Leader of the pack

Only one thing is certain in the Bears' retooled defensive tackle rotation: it will revolve around two-time Pro Bowler Tommie Harris.

Harris is returning from a torn tendon in his upper left leg that ended his 2006 season after 12 games, but he is adamant that he's no longer an injured player.

But the top three tackles in his supporting cast from last season -- Tank Johnson, Ian Scott and Alfonso Boone -- have all departed.

They started a combined 21 games in 2006 and played in 41. But Johnson was released and Scott (Philadelphia Eagles) and Boone (Kansas City Chiefs) took the free-agency route out of town.

The Bears will try to replace them with Dusty Dvoracek, Anthony Adams and Antonio Garay.

Dvoracek was the Bears' third-round pick in 2006, but he missed his rookie season with a foot injury. Adams came from the 49ers via free agency, and Garay played sparingly as the Bears' fifth tackle last season.

"Of course Tommie Harris will be in his same three technique position (lined up on the outside shoulder of the offensive guard)," coach Lovie Smith said. "Dusty Dvoracek, Antonio Garay, Anthony Adams ... all those guys will compete for time.

"I know that Tommie will be there, (but after that) that's one of the training-camp battles that we will look at closely."

Even if Dvoracek would have been healthy last season, he might have gotten lost in the shuffle behind so many veterans. Now, he's being counted on to fill the void in their absence, and in Friday's first training-camp practice, he was with the first team, right next to Harris.

"Coaches have expressed to me this is a big opportunity," said the 6-foot-3, 303-pound Dvoracek, who played on the same D-line with Harris at Oklahoma. "It's on my shoulders now to go out there and contribute and show my worth."

Although this is Dvoracek's second year in the program, he's hardly a veteran, considering he was injured after playing in just two preseason games last year.

"I'm pretty much still a rookie this year," he said, although he's in peak physical condition now and ready to assert himself.

"I'm going to compete every snap," Dvoracek said. "They drafted me for my attitude and my motor and (I have to) just show them those things every day throughout camp, flying around the field, making plays and just improving every day."

Having a former linemate next to him in a new rotation is comforting for Harris.

"I was with Tank for (three) years, but I played with Dusty for three years in college," Harris said. "We came in together as freshmen. So just getting a feel of having somebody there and the security of knowing that he can handle his business, that he knows the plays and we're familiar with one another, it's a definite confidence booster."

Not that Harris needs much of an ego pump. He's taken to calling himself "The Real Deal," a nickname he says dates to his high school days. It was pointed out to Harris that former heavyweight champ Evander Holyfield had the same nickname.

"OK," Harris said. "But now that's my name."

Smith was unaware of, and then amused by, Harris' new moniker. "That's the first time I've heard about it," the coach said. "Is that Tommie's nickname for himself?"

Told that it was, Smith was fine with the idea.

"Well, if he's for it, I'll start calling him that," he said. "It sounds good to me. He is the real deal, I'll say that.

"He's arguably our best player on the team, so getting him back is special. He's got all kinds of talent. We start off talking about our defensive line, and Tommie is the leader of that group."