What if?

Let's just say we still had Kyle Orton. Or let's say we had traded for Philip Rivers or Aaron Rogers instead of Jay Cutler.

Do you think the Bears would be any better?

I don't.

Watching Cutler go out and play it safe on Sunday night made me want to puke. Jay Cutler is a gunslinger. Let him do what he did last year when he made the Pro Bowl for the AFC. The AFC, the conference that has quarterbacks like Peyton Manning, Phillip Rivers, Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Carson Palmer...Cutler was up there with those guys.

Now he plays for the Bears. He's our bright and shiny new toy and we're breaking him in the first year.

Ron Turner ought to be absolutely ridden out of town on the third rail. If I see that bubble screen to Hester ONE MORE TIME I'm going to throw my television out the third story window of my building.

Jay Cutler isn't the problem. Does he deserve some of the blame? Absolutely.

But he has wide receivers who don't run good routes, who are never open, who don't fight for the ball. Greg Olsen, who was supposed to be his best weapon, looks like a big, slow wide receiver who can't block.

He has an offensive line that can't stop anyone.

He has no running game. Running back Matt Forte hasn't done anything this season ... you know you're not doing well when undrafted rookie runner Kahlil Bell comes in and makes you look like a second stringer.

Lovie Smith took over the Defense. They've looked better the last couple of weeks, but terrible before that.

How's that trade for Gaines Adams looking right now? How 'bout drafting Jaquin Iglesias in the third round? Or pool jumper Jarron Gilbert in the second?

I don't believe in what the Bears are trying to do any more. I think Jerry Angelo got cocky after a one-year-wonder team made it to the Super Bowl, and wasted draft picks on guys like Garrett Wolfe and Dan Bauzin and Jarron Gilbert, luxury picks for teams that already have all the pieces in place. I think that our system, the Tampa-2, has been passed by in a league where if you don't evolve you die.

I think you've got to do something drastic to shake this franchise out of this funk or your going to be in a 5-year tailspin and you're going to waste the best quarterback this franchise has had take the field in my life time.

Bear down.

Looking ahead

Don't let Lovie's "5 losses won't keep us out of the playoffs" talk fool you. This season is over. The only real excitement left will be seeing whether or not Ron Turner keeps his job (how 'bout Charlie freakin' Weis as your next Bears O-Coordinator? Though the smart money is probably on Mike Martz...).

With no picks in the first two rounds of next year's draft, here's my wish list for free agent signings this off season (assuming the player's union and the owners hammer out a new salary cap agreement)...

Offensive Line:

Logan Mankins, OG, New England Patriots

Winston Justice, OT, Philadelphia Eagles

The market for guards has become inflated, and he won't come cheap, but Logan Mankins would shore up the interior of that line. He would immediately be your best lineman.

Winston Justice struggled famously earlier in his career, giving up four sacks in his debut start against the Giants, but he's putting together a very solid season this year, and at only 24 he could be a long-term solution at right tackle, allowing Chris Williams to slide over to the left side. Pace will be gone after this season.

Wide Receiver:

Brandon Marshall, WR, Denver Broncos

The bidding for Vincent Jackson (WR, San Diego Chargers) is going to be too high. Marshall will come at a bit of a discount because of his off the field problems and his sub-par performance this season. But the history and rapport with Cutler is there. He would be a legitimate number one receiver if you can live with his baggage. Marshall, Knox, Bennett ... get Devin Hester back to returning kicks ... that would give you some real fire power.

Defensive Secondary:

O.J. Atogwe, FS, St. Louis Rams

Richard Marshall, CB, Carolina Panthers

O.J. Atogwe is another guy who isn't going to come cheap, but he's exactly the kind of playmaking FS we've been coveting forever. At 28, he's got some milage left. He would be a perfect fit for the Bears defense.

Richard Marshall has been a tackling machine for Carolina the past three seasons. He's consistent and doesn't give up big plays, is a physical corner, and is only 24.

Blueprint for a sad season

There are still eight games to play ... The way it looks right now, here's my predictions:

@ 49ers W

Eagles L

@ Vikings L

Rams W

Packers W

@ Ravens L

Vikings L

@ Lions W

I think the game against the 49ers this Thursday and the game against the Pack December 13th could easily go the other way. But if we're able to sweep the Lions, beat the lowly Rams, beat the Packers at home, and find a way to rebound and beat Mike Singletary's 49ers this week, we could finish .500 this season. I don't see it getting any better than that under any circumstances. And I think 6-10 or worse is a real possibility.

So what's gone wrong this season?

