BOURBONNAIS, Ill. — Ten things you need to know as the Bears took the practice field for the first time in training camp:

1. Tight end Martellus Bennett said he’s no longer worried about a contract extension and believes his relationship with the Bears is fine.

“It’s just business,” he said Thursday. “I have no hard feelings against anybody. I had several business deals this summer that worked and didn’t work out. Just another business deal. It’s just the way it is. Some deals get done, some don’t. Still have to come to work and do my job.”

Bennett missed all of the team’s voluntary workouts this offseason as he was seeking more money with two years left on his current four-year, $20.4 million contract. Head coach John Fox noted Wednesday that he hasn’t really gotten a chance to get to know Bennett, other than the three days he showed up for mandatory minicamp in June.

“I mean, they got all season to get to know me. I’m available,” Bennett said. “I think they have a grasp for who I am. I think a lot of it is a he-say-heresay-she-say, or whatever it may be … But all relationships, whatever it is you do, you have to work on it every single day.”

Safe to say you can mark down “he-say-heresay-she-say” as the first Martyism of the season.

2. Matt Forte is also putting the contract talk behind him.

“When I was talking about the deal and that type of stuff, it really made sense,” he said Thursday. “From my aspect, I was trying to lower the cap number and then I’d be able to continue my career here as well. But you can’t have your cake and eat it too. Like I’ve said plenty of times, both sides have to want to do it and if they don’t want to see it that way then I have to wait until after the season and I’ll be a free agent.”

Forte missed the team’s voluntary minicamp in April and ruffled some feathers when he didn’t show up at Halas Hall to accept the team’s very meaningful Brian Piccolo Award, which is voted on by teammates. Forte said he was still in Florida finishing up some speed training, but he also didn’t hide the fact that he was hoping for a new contract.

“The NFL is production-based,” he said Thursday. “You produce, you get rewarded. But then sometimes when it comes time to be rewarded, it doesn’t happen and if you complain about it you’re a bad guy or something like that.”

For now, Forte isn’t complaining and is back to work with his sights set on a monster season in Adam Gase’s offense, despite turning 30 in December.

3. Tim Jennings was excused from practice Thursday as he resolved his DUI arrest from January. A source confirmed that the cornerback was back in Georgia at a hearing where he pleaded guilty to reckless driving and speeding. In turn, the DUI charge was dropped. Jennings was put on 12 months of probation and will have to serve 40 hours of community service while attending a DUI education program. He was scheduled to be back in Bourbonnais Thursday evening and will be at practice Friday.

4. John Fox called Kevin White “day-to-day” but would not elaborate on the wide receiver’s shin injury.

“I could say exactly what it is, but I’m not,” he said. “It’s his shin. It’s something that shouldn’t be long-term but that we’re going to monitor.”

One source reiterated Thursday morning that the injury is not serious. At this point, it would be surprising if White is not back on the practice before Family Fest at Soldier Field next Saturday (Aug. 8).

5. Forte said rookie running back Jeremy Langford stayed behind this summer to workout with him.

“We trained together and I showed him my routine and how I kind of do it, which is really smart of him to get behind an older, veteran guy and try to learn the routine of what he does in the offseason,” Forte said.

The Bears drafted Langford in the fourth round in April and he’ll be given every opportunity to win the backup job to Forte this season.

6. Fox is giving the players more down time than Marc Trestman did.

“We’ve got a little more free time in our schedule to get to know one another,” Bennett said. “There’s periods of time where you can sit at lunch and actually talk to guys, guys that you don’t know. Everything is not like, here, here, here, here you are all day trying to mentally drain guys. So I think that’s a good thing.”

7. Jeremiah Ratliff started practice lining up at nose tackle, but if rookie Eddie Goldman has a strong preseason, Ratliff could end up outside. In Vic Fangio’s defense, all three down-linemen are considered defensive tackles and Ratliff said the major difference between the positions is timing.

“You’re still playing the same technique, same blocks, just things happen a little bit faster when you’re at nose than at end. That’s the major difference,” he said.

8. Lamarr Houston believes he’s an outside linebacker and not a 3-4 defensive end.

“I believe I’m solid at linebacker. I’m kind of small to be a defensive end,” he said. “I’m very excited, very excited. It’s the same thing I was doing in Oakland.”

Houston’s success and versatility in the Raiders’ 3-4 defense is ultimately what led to his five-year, $35 million contract with the Bears, but his production dipped last season as he lined up primarily at left defensive end in the old 4-3 defense.

Houston is still recovering from his torn ACL and while he did not begin training camp on the PUP list, his work in Thursday’s practice was extremely limited.

9. Wide receiver Marquess Wilson had a strong start to training camp, taking advantage of Kevin White being sidelined. Wilson had the catch of the day, a nice over-the-shoulder grab down the sideline on a deep ball from Jay Cutler. Kyle Fuller was in coverage on the play.

10. Linebacker Jonathan Bostic has a new number. He wore No. 57 during his first two seasons, but will now being wearing No. 52. Fellow linebacker John Timu now has No. 57.

In another number change, wide receiver Ify Umodu changed from No. 1 to No. 85. Also, new kick returner AJ Cruz is wearing No. 4, while new defensive lineman David Carter is wearing No. 71.

Adam Hoge covers the Chicago Bears for WGN Radio and WGNRadio.com. He also co-hosts The Beat, weekends on 720 WGN. Follow him on Twitter at @AdamHoge.