Here are a few observations from the third of four OTAs open to the media.

# Zack Bowman continued to shine during offseason workouts, intercepting a deep ball thrown by Jay Cutler that was intended for Johnny Knox during a full-team drill.

# With Chris Harris watching from the sidelines, Craig Steltz took the first team reps at safety alongside Danieal Manning.

# Perennial Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs sat out the last half of Wednesday's OTA, allowing newcomer Brian Iwuh to slide in at weakside linebacker.

# Undrafted free agent wide receiver Antonio Robinson badly beat cornerback Corey Graham during a one-on-one passing drill.

# Punter Brad Maynard (hip) looks to be on the road to recovery, as the veteran spent a good chunk of the practice punting on a side field.

# Rookie cornerback Joshua Moore showed no ill effects from the minor thigh contusion he sustained last week. However, Moore was forced to do twenty pushups after dropping a pass while veteran Charles Tillman stood over him and counted.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- A relatively unknown member of the Chicago Bears' practice squad only one year ago, former undrafted free agent Johan Asiata took every rep with the first team at left guard during Wednesday's organized team activity at Halas Hall.

"As long as I worked hard and did what I was supposed to do, I [knew] I'd eventually get there," Asiata said. "But I didn't expect it to be this offseason. But all I do is work and do what they tell me to do. Wherever they feel confident [playing] me, I'll just go off that."

Asiata's rapid ascent is even more impressive considering the former UNLV offensive lineman didn't play football in high school, first enrolling in a junior college before making his way to Las Vegas. After redshirting his first year – 2006 -- with the Rebels, Asiata started 24 games at both right tackle and left guard over his final two seasons.

The Bears signed the offensive lineman immediately following the 2009 NFL draft, but Asiata was among the final group cut as the team filled out its final 53-man roster. Asiata then spent his rookie year bounding back and forth from the Bears practice squad, until emerging as a potential starter earlier this offseason.

At 6-4, 300 pounds, Asiata has the body type necessary to play inside at guard, but jumping from the practice squad to the first team is a major adjustment.

"The biggest thing is that I'm getting into my playbook more because now they've got me out there with the [first unit]," Asiata said. "I just been trying to learn, because that's the only way I can get better. [Bears offensive line coach Mike] Tice has given me a chance, that's all I need. He's trusting in me more, giving me more opportunities. I'm just doing everything he tells me to do."

Chicago Bears receivers should take solace in knowing quarterback Jay Cutler believes in them.

Cutler made that clear by reiterating his stance Wednesday concerning the possibility of the club acquiring receiver Terrell Owens, who was spotted hanging out last month with the quarterback at Underground, a Chicago nightclub.

"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, 36, continues to search for a new team after catching 55 passes for 829 yards and five touchdowns last season with the Buffalo Bills. It's believed that Owens seeks a contract worth more than most teams are willing to pay at this point.

Owens recently said that he didn't think his asking price was too high, adding that he wants to be paid a salary that is commiserate to that of a starter.

Even if Owens could be acquired at a bargain-basement price, it appears Cutler wouldn't be interested.

"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."

Cutler discussed two of them -- Devin Aromashodu and Juaquin Iglesias -- specifically, saying that "D.A.'s having another great camp" and that "Juaquin has definitely stepped up his game from last year. He's showing great improvements. We've got four or five guys who are really battling it out and doing well, which is good. The more guys you can have, the better off we'll be."

The Bears take the field Wednesday for the second-to-last organized team activity that is open to the media. The club concludes OTAs next week, before taking a nearly month-long break prior to heading to Bourbonnais for training camp.

Cutler said he has been encouraged by the strides the offense is making toward fully grasping the complicated scheme of coordinator Mike Martz. Former Bears receiver Muhsin Muhammad, who announced his retirement last week, said he thought Martz's offense was simpler than the scheme utilized by former offensive coordinator Ron Turner, therefore making it potentially more receiver-friendly to the club's young group.

Cutler didn't agree.

"Uh, no," the quarterback said, when asked whether Martz's offense was simpler than Turner's. "It's different, but I would definitely not classify it as simpler.

"It's something different to all of us, the receivers, me as the quarterback, the running backs, [the] offensive line. Just the way the guys have responded to it and really taken to it, it's encouraging to see. It's going well. The guys are really picking it up. We had a great day yesterday, so hopefully today we'll do it again."

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears tight end Brandon Manumaleuna continues to be a spectator during organized team activities.

The veteran spent the bulk of Wednesday's session running on a side field as he tries to recover from offseason knee surgery.

"Everything is good, just getting back in shape and getting me knee right," Manumaleuna said. "[I] should be ready for training camp. [The biggest thing now is] getting comfortable to put the pressure you need to put on it for a football season. That's just the main thing, getting comfortable with certain angles, certain routes and movements.

"It's frustrating, because it's a new team and you want to win the trust of your teammates. It's one of the those things you have to deal with."

Unlike most of his new teammates, Manumaleuna already has a fundamental understanding of the offense, having previously spent time with offensive coordinator Mike Martz in St. Louis.

"We kind of ran the same system when I was in San Diego also, so I didn't get too far away from what he does," Manumaleuna said. "Not mentally, just physically got to catch up with a few things, but I'll be fine mentally."

In addition to Manumaleuna, safety Chris Harris, linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa, running back Chester Taylor, defensive lineman Henry Melton, center Olin Kreutz and punter Brad Maynard were held out of Wednesday's workout.

The Stache wrote:# Zack Bowman continued to shine during offseason workouts, intercepting a deep ball thrown by Jay Cutler that was intended for Johnny Knox during a full-team drill.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears center Olin Kreutz returned to the practice field in a limited capacity this week after undergoing offseason surgery to remove a bone spur near his Achilles tendon.

Kreutz returned to his familiar spot with the first team at center for much of Wednesday's workout, only sitting out the final few team drills at the conclusion of the organized team activity.

"Getting him back a little bit, it's good and bad," Bears quarterback Jay Cutler joked after the workout. "He wants to be in there. He gets out here, and I think he gets a little bored, and when he gets bored he starts picking on guys. But he's going to be the anchor of the offseason line, he has been for years, so we're not worried about him."

"Olin is one of our guys," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "It was good to get him back out here in the huddle. Of course, this is a new offense, a new coach for him, a lot of different things. But he's back, he's on pace and feels real good about his injury."

Veteran punter Brad Maynard appears close to full strength after an offseason hip procedure. Maynard resumed handling punting duties during special teams work.

Players absent from Wednesday's organized team activity included Brian Urlacher, Roberto Garza, Lance Briggs and Brandon Manumaleuna. Chris Harris and Kellen Davis were present, but failed to participate.

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/n ... id=5319256