Roy Williams likes the fit with Martz, Bears
BOURBONNAIS — Roy Williams has a simple theory on how to put up big numbers in Mike Martz's offense.
Williams did just that in back-to-back seasons with the Detroit Lions in 2006 and '07, catching 146 passes for 2,148 yards and 12 touchdowns, the best two seasons of his eight-year career.
“Coach Martz's No. 1 rule is be where you're supposed to be when you're supposed to be there and don't fool the quarterback,” Williams said of the Bears' offensive coordinator. “That's it.”
Cutler already has called Williams a “go-to receiver,” even though the 6-foot-3, 215-pound former Pro Bowl wideout, cut by the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday can't practice with his new team until next Thursday.
Williams says he already has a good relationship with Cutler.
“I sat down and had lunch with him (Saturday),” Williams said. “He didn't ask me to get up and leave the table. Maybe I'm in.”
Williams was too often left out in three seasons with the Cowboys, catching 94 passes for 1,324 yards.
He thinks the Bears are a better fit for his talents, and aside from his success under Martz, he will be reunited with wide receivers coach Darryl Drake, his position coach at the University of Texas.
“To be back with Martz and coach Drake, it's a blessing for me to go to a system I already know that I've had success in,” he said. “It was a pretty easy decision.”
New blood:
Defensive tackle Amobi Okoye, the 10th overall pick in the 2007 draft, agreed to terms on a one-year deal Saturday.
The 6-2, 315-pounder started 58 games for the Houston Texans in his first four NFL seasons, making 138 tackles and getting 11 sacks.
He set Houston's rookie record with 5½ sacks in '07. Last season he started all 16 games and had just 3 sacks but led Texans linemen with a career-high 45 tackles.
Okoye is expected to compete for a spot in the Bears' DT rotation with nose tackle Anthony Adams, rookie Stephen Paea and veteran Matt Toeaina.
As a possible backup to Matt Forte, former Cowboys running back Marion Barber was signed to a two-year deal.
The 5-11, 218-pound former fourth-round pick out of Minnesota spent his first six seasons in Dallas, rushing for 4,358 yards and 47 touchdowns on 1,042 carries, a 4.2-yard average.
Barber was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2007 after rushing for 975 yards and 10 TDs on 204 attempts while splitting time with Julius Jones.
But last season Barber rushed for just 374 yards and 4 TDs on 113 carries, a 3.3-yard average.
Same old story:
Fourth-year defensive tackle Marcus Harrison was held from Saturday's practice because he didn't pass his physical.
Harrison was 11 pounds over his prescribed weight of 316. It's the second time in three years that the perennial disappointment has reported overweight.
Six-7, 360-pound guard Herman Johnson was waived.
And you are?
With the absence of an off-season and a deluge of free agents pouring in, you can't tell the players without a scorecard, even if you are one of the players.
“We were sitting in the (meeting) room, and there were 40 faces we've never seen before,” quarterback Jay Cutler said. “A lot of new guys, a lot of guys we've got to get familiar with.”