Smith ready to do some early evaluating

INDIANAPOLIS - Lovie Smith didn't move up minicamp by more than two months this year just to give Bears players more time for golf when the weather gets warmer.

Starting March 17, evaluations will begin, and some players will be under the spotlight and on the spot more than ever before.

"You're always trying to, not necessarily send messages, but get certain points across," Smith said Saturday at the NFL Scouting Combine.

"And the point we're trying to get across is that it wasn't good enough last year. This is the first time we can do something about it, and we want to take advantage of that.

"With the draft coming up, we get another good look at the players before we get to it."

A couple of hours later Bears general manager Jerry Angelo took time off from his player evaluations to meet with the Chicago-area media.

Smith and Angelo have several situations to address before the 2009 season starts.

For starters, offensive right tackle John Tait's retirement seems all but a done deal, meaning re-signing John St. Clair, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent Feb. 27, is a bigger priority.

"John St. Clair was big for us even before John Tait retired," Smith said. "John played well for us throughout the year. He was consistent each week; we knew what we were going to get from him.

"Of course we'd like for him to remain a member of our team."

Even if the Bears re-sign St. Clair, they still might use their first-round draft pick (18th overall) for an offensive tackle for the second straight year after taking Chris Williams 14th overall last year.

"John has said he's going to retire," Angelo said. "In all likelihood that's probably going to happen. We're talking to John St. Clair. We certainly like John.

"But we still need to continue to bring in young offensive linemen and develop them. We've gone through a big changeover with our offensive line in the last few years.

"Some of it had to do with the age and players moving on, and we have to replenish."

Neither Smith nor Angelo attempted to minimize the lack of talent at wide receiver. That is expected to be a major consideration on draft weekend at the end of April more so than in free agency, where Cincinnati's T.J. Houshmandzadeh is the only marquee name among the pass catchers.

"I think we need a good solid No. 2 to step up with Devin (Hester)," Smith said. "I've never looked to add veterans just to add veterans.

"You're just trying to add good football players. We weren't satisfied with the production we got at the receiver position last year, so we're trying to do something about it."

On the other side of the ball, much more will be expected of last year's underachieving defense, where most players failed to play up the level of their paychecks.

Cornerback Nate Vasher, a Pro Bowl pick in 2005, has been injured in each of the previous two years and slumped significantly. He signed a five-year, $28 million contract extension before the 2007 season but could be fighting for a roster spot.

"He has to pick up his game," said Angelo, who wouldn't refer to Vasher as a starter. "I don't know where he is now (on the depth chart). He has to re-establish himself. He's competing to start.

"He's got to take his game to another level. I didn't see anything physically speaking that would tell me that he can't, but he's got to get it going."

Vasher and his teammates will get that opportunity in less than a month.