1. Offensive Line. In 2002 we drafted Marc Columbo and Terrence Metcalf on the first day of the draft (rounds 1 and 3, respectively). Since then the only other offensive lineman we've drafted on day one has been Chris Williams in '08, in the first round, though he has not played like a first round pick up to this point. They were surprised by the retirement of John Tait and had to scramble. They came up with Orlando Pace, which seemed like a good idea at the time, but at the midway point of this season it's clear that he's no longer a good option as a starter in this league. It wouldn't surprise me if he retires following this season. How much does Garza have left in the tank? Or Kreutz for that matter? You've got a real problem on the o-line and Frank Omiygale isn't the answer. Football is won and lost in the trenches. We've taken lots of shots at the defensive line. Not so much on the offensive line.

2. Wasted draft picks. Michael Haynes. Cedric Benson. Rex Grossman. Dan Bauzin. Mark Bradley. Tank Johnson. Those players were chosen in first or second round of the draft between 2003-2005 and Bauzin in 2007. None of those players are currently with the organization. That ain't good. That is not a recipe for building a winner. And we have only one pick on the first day this year. Given the way we draft on day one maybe that's not such a bad thing...

3. Coaching. Since Ron Rivera was unceremoniously forced out of Chicago following the Super Bowl loss to the Colts, the defense has taken a nosedive. Period. So Lovie takes over the defense this season. And we hire Rod Marenelli to coach the defensive linemen and John Hoke to coach defensive backs (moves which, admittedly, I applauded at the time), and we thought that was going to make up for our defects from a year ago. Not even close. Coaches can't make plays. It's up to players. They haven't. Or maybe they haven't been put in a position to make plays? And, no matter what happens with the rest of the staff, I sincerely hope Ron Turner is looking for employment after the season is over.

If we go 8-8 this year, I think they'll probably retain Lovie et al. If it falls of the tracks and ends up 6-10 ... I think there are going to be some lovely homes up for sale in the Lake Forest area. And maybe that would be for the best.

You can already hear the Mike Shanahan, Bill Cowher mumbles starting.

Well, at least we beat up on the Browns

I don't ever remember feeling so down on my team after a 24-point victory.

I was too despondent to post after the whooping we took at the hands of Cedric Benson and the Bengals. I mean, ouch. That game hurt worse than any I remember in the last several seasons.

But the Browns are sure a remedy for whatever's ailin' ya. Wow. Do they stink or what? You want to talk about a franchise with the arrow perpetually pointing down, they are it.

And yet, if it wasn't for five takeaways by the Bear defense in that game, it could have been a much different story. Our offense sure couldn't do much. Even against the lowly Browns. And especially in the red zone.

I'm still awfully concerned about the offensive line. I was glad to see Josh Beekman replace Frank Omiygale, but Orlando Pace is still looking terrible and Chris Williams should not be on playing the right side. You need a mauler at right tackle. At best, Williams is a finesse guy. At worst, he's soft. The jury is still out.

I'd like to see the Bear yank Pace, move Williams to the left where his technique and frame are better suited to play, and insert either Kevin Shaffer, or even Omiyale (who had played exclusively tackle in his pro career until the Bears decided he was a guard) at right tackle.

We better do something. Watching that Minnesota D come after Aaron Rodgers scared me. If we can't get some better play out of that offensive line Cutler may just get killed.

Stinker in Atlanta

That was just a pitiful, ugly game the Bears dropped in Atlanta tonight. They were in it until the end, but they absolutely deserved to lose that one. Nothing I liked about that game, so let's get to what I didn't like.

Offensive line looked just terrible. Penalties, blown assignments, nothing in the running game, bad pass blocking. I think it's time to start talking about Frank Omiygale being a bust at guard and putting Josh Beekman back in there. I thought Beekman played well last season starting throughout his rookie campaign. I think Omiygale looks spotty at best, at worst he looks down right bad.

I thought the entire team played sloppy throughout, especially coming off the bye week. Lovie Smith's defense looked unprepared. They couldn't generate the slightest bit of pass rush, they looked downright surprised when Atlanta went to the no-huddle, and Zack Bowman looks BRUTAL back there at corner. The special teams, usually spot on, looked awful (what is it about playing in the Georgia Dome that those guys on special teams don't like?)—bad punting by Brad Maynard, bad kick coverage, that awful 12 men on the field call that cost them possession before Nate Vasher miraculously made a play. And all those penalties. Ee-gads.

We had a serious case of the red zone blues tonight. Three lost turnovers in the red zone, not counting the turnover on downs at the end of the game (which was probably more a result of penalties than anything else). That's the difference in the game right there. And that's an important difference between the haves and the have-nots in this league. Good teams take advantage of their trips to the red zone. Mediocre teams and bad teams ... well, you get the idea.

Mostly I'm disgusted by the sloppy play and lack of preparedness for this one. Ultimately it's up to the players to make plays, but it's hard not to hang this one on bad coaching. Sloppy play reflects directly on the coaching staff. That was an undisciplined, ugly game.

Beautiful

The Bears beat the Detroit Lions in convincing fashion Sunday at Soldier Field, 48-24, to advance to 3-1 heading into the bye week. We're in a three-way fight for the lead in the division, behind Minnesota and Green Bay, but we're in it.

