LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Former Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith helped the club achieve sustained success over the years on defense with his Tampa-2 scheme, but it appears that system will undergo significant alterations in 2014.

Bears defensive coordinator Mel Tucker admitted as much Friday at the conclusion of Day 1 of the team's three-day rookie minicamp at Halas Hall.

Bears second-round pick Ego Ferguson, an LSU product, is adjusting to the NFL's pace at this weekend's minicamp. Stacy Revere/Getty Images

"There are some significant changes in terms of techniques that we're going to play; how we're going to fit the run, some of our alignments," Tucker said. "We'll have some alternative fronts that we'll play. I'm not sure how much of a difference you'll see during the OTAs and things like that because we're going to work to lay the foundation on our base principles and techniques, which will allow us to do pretty much anything we want down the road."

While that doesn't necessarily mean the Bears plan to play multiple fronts or an exotic defense, the changes in scheme, not to mention the defensive coaching staff with the additions of defensive line coach Paul Pasqualoni and linebackers coach Reggie Herring, certainly give Chicago the flexibility to do so.

Tucker, Pasqualoni and Herring possess backgrounds in both 4-3 and 3-4 fronts. During Tucker's time in Jacksonville, the Jaguars played a 4-3 front. But many of the techniques used in Jacksonville's system during Tucker's time there employed principles of 3-4 defense, especially with regard to how the Jaguars were coached to fit the run.

Apparently, those principles now make their way to Chicago.

"There are some changes. Some of the stuff that we have is going to be based upon personnel," Tucker explained. "A lot of the packages you have, you want to build them around the guys that you have and what they do well. We have it all on paper and we just have to wait and see which ones we're going to use based on what we see guys do on the field."

The rookie minicamp, which kicked off Friday with two new defensive tackles in second-round pick Ego Ferguson and third rounder Will Sutton, provide the opportunity for the coaching staff to do that.

"It was new to me. Just like I told people, it's like the first day of high school," Ferguson said. "First day is rough but you learn. Just like in college. So it's a new beginning for me. Can't wait for tomorrow. It's definitely unreal right now. I still wake up every morning thinking this is a dream, but at the end of the day, I'm here man. And I'm happy to be here."

According to Pasqualoni, Ferguson and Sutton are learning multiple positions for a variety of reasons. The plan is to cross train all of the defensive linemen for flexibility within the scheme based on several factors ranging from opponent, to how the opposition has schemed to handle the Bears in any given week.

"The benefit of that is that if you get into the season and there is a reason why they have to play another technique, if the offense shifts the formation, or if they scheme you and they catch you on a player where now, they've got you left-handed, there won't be a such thing as left-handed," Pasqualoni explained. "We're going to be able to handle both and handle both efficiently. And we did that today. There were situations that came up today, and they had to adjust and they had to play. I'm going to go up and watch the film, and I'm going to grade the film. But from what I saw on the field, it was encouraging."

Bears coach Marc Trestman said the main objective for Day 1 at minicamp was to get the rookies accustomed to practicing at a high tempo, as opposed to learning the intricacies of the schemes on offense and defense.

"All they asked was for us to go out there and give it our best," Sutton said, "and that's what we did today. Now we've got to do better tomorrow."

Defensively, the Bears need to be better in 2014 than they did last season. With injuries playing a significant role in the club's downfall, the Bears allowed the most points (478) in franchise history as well as total yards (6,313), and rushing yards (2,583).

Injuries cost the Bears a combined 55 games from key players last season, as they failed to hold an opponent to fewer than 20 points in all of 2013.

One component of the Bears deciding to switch gears on the defensive scheme was the departure of several veteran players.

"There was a significant amount of guys who were here that were good and productive players, who knew the system and what we do," Tucker said. "We knew moving forward we were going to have a lot of new faces. I think we can be better. We need to be better. We've done a lot of work in the out-of-season, in free agency and the draft. I feel good about the direction we're going. I'm very, very encouraged. It was really good to see the rookies out there today. Those guys flew around, they gave us great effort. It was a very productive day. I'm very encouraged about the direction of our defense with the personnel moves that we've made, the overall attitude of where we're headed."