BOURBONNAIS — Last year, the Bears defense played a large role in getting the team to the brink of the Super Bowl.

Whether the offense steps it up this year or not, the players on the defensive side of the ball in Chicago believe they can do it again.

“It’s still the same for us: Our goal every week is to shut teams out, no matter what our offense does,” fourth-year defensive tackle Matt Toeaina said. “That’s how we can prove to ourselves that we are the defense we think we are; that we are as good or better than we were last year. We believe we can do it every week.”

Nine times last year they held their opponents to 17 points or less, lifting the Bears to an 11-5 regular-season mark, and an NFC North division title. And though they lost defensive back Danieal Manning, linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa and lineman Tommie Harris, they return with the most important pieces like linebacker leaders Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, end Julius Peppers and corner Charles Tillman.

Little known linebacker Nick Roach will step into a bigger role, replacing Tinoisamoa, and Briggs thinks that will help keep this linebacking corps under the radar. For a little while at least.

“We’re very excited. Nick’s familiar with us, and it’s OK that we’re not getting a lot of attention right now,” said Briggs, who had 89 tackles and two sacks last year. “We’re going to get a lot of attention when we get out there on that field.”

In the 2010 regular season, the Bears were fourth in points allowed (17.9 per game) and ninth in total defense (314.3 yards per game allowed). Conversely, the Jay Cutler-run offense in Chicago was 21st in scoring (20.9 points per game) and 30th out of 32 teams with an average of 289.4 yards per game.

“Our defense carried us a lot,” Cutler recently admitted. “We hope they don’t have to do that again.”

The D allowed a total of 44 points in two playoff games, giving their team a shot at getting all the way to the Super Bowl. A 21-14 loss to Green Bay in the NFC championship game put a halt to their season, However, the players on the defensive side of the ball in Chicago feel they did their part then, and they can do it again.

“We’ve had a lot of guys who have been in this system, and we know this system works,” D-lineman Anthony Adams said.

“This being our third year into it with Coach (Rod) Marinelli, we can’t do anything but get better. And we finished off pretty good.”

The Bears have steadied their reputation of having a stingy defense by finishing in the top 10 in total defense in three of the past five seasons.

That reputation has helped bring in a couple of players, like former first-rounders Vhernon Gholston and Amobi Okoye, who are hoping to fit in and help them dominate.

“When I was let go by the Texans, I looked around the league, and I definitely wanted to come here; definitely,” Okoye said.

“This is a defense I want to play for. This defense has a rep, and I think we’ll continue it this year.”

They will get their first chance at live action Saturday when the Bears host the Bills at 7 p.m. in both teams’ preseason opener.

They will then return to Bourbonnais for one more week of training camp before getting into the routine back at their home complex in Lake Forest.

Reach staff reporter Jay Taft at 815-987-1384 or jtaft@rrstar.com.

“The talk should be about what it takes to get back to the Super Bowl and win the Super Bowl instead of all this back business,” said new team chairman George McCaskey, who replaced his retired brother, Michael. “That’s what we’ve been working on even in the absence of the players — being prepared for the resumption of operations and getting back to the Super Bowl and winning it. That’s what it’s about.”

The way defensive lineman Israel Idonije sees it, the Bears just might be in a better spot than most teams.

Coming off a run to the NFC championship game, most of the core players are under contract, and the same systems on offense and defense are in place.

“Our learning curve and our path to getting back up to full speed is going to be a lot different than (other) clubs,” he said.

There is still plenty of work to do, and for the next few days, general manager Jerry Angelo and the front office are on the clock as they try to fill out the roster. Teams were able to start signing draft picks and undrafted rookies on Tuesday, and they could also begin negotiations with veteran free agents. They can’t sign them until Friday, the same day the Bears are scheduled to report to training camp in Bourbonnais, Ill.

Topping the priority list was re-signing veteran Olin Kreutz, but the six-time Pro Bowl center’s status wasn’t the only issue to address. The Bears could use some help on the line even if they get him back, and there are question marks on defense, too.

The Bears had only two linebackers under contract — Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs. Free agent Nick Roach had breakfast with coach Lovie Smith, defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli and linebackers coach Bob Babich on Tuesday, but whether he re-signs remains to be seen.

His agent, Josh Wright, said three other teams have expressed interest, but no offers had been made. Roach started 30 games over the past three years.

The Bears could use another pass-rusher to complement Julius Peppers, and re-signing defensive tackle Anthony Adams is probably high on their list.

As for Kreutz, his preference is to stay put. Agent Mark Bartelstein said, “We’re talking to the Bears and we’ll just kind of see what happens.” He would not say which other teams have shown interest.

One free agent who apparently won’t be back is veteran punter Brad Maynard. The Bears don’t plan to bring him back, and kicker Robbie Gould is sorry to see his holder go. He said the continuity they had with long snapper Pat Mannelly made the field-goal unit one of the best in NFL history. On punts, Maynard wasn’t bad, either.

“He’s helped (special teams coordinator) Dave Toub’s career tremendously, having a punter do what he did, and he’ll continue to do it,” Gould said. “I think he’s got a lot of years ahead of him. He’s a veteran, he knows how to punt, has done a great job. Would I love to have him back? Absolutely. But unfortunately, right now, that’s just not the decision I have to make because I’m a player and I have to put the ball through the uprights. … It’s a sad day. Brad’s done a lot for me, personally. He’s done a lot for the organization.”