Things I like about the Bears win over the Lions:

Line play. Both the offensive and defensive lines looked damn solid. The offensive line had easily its best day of the season, allowing Matt Forte to rush for 121 yards on 12 carries. The defensive line continued its strong play, putting consistent pressure on Lions QB Matthew Stafford, registering four sacks and an interception by DT Tommie Harris.

Special teams. What can you say about the Bears special teams play? A 52-yard field goal by "Chip Shot" Robbie Gould. A 102-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Johnny Knox. Four punts downed inside the opponents 20-yard line by Brad Maynard. There isn't a better special teams coach in the business than Dave Toub.

Coaching. The Bears and Lions were tied at the half. They made some adjustments in the locker room at the half, and came back out and dominated. I especially like the way CB Charles Tillman was moved to man coverage on Calvin Johnson with safety help in the second half.

Things that scared me (as much as you can be "scared" after hanging 48 on a pro team):

Zack Bowman. Granted, Calvin Johnson is a tough draw for anyone, and he's going to make a lot of DBs in this league look bad. But Bowman looked atrocious against Johnson. Thank god they moved Tillman on him in the second half or Johnson would have had 200 yards receiving in the game.

Wide Receivers. Two drops by Johnny Knox, and not a whole lot else by anyone. As big as their play was against the Seahawks a week ago, they were a non-factor against the Lions. It looked like the receivers struggled to get open most of the day.

Greg Olsen. Yes, he caught a touchdown pass. But six other throws to him fell incomplete. He hasn't been nearly as a big a factor in the passing game as advertised.

Winning ugly, part deux

We're 2-1 right now, and while I'll take an ugly win over a pretty loss any day, this team is making me awfully nervous. If not for some missed field goals by the Steelers and the Seahawks, field goals those kickers normally make, we could easily be 0-3 at this point instead of sitting at 2-1 and looking like we might be in the race in the NFC North.

Things I liked:

Lance Briggs was all over the field. He finished the day with an interception, a sack, seven tackles, and two tackles-for-loss. He's stepping up his already high level of play and doing everything he can do to make up for the loss of Urlacher.

Jay Cutler again orchestrated a come from behind victory and finished the day with a QB rating of 126.4, completing 77.8% of his passes. Those numbers are lights out.

The Bears wide receivers looked solid. Devin Hester made some really nice plays and looked as close to a legit number one receiver as I have seen. Johnny Knox continues to impress with another touchdown and solid kick off return work, and Earl Benett finished the day with four catches for 80 yards.

Things that scare me:

The Bears offensive line looks dreadful. They're just not opening up the holes in the run game. Seattle is not noted for its run defense, and they pushed the Bears O-line around all game. They get solid marks for pass protection, but failed miserably in the run game.

Why is Ron Turner calling a run up the middle when the diminutive Garrett Wolfe is in at tailback? That shows a total lack of awareness in the game situation. That just baffles me.

Brett Favre showed some of that old magic as the Vikings cruised to a win over Mike Singletary's 49ers, improving to 3-0. They're looking awfully tough.

Winning ugly

It wasn't pretty, but by gawd I'll take it! Any time you beat the defending Super Bowl Champs it's a good win. The Steelers are a tough team. After last week's dismal loss and the bad news about Urlacher, it was big for this team to come away with a win.

And, the Pack lost. To Cincinnati! Thank you, Bungles!

Good things in the game yesterday:

Cutler comes back from last week's disaster with two touchdown passes and no INTs. I thought he showed good poise against a tough pass rush and made the big plays when it counted the most.

Johnny Knox! Holy cow, the kid can play. After a pretty good game against the Pack, he comes up big against the Steelers in the home opener.

TEs Greg Olsen and Kellen Davis came up with some big catches. And Olsen falling on the Matt Forte fumble in the fourth quarter may have saved the game for the Bears.

The defensive line continues to get decent pressure on opposing QBs. Alex Brown came away with two sacks. It's good, but I think they can do better.

On to Seattle next week. That's a tougher game than a lot of people think, but I think the Bears should be able to come away with a win.

Bad break

Chicagobears.com is reporting that LB Brian Urlacher's season is over after he had surgery this morning to repair a dislocated wrist sustained in last night's loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Hunter Hillenmeyer is likely to assume the role of starting middle linebacker in Urlacher's absence. Fourth year player Jamar Williams may also be in the mix.

This is, to say the least, a tremendous blow to Bears. Expectations for Urlacher were high this season, as he reported his neck and back injuries were behind him and spent the entire off-season working out at Halas Hall.

Tough loss out of the gate

Patrick Mannelly is walking home from Green Bay tonight. What the hell was he thinking direct snapping the ball to Garrett Wolfe there? He's supposed to be team captain. Even if he caught Green Bay with an extra man on the field, we weren't going to get the first down. You just can't do that in that situation backed up on your side of the field late in the game. That was a terrible decision on his part.

