Brian Urlacher has resumed his spot as centerpiece of the Bears' defense

There are no bad guys on our team, so it's not hard for people to fit in. We've got a great group of guys and I think we're going to keep getting better as the season goes on."

Harris is familiar with the defense, having spent his first two NFL seasons with the Bears in 2005-06. He was traded to the Carolina Panthers in 2007 and reacquired a few months ago after the draft.

Peppers, who signed with the Bears on the first day of free agency in March, is a freakish 6-7, 283-pound athlete who possesses a rare combination of power, speed and quickness.

Asked how often he is amazed by what Peppers is able to do, Brian Urlacher said: "Every day. The things he does … his speed off the ball, his reaction. I watch film and [think], 'How does he do that?'"

After hearing both Lovie Smith and Mike Tice praise the starting offensive line's performance against the Chargers, right tackle Frank Omiyale not surprisingly agreed with his coaches.

"I thought we did pretty good," Omiyale said. "We stayed together. We communicated really well. Of course, [center] Olin [Kreutz], the stuff he sees, it definitely came into play early, the plays that he had. We feel good about where we're going. It's a good start, but we're Jay Cutler nowhere where we want to be."

After playing guard last season, Omiyale is happy to be back at his natural position. Well, sort of.

"I love being able to use my quickness and different things," he said. "But wherever I'm at, I'm going to make it happen. So it's not that much better. Just being on the field is nice."

 That is to say the middle linebacker's return from the knee injury that ended his 2009 season is a vital component to the success of Philadelphia's defense.

The Eagles learned the true value of Bradley when he wasn't around last Jay Cutler season - he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in training camp - as they struggled to replace their defensive signal caller. They tried Matt Wilhelm, Joe Mays and Omar Gaither, traded for Will Witherspoon, and even re-signed Jeremiah Trotter for a third time. None could hold down the job as well as Bradley, who had 108 tackles in 2008 and played traffic cop in the middle of the defense.


 Bradley says he has no doubt he can pick up where he left off before the injury.

"I've been clear off my knee for so many months now that it doesn't even feel like an issue in my mind," he said. "I've been running and doing so much speed work that I felt like I had a normal off-season. I feel as good as I ever have."

Assuming Bradley can wrap his arms around a full recovery, it will be the best tackle he has made as a pro.

Ten other NFL standouts coming back this season from injuries:

-Wes Welker, WR, New England: Welker, maybe the best slot receiver in football, is recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee. He didn't play in the exhibition opener but might be ready for Thursday's game against Atlanta.

-Troy Polamalu, S, Pittsburgh: The Steelers were 4-1 with Polamalu last season, 5-6 without him. He's the unquestioned quarterback of that defense, and he's hoping his recuperating knee will be 100 percent by the time the season starts.

-Anthony Gonzalez, WR, Indianapolis: Gonzalez, coming off a knee injury, is an excellent receiver. It will be interesting to see where he fits in the Colts' scheme now that Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie proved themselves in his absence.

-Brian Urlacher, LB, Chicago: Sidelined by a severe wrist injury last season, Brian Urlacher  has resumed his spot as centerpiece of the Bears' defense. He says the injury has actually improved how he uses his hands.

-Rey Maualuga, LB, Cincinnati: A former USC standout, Maualuga started 15 games at strong-side linebacker for the Bengals last season before suffering a broken ankle. He's back now, and embracing his newfound sobriety.

-Kris Jenkins, DT, New York Jets: Even without Jenkins, among the game's best nose tackles, the Jets finished No. 1 last season in total defense. Now, Jenkins is back but star cornerback Darrelle Revis is holding out. Can the team still meet its lofty standards?

-Clinton Portis, RB, Washington: A concussion cut short Portis' 2009 season, and the running back finished with career lows of 494 yards rushing and a touchdown. He's 18 pounds lighter this season and competing for the No. 1 job with Larry Johnson, Willie Parker and Ryan Torain.

-Ronnie Brown, RB, Miami: When he's healthy, Brown can be a spectacular player. He has missed 20 games in the last five years because of injuries, heading to the sideline last season because of a broken foot. He and Ricky Williams could wind up joining Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris as the only tandem 1,000-yard backs in club history.