BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- Offensive coordinator Mike Tice and quarterback Jay Cutler just dont speak the same language. Literally.
Hes from the South and Im from New York so he doesnt get my jokes much or understand much of my English, said Tice, who as a New Yorker clearly views Indiana as the South.
For instance, if theyre going to talk cars, Its not aw-toe, its ott-toe, Tice said.
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Car talk isnt where Cutler and Tice need to be communicating, however. Specifics of the offense are and both sides are satisfied that theres a meeting of the minds developing.
Im trying to give him everything thats on my mind: what I dislike, what I like, what I love, what I hate, what I think is going to work, Cutler said. Thats why hes got a tough job.
Assuming Tice speaks Hoosier, the Bears should be fine. Mike Martz was not always receptive to Cutlers suggestions initially but Tice expressly asks for them.
We want to know what he likes, Tice said. I think its very important to have a line of communication with the quarterback and running back and the receivers.
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Why call things that theyre not comfortable with? If were calling things theyre not comfortable with, theyre not going to make the right throws. If were calling runs the back doesnt like, hes not going to hit it up in there. If were calling routes that the receiver doesnt like to run, hes not going to run them with authority or confidence.
So I think its important across the board to have a great line of communication between the players and the coaches.
Price sees first action with Bears
Defensive tackle Brian Price spent his first day in pads since his trade to the Bears from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and it was a difficult one. Price, wearing No. 95, started well in some reps with the No. 2 defense but is clearly not yet in full football shape. He and backup center Edwin Williams had a brief bit of shoving after a pass-protection drill won by Williams.
Hopes are still very high for the former second-round pick, who is viewed as a potential impact player at both inside spots. We wont probably bring in a guy if he can only play nose, coach Lovie Smith said. You have to have some athletic ability. Im talking about 3-technique, under-tackle type ability and he has that.
Camp Notes
Cornerbacks Tim Jennings and Charles Tillman came up with interceptions in Tuesdays session.
Kahlil Bell provided Tuesdays top highlight when he did a vault and somersault into the end zone in a full-tackling goal-line period. Bell is facing a very stiff challenge to stick as the No. 3 running back over Armando Allen and Lorenzo Booker in particular.
Rookie defensive end Shea McClellin continued to struggle in pass rush, being handled first by left tackle JMarcus Webb, who was taking his day with the No. 1 unit, and then by rookie tight end Evan Rodriguez. McClellin had a little success against Chris Williams but Williams also had the upper hand in their reps.
In the kind of matchup the Bears would like anytime, Matt Forte was isolated on a linebacker and Cutler dropped a touch pass into his hands along the right sideline. The linebacker happened to be Lance Briggs, which wont make it a special moment in the defensive meeting room but Forte is one of the NFLs elite receivers out of the backfield.
The Commish in town
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is stopping by Bears camp Wednesday afternoon and will be part of a brief panel discussion with Bears Chairman George McCaskey and former coach and broadcaster John Madden.