And Jay Cutler, in his Bears debut, throws four interceptions. Ouch. While I think he should take a lot of the blame, the receiver play was not good. They looked sloppy. They ran bad routes, they made bad decisions. We need a legit number one receiver. Is it too late to make the trade for Marshall or Boldin?

My other beef with the offense was the play calling tonight. The running game was nonexistent in the first half. And one of the best ways to attack the 3-4 is to pass to backs and tight ends underneath where they're in coverage with defensive end / outside linebacker hybrids who, generally speaking, don't cover all that well. We have good pass catching tight ends and running backs. We should have tried more of that.

On defense, I thought we played well, particularly in the first half. Ogunleye looked fantastic. Nathan Vasher, on the other hand, looked flat out bad. And I don't understand why we brought the safety up on that last Packer touchdown. Coming out of a time out like that, with less than a 90 seconds on the clock, you have to play the pass.

We've got the Steelers next week while the Pack gets the Bungles.

Bear down.

Check please

The NFL is a tough business. There are, dare I say, hundreds of thousands of kids out there playing football who dream of making it in the NFL. At the end of the day there are 32 NFL franchises each allowed to carry 53 players on their active roster. That's 1,696 professional football players who dress on game days.

It ain't for everyone.

I'd like to keep all the nice guys on the Bears team. But it's a numbers game. It's a business. A tough business. You've got to keep the talented guys, not the nice guys. The better your depth, the deeper your talent goes, the better your team is going to be at the end of the season. It's that simple.

Here are three guys I'd like to see pack up their stuff and move to another team.

1. Rashied Davis, WR

He's a great story. He started off in the arena league. He came into the NFL as a defensive back, and made the switch to wide receiver. He's scrappy and a pretty decent special teams player. But he has no outstanding attributes as a wide out. He's a little guy who isn't really that fast. He's had every opportunity to succeed, but he drops too many balls. Plain and simple. The Bears are going to keep five WRs this year. Look at how keeping Marty Booker and Brandon Lloyd last season stunted the growth of guys like Earl Benett and Brandon Rideau. This year we have Earl Benett and Devin Hester as locks to make it. We have at least two rookies I'd like to see make the team (Jauguin Iglesias and Johnny Knox). So that leaves Brandon Rideau, Devin Aromashodu, and Rashied Davis to fight for that last spot. I'd much rather see a guy like Aromashodu or Rideau take that last WR spot. They have way more upside.

2. Adrian Peterson, RB

Again, great story, great guy. He runs hard, he plays good special teams (although his play on special teams dropped off considerably the last season I thought). But the day you drafted Garrett Wolfe, Adrian Peterson should have been shown the door. How many undersized RBs can you keep on your roster? Are you really going to keep four tail backs, a full back, and three tight ends on your roster? Think about how many defensive lineman the Bears like to keep ... think about how many DBs and LBs. Do you have room for Adrian Peterson now that you have Kevin Jones who is clearly a superior running back in all phases of the game?

3. Dusty Dvoracek, DT (nose)

I really do believe Dusty Dvoracek has the skill to play well in this league. He's an aggressive nose tackle who's extremely stout against the run and who always manages to get some pressure upfield when he's in the game. But that's the rub: when he's in the game. Dvoracek has had horrendous luck with injuries. Everyone was rooting for him, but this last MCL injury, whether it's a tear or a strain (depending on which news story you read right now), is the last straw. You can't depend on Dvoracek to stay healthy. He's worse than Mike Brown was in that regard. You've got Marcus Harrison and Anthony Adams at nose. There are other guys you can rotate in for snaps there. You have a numbers game already on the D-Line. You can't depend on Dvoracek.

Let these guys go. Give other guys the opportunity to step up. You've got to know what you've got in the other guys. We'll be better off for it.

What I'll be looking for

The Defensive Secondary

Can they cover? Can someone make a play on the ball? I'm particularly concerned about the corner backs. Will we see the Nate Vasher of 2006 who was "The Interceptor" or will he be the timid, out-of-step player we've seen more recently. I'm intrigued to see how rookie Al Afalava looks back there at strong safety.

The Wide Receivers

Right now we're a big, fat ? at WR. Will Earl Benett step up and look like a real receiver after registering zero catches his rookie year? Which one of the rookies is going to step up?

Defensive Line

Will they be a disruptive force under the guidance of DL guru Rod Marinelli, or will they get pushed around like they did last season. Will Mark Anderson return to the form he displayed as a rookie? Is Marcus Harrison still fat?

Jay Cutler

Everybody's drooling to see him in action, me included.

Danieal Manning: Double duty

Danieal Manning is a stud. No two ways about it. He's the most athletic member of the Bears secondary. He's a terror as a return man. And he's being counted on heavily as training camp gets underway, lining up as the starting free safety and moving to the nickel back position in passing situations (Craig Stetz will come in at free safety when Manning moves to nickel in passing situations).

Manning played well at the nickel last season. He has not played tremendously well at free safety. He was moved from free safety to nickel after starting there his rookie year and showing a penchant for giving up the big play (see Super Bowl XLI). It was said he lacked the football instincts to man the safety position.

Maybe Manning has seen enough in the NFL now that his knowledge of the pro game makes up for his lack of natural football instincts. And, no doubt, Manning has the best physical skill set to play that center field position. But the arrangement with Steltz seems almost backwards to me.

Manning, while by no means slight of build, has never been noted as much of a force in the run defense. His speed has always been his greatest asset. Steltz, on the other hand, is lauded for his in-the-box abilities, and is considered a more natural strong safety because of his lack of range in the passing defense. Instincts and stopping the run are supposed to be Steltz's strong points.

So why is Steltz only coming into the game for passing downs? And if Manning is the guy you want back there because of his speed and ability to cover, why are you letting him play free safety on running downs? Don't you want that speed at center field in passing situations?

And, as a postscript, what about Manning's contributions as a return man? If he's going to play every down on defense, you have to imagine his kickoff return totals will be diminished, much like Devin Hester's when he assumed more responsibility on the offense.

I'm surprised we're not hearing more about Josh Bullocks being in the mix at free safety. He struggled in the New Orleans defensive scheme, but the Bears defense was supposed to be a better fit for him.

Jay Cutler vs. Aaron Rodgers

Jay Cutler or Aaron Rodgers? All the Bears fans like Cutler. All the Packers fans like Rodgers. I'm a Bears fan.

Both are super high quality young quarterbacks in this league. If their respective teams can hold on to them, it should really be a fantastic duel twice a year for the next five, six, seven years. You really can't go wrong with either guy.

Cutler comes to a new team, new system, new personnel. Rodgers comes back to the same team, those fantastic receivers, familiar opponents. It's not hard to predict a big statistical year for Rodgers. It's a little harder to see Cutler putting up the type of numbers for the Bears next year that he did with the Broncos last year. I'm hoping, but I don't think that's quite realistic.

Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled with Cutler. And if I had to start a franchise, right now, and choose a young stud QB to lead that team for the next decade, it would be Cutler over Rodgers in a heartbeat. The upside is just too high with Cutler. That cannon, those feet, that frame, are all just too alluring.

And there's just something I don't like about those California boys. I don't know, maybe Cade spoiled 'em for me. Give me a corn fed Midwestern type any day (although Rexy didn't exactly help their cause).

But I think Rodgers is primed to put up another 4,000+ yard season in 2009. Is Cutler going to be able to put up 4,000 yards on a new team with that offense? How many yards can the Matt Forte/Greg Olsen duo account for? If Hester is good for 1,000, and that's a big if I think, then another receiver is going to have to step up and have a big year too.

Who's that going to be?

Touchdown Mike Brown: C-ya

It's sad to see Mike Brown go. He was a great player for the Bears—a leader, a play maker, and always a fan favorite. He had a knack for the big play, as evidenced by his Chicago Bears franchise record seven defensive touchdowns. He always played full speed, hard, all-out, aggressive. Mike Brown was everything you want in a football player.

When he was healthy.

That was always the only knock on Brown. He got hurt and he missed large portions of multiple seasons, starting only 36 of 80 games since 2003. 

Maybe it was his style of play that led to his injuries—maybe he played with the kind of reckless abandon that left himself open. He was always flying around full bore, looking for a collision. He was a missile. 

Or maybe it was just rotten luck. Bad things happening to a good guy. You see it all the time.

I know that Kansas City is fortunate to have Mike Brown. I also know that a lot of people around town in Chicago would have liked to have seen the Bears keep Brown on the roster, especially with the uncertainty the team seems to have at safety.

I don't know if the Bears are better off without Brown or not, especially now that we have Jay Cutler and seem like we're potentially built to win it all now. An experienced guy back there lining up the defense counts for something. Chemistry counts for something too. 

Jerry Angelo has indicated Craig Steltz is expected to be the opening day starter at free safety with Kevin Payne at strong safety. I feel good about Payne, and while I think Steltz can play in this league I wish Steltz had better range at FS. We got hurt over the top with the deep ball last year with Brown and Payne. I think the combo of Payne and Steltz does have more top-end speed, but neither player has elite speed. 

With Steltz, Payne, Danieal Manning (who they have playing the nickelback but has started at safety),  Josh Bullocks, Al Afalava , Glenn Earl and Corey Grahm all in the mix at safety, it was tough to keep a roster spot for a 31 year-old  (strictly) strong safety who has only started less than 50 percent of the games the last five seasons. 

It's too bad, because there should be a place for a guy like Mike Brown on your team, but with the situation the Bears have at safety I can see why Angelo had to cut him.

We wish Mike Brown the best.

I love it

Well Bears fans, since we last spok the Bears have added former St. Louis Rams LB Pisa Tinoisomoa and former Lions TE Michael Gaines to the roster, and they've signed all of their 2009 NFL Draft picks, the first team in the league to achieve that distinction this off season.

I love what I'm seeing out of Halas Hall. The trade for QB Jay Cutler is the centerpiece, but their have been a flurry of solid moves in addition to that masterstroke. 

The offensive line has the potential to be as good as it's been in recent memory. They've invested heavily in the defensive line and added the best D-line coach in the game. They've given themselves some good options at safety through free agency and the draft. Adding an extremely active and productive Tinoisamoa to the linebacking corps should make that unit about as good as it gets.  And while they haven't gone out and signed that marquee receiver (yet?) they've thrown enough bodies at it that Cutler ought to be able to find something to work with there. 

I'm not as worried about WR as everyone else is and here's why:

It's not a stretch to say Hester can improve to 1,000 yards this season. Someone else in the Earl Bennett, Juaquin Iglesias, Johnny Knox, Derek Kinder, Brandon Rideau group has to step up to be a legitimate number two, and the fight is on between the rest of them and Rashied Davis to fill the number three spot. I don't think that's going to be the worst group of receivers in the NFL. I think it will be a better group of receivers than we've had around here definitely since Berrian left. 

With the other weapons we have on offense–Matt Forte, Greg Olsen, Desmond Clark ... Garrett Wolfe?— and Jay Cutler, that could work out alright. 

No Favre, no way

It's now being reported that Brett Favre has told the Minnesota Vikings that he will not play next season, after days of speculation that it was all but a foregone conclusion Favre was headed out of retirement and to the Vikes.

Thank god.

Now I'm not quite naive enough to think that's the final word. Good ol' boy has been nothing if not a flip-flopper. 

But I don't get these Bears fans who puff out their chests and say, "Bring on Brett." The man made a career out of just destroying, humiliating, the Bears. We just got him out of the division. And now you want him back?

No thank you. I want no part of Brett Lorenzo Favre in the NFC. If he wants to go screw around out West somewhere, by all means. Be my guest. But if there's a number 4 slinging it around for Minnesota next season, I sure as hell hope it's John David Booty and not Favre. 

And Bear fans would be wise to hope the same.

Feel the draft?

This draft will forever be judged by the Jay Cutler trade. If Cutler is the quarterback Bears fans hope and think, then no matter what else happens this draft will be thought of as a success because it was the main currency by which we acquired him. 

But, that aside—or, perhaps better stated, when put into that context—you can look at the players we were able to land on Sunday and say they look like a group that's going to contribute this year. And, when the smoke clears, there are at least a few potential, down-the road-starters.

The Bears drafted three WRs, and, although everyone would like the receiving corps to instantly feature some bigger names and hotter prospects, they're going to have Jay Cutler throwing them the ball. Jerry Angelo is going to have the chance to prove his thesis: it's the quarterback that makes the receivers, not vice versa. 

And I like the young players they added on defense. Jarron Gilbert (DT/DE) is a real boom or bust type, but he's got Rod Marinelli, one of the best D-Line coaches in the business to help him realize his potential. D.J. Moore (CB) sounds like a potential starter down the road, as does Marcus Freeman (OLB). 

I like this draft. And we got Jay Cutler. 

I like Jay Cutler. 

Seventh pick: Al Afalava (FS)

Here's my safety!

Afalava (5-11 213) has a reputation as a hammer in the secondary ... he was a three year starter at Oregon State. Ran a 4.47 40 at his pro day. Should be a holy terror on special teams and adds much needed depth to the safety position. 

Sixth pick: Marcus Freeman (LB)

Freeman (6-0 239) faced elite competition at Ohio State, and coaches there considered him their most important defender. Compared to Lance Briggs. Has the versatility to play all three linebacker positions, projects at OLB. Ran a respectable (but not spectacular) 4.74 40 at the combine.

Fifth pick: Johnny Knox (WR)

Another WR. Very interesting. Knox (6-0 185) is out of Abilene Christian and runs a 4.34 40 (third fastest at the combine). He has "natural hands" (whatever that means).

There's going to be an interesting battle at WR this year.

Now where's my safety? Come on, Jerry!

Fourth pick: D.J. Moore (CB)

The Bears may have really stolen one here. Moore (5-9 192) doesn't have ideal size or blazing speed (4.56 40) but he's extremely dangerous with the ball in his hands a very versatile athlete, contributing as a return man, tail back, wide receiver, and slot receiver in his three-year Vanderbilt career (what's with all the Commodores?). He's a physical defender and projects to be one of the best zone coverage corners of the draft.

Third pick: Henry Melton (DE)

This guy is pure speed. Melton (6-3 280) posted a 4.64 in the 40. He was recruited to TX as a running back, and converted to DE his sophomore year. He doesn't have the height you usually like to see from a DE, but an interesting prospect. A bit of  a reach here, though, I think.

Second pick: Jauquin Iglesias (WR)

The Bears address WR at the end of the third round with Oklahoma's Jauquin Iglesias (6-0 210). A quality pick up, Iglesias should be able to step up and contribute the receiving corps right away. He provides the big body to go over the middle that Ron Turner needs to compliment Devin Hester. 

A really nice pick here.  

Now let's see that safety.

First pick: Jarron Gilbert (DT/DE)

After trading down with WR Mohamed Massaquoi still on the board, the Bears took a defensive lineman, DE/DT 'tweener Jarron Gilbert from San Jose State, with the fourth pick in the third round of the draft

Gilbert (6-5 290) looks like a real stud. Fastest DT at the combine. Many are projecting him out as a DE in the NFL. I think this is a good value pick at this point in the draft. Rod Marenelli just got a new toy to play with. 

Still some good safety value on the board. Still some good receivers. I want both. Hope Angelo and company can sort it out. Bears pick again at the end of the third round, 99th.

Pre draft musings

De-twa

The Detroit Lions have reportedly agreed to a six-year contract with Georgia QB Matthew Stafford, and are poised to make him the top overall selection in the 2009 NFL draft.

Whether Stafford is the next Bobby Layne or the next Joey Harrington, only time will tell. But I think it would have been a helluvalot safer and smarter to draft an offensive or defensive lineman with that pick. Or trade down for more picks. They're starting over in Detroit and they are awful all over the field. The right way to build a football team is from the inside out. You start with solid fronts, on offensive and defense, and you go from there. There are offensive and defensive tackles on this year's board worthy of that first pick.

But Detroit went out there and they did what they do. Bless their hearts.

Seen their new logo? Looks like the old logo.

Hot list: Wide Receiver

WRs I like at 49:

Kenny Britt

Brian Robiskie 

Hakeem Nicks

Percy Harvin

Mohamed Massaquoi

Juaquin Iglesias

WRs I like at 99:

Louis Murphy

Patrick Turner

Mike Wallace

Kevin Ogletree

WR prospects for day 2:

Derrick Williams

Mike Thomas

Jarett Dillard

Ramses Barden

Not ready for prime time

Why is the draft starting so late this year? Are they really trying to draw a prime time audience? 

I don't like it, Roger Goodell. Tagliabue never would have let this happen.

Safety first ... or second

Word out of Halas Hall is that the Bears are not "locked in" on a receiver with their first pick in next weekend's draft, which, after the Jay Cutler trade, will be in the second round, 49th overall. There's talk that they will take a safety with that pick and wait to address receiver with their third round pick (compensatory, 99th overall).

I think if Hakeem Nicks, Brian Robiskie, or Kenny Britt is there, you have to take one of them. And, I think if Anquan Boldin and Braylon Edwards are both traded to a couple of teams in the market for WRs before the draft takes place, that there's a pretty decent chance at least one of those guys will be there (although if the Browns moved Edwards that would probably put them in the market).

But there are some pretty intriguing safety prospects. Even with the signing of Josh Bullocks and the solid play of Kevin Payne, the Bears will still be in the market for a safety who can cover with one of their early picks (unless you think the Bears moving Zackary Bowman to safety is the answer, and if you do, you may be the only one). Here are some of the guys who are out there in the draft:

Patrick Chung, Oregon

Chung (6-0 212) might be there at 49, but could be gone because he's on everyone's radar. You hear him compared to Mike Brown a lot because he's that same type of very active, all over the field safety who's just a tackling machine. He will probably be more successful at strong safety because he plays well near the line of scrimmage and lacks top-end closing speed (4.54 40), but he makes plays all over the field. Good hands and ball skills, great instincts.

Louis Delmas, Western Michigan 

Delmas (5-11 196) is a very aggressive player who flies around the field. He's a physical defender despite a rather smallish frame, and he makes plays in coverage. There are some concerns that he may be a little slight to hold up to the pounding of the run game in the NFL, although he has had absolutely no durability issues in his career thus far. Can probably play either free or strong safety, but doesn't have outstanding attributes for either position (4.53 40).

Rashad Johnson, Alabama

Johnson (5-11 203) was a walk on running back for the Crimson Tide who turned into a very instinctive defender with a great feel for the game and a very cerebral style of play. Johnson repeatedly made big plays in critical situations, including three interceptions in Nick Saban's return to Tiger stadium. He has decent speed (4.49 40), but there are some concerns about his size and his open field tackling.

David Bruton, Notre Dame

Bruton (6-2 219) helped himself at the combine, running a 4.46 40 and posting an awfully impressive 41 1/2 inch vertical jump. He brings an impressive blend of skills but he does struggle running with receivers at times, not changing directions very well. He's a good tackler, but does not have very good hands, dropping balls he shouldn't.

