Bears coach Lovie Smith has a connection to free-agent defensive back Shawn Springs, but the team isn't interested in signing him. "We had Shawn Springs when Terry Glenn came on the scene then," said Smith, who coached him at Ohio State. "Eddie George of course was the running back. Ricky Dudley was the tight end. Shawn was in that group, too." Springs is unlikely to come play for the veteran minimum and the Bears are believed to be pretty much maxed out on their budget for 2010. "We like what we have right now," Smith said of his depth chart at cornerback. "Shawn will always be family to me, but right now we like where we are. We constantly try to improve our ballclub right up until the first game. Josh Moore has made a lot of progress. Tim Jennings coming in, we like some of the new additions we have."

Jay Cutler has looked better in OTAs this season in comparison to his first few practices with the Bears in 2009. "I have noticed that Cutler seemed hesitant during the latest minicamp," writes Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times. "Throwing to a spot instead of a person takes a leap of faith that he seemed to be struggling with. He looked much more comfortable making this adjustment during OTAs, which leads me to believe that he is embracing Martz?s system and philosophies."

The Bears had to have security escort defensive end Alex Brown from their practice facility on Tuesday. Brown, who spent eight seasons in Chicago, is now a member of the Saints. A Bears official said NFL rules forbid players under contract to visit another team's facilities. "We love Alex Brown," the team official said. "He's got friends throughout Halas Hall, but league rules don't allow us to host a player under contract at our facility. "He's one of the great guys. He's one of the top-notch guys who have come through in a long time."

The brother of former NFL star William Perry says the "Fridge" has some hearing loss but is improving. He is dealing with a condition in which the body's immune system attacks nerves. Michael Dean Perry said Monday his 47-year-old brother has regained most of his strength and is back up to about 330 pounds as he recovers in his South Carolina home.

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was asked again about the possibility of adding Terrell Owens on Wednesday. "Good guy, but I'm still gonna stay where we are receiver-wise and say we're good," Cutler said Wednesday on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. Owens continues to search for a new team and he was seen with Cutler and Chicago tight end Greg Olsen last month at a nightclub. "That's up to management, obviously," Cutler said. "Like I said since I first got here, I think we've got a good group of guys in our stable right now."