Matt Toeaina's first game for the Bears should have put him on the fast track to success.

Five days after he was plucked off the Bengals' practice squad late in his rookie season of 2007, Toeaina was thrown into the mix against the Vikings on Dec. 17, and the sixth-round pick out of Oregon made 2 tackles behind the line of scrimmage in his first NFL game.

Injuries to Anthony Adams and Darwin Walker late in '07 had depleted the Bears' depth, so the 6-foot-2, 308-pound Toeaina also played in the last two games. But since then, he had been lost in the shuffle, seeing action in just one game in each of the past two seasons.

Based on early returns, though, Toeaina is back on track. He's been getting reps with the first team since training camp began, and he's showing he belongs.

"All he's done is what I appreciate," defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said. "That is, just put it on tape. If you're good, you don't have to say anything. Just put your body of work on tape and let us evaluate it, and what we've evaluated, we like."

Toeaina is in the thick of the defensive tackle rotation along with Marcus Harrison, behind starters Tommie Harris and Anthony Adams. Under Lovie Smith, the Bears have generally preferred to utilize four players at the tackle spots on game day. Toeaina has the girth to hold the point and occupy blockers at nose tackle and enough quickness to back up Harris at the three technique, where a penetrating, disruptive force is ideal.

"He can play the nose and has three-technique ability, which requires a little bit more athletic ability," Smith said. "He comes to work hard each day, and he's got good size. He's liked by the players, and he's worked hard since Day One. He's earned the position he's in right now. He got early time last week (with the ones), and he'll get the same this week (Saturday night against the Cardinals)."

Toeaina keeps a low profile, but teammates notice his work ethic and persistence.

"He's playing great," Adams said. "He's a hard worker, a blue-collar worker, just like a lunch-pail guy. He's been working hard this off-season with coach Marinelli, asking a lot of questions. He doesn't say much, but he just comes to work every day and plays hard."

It's taken awhile for all of Toeaina's grunt work to pay off, and he says the difference this season is the opportunities he's finally getting.

"I think the biggest thing for me was receiving more reps," he said. "With more reps come more opportunities to make plays, and I guess I've been taking advantage of those opportunities."

Playing with the first team has also motivated Toeaina to elevate his game, just because of the environment he's in.

"That's definitely a requirement," he said. "You're not put there to do nothing. You're put there because there's a certain standard they believe you can uphold."

Toeaina has played up to that standard for the past month, but he doesn't have the luxury of coasting, considering the 13 defensive linemen on the roster are competing for eight or nine roster spots.

"I feel like I've done pretty well, but I'm not there yet," he said. "I'm still not starting, but I feel like I'm definitely on the right track."

He is, and he's doing all the right things, according to Marinelli.

"He's very diligent in his work," the defensive coordinator said. "He's smart. He's in the weight room. He doesn't miss anything."

Especially when it comes to opportunities, which Toeaina is making the most of this year.

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