Derek Pegues, Mississippi State

Pegues (5-10, 200) is a guy I've mentioned before that I like. I love him at 99, might be a reach at 49. 

Bears 2009 schedule released

PRESEASON

@Bills Aug. 15, 6:00 p.m. on WFLD

GIANTS Aug. 22, 7:00 p.m. on WLFD

@Broncos Aug. 30, 7:00 p.m. on NBC

BROWNS Sept. 3, 7:00 p.m. on WFLD

2009 REGULAR SEASON

@ Packers Sept. 13, 7:20 p.m. on NBC

STEELERS Sept. 20, 3:15 p.m. on CBS

@Seahawks Sept. 27, 3:05 p.m. on FOX

LIONS Oct. 4, 12:00 p.m. on FOX

@Falcons Oct. 18, 7:20 p.m. on NBC

@ Bengals Oct. 25, 12:00 p.m. on FOX

BROWNS Nov. 1, 12:00 p.m. on CBS

CARDINALS Nov. 8, 12:00 p.m. on FOX

@ 49ers Nov. 12, 7:20 p.m. on NFLN

EAGLES Nov. 22, 7:20 p.m. on NBC

@ Vikings Nov. 29, 12:00 p.m. on FOX

RAMS Dec. 6, 12:00 p.m. on FOX

PACKERS Dec. 13, 12:00 p.m. on FOX

@Ravens Dec. 20, 7:30 p.m. on FOX

VIKINGS Dec. 28, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN

@Lions  Jan. 3, 12:00 p.m. on FOX

Catching up

The Jay Cuter trade and the signing of Orlando Pace obviously alters the Bears draft plan. Unless they sign Tory Holt or another starting caliber receiver, it looks like they'll be looking for one with their first pick in the draft, now in the second round (49). 

It's unlikely that Hakeem Nicks will be there that late, but if he is we definitely take him. Rutgers' Kenny Britt could be there, and he would also be a must-take, but I'd be surprised if he lasts that long. Four guys more likely to be there at 49 include:

Brian Robiskie, Ohio State

Robiskie (6-3 196) is a guy who doesn't seem to have any one outstanding attribute but is solid across the board. He is the son of longtime NFL coach Terry Robiskie and as a result has a very high football IQ and comes into the league very polished. He could contribute right away.

Juaguin Iglesias, Oklahoma

Iglesias (6-0 205) led Oklahoma in receptions the last two seasons. He's a Texas guy who played at Oklahoma ... Angelo seems to like those guys. Iglesias's skills seem best suited to slot receiver in the NFL. He has a good burst and good hands, but not a very big body. He seems to be moving up draft boards in the last two weeks.

Derrick Williams, Penn St.

Williams (6-0 194) is one of those freaky athletes who can play everywhere. He lined up at wide receiver, running back, quarterback, punt returner and kick returner for the Nittany Lions.  As a senior last year he caught 40 passes for 451 yards and three touchdowns, ran for 226 yards and three scores, averaged nine yards per punt return with one touchdown, and averaged 27 yards per kickoff return for two scores. The downside to all that versatility is that it may have stunted his development as a receiver. He ran a 4.64 40 at the combine but fared a lot better at the Penn State pro day, running 4.37.

Louis Murphy, Florida

Murphy (6-3 205) has a nice frame and good speed (4.4 40 at the combine). Murphy is coming out as a junior and didn't do much is his FL career before that, but he projects well at the next level. He should be more productive in the pros than he was in college. He is raw, but could have first round type talent.

Of these four I like Robiskie and Iglesias in that order. I could live with either one of those two guys at 49. I think the others may be a bit of a reach that early, but we don't have as many draft picks to work with and it would be awfully nice to get a WR who can contribute in a meaningful way next season.

Still basking in the glory of the Jay Cutler trade and not ashamed to admit it

Who will benefit most from the Bears acquisition of Jay Cutler?

Matt Forte

Now Forte won't have to face a never ending line of eight-man fronts all season. Defensive backs will be playing on their heels. With Cutler and Hester, everybody is going to have to respect the deep ball. Forte won't have to take the same pounding he would have had to take with Orton here. Look for a big sophomore campaign from Forte.

Devin Hester

Hester's skills are uniquely suited to Cutler's. Cutler will be able to get him the ball when Hester is open. Cutler's big arm can make the throws deep down the field on a consistent basis, and his quick release can deliver the ball on those quick outs just a fraction of a second faster than most QBs would be able to, giving Hester that extra moment to set up his defender, that extra little cushion of separation. Hester is going to have the opportunity to put up some real numbers this season. 

Earl Bennett

This is the one everyone is talking about. Cutler's old college buddy (along with Chris Williams, now projected to play RT with the acquisition of LT Orlando Pace). The last pass Cutler threw in college was a touchdown to Bennett that allowