Dvoracek expects to be back soon

Dusty Dvoracek, who won the starting nose tackle job last year in training camp but then suffered a season-ending knee injury, has not been able to practice yet in training camp because of a calf injury, but he said there's no way that will keep him off the field when the regular season starts Sept. 7.

“Obviously I want to be out there really bad, but it is what it is,” said Dvoracek, who expects to be cleared for a return to practice soon. “I'm looking forward to getting back out there with my teammates again, flying around having a good time playing football.”

Dvoracek missed his entire rookie season of 2006 with a foot injury but was never injured in four years at Oklahoma. He suffered his current injury lifting weights with teammate Tommie Harris, who played three seasons with him at Oklahoma. Because Dvoracek was healthy for the Bears' entire off-season program, he doesn't believe he's fallen behind his teammates after the first week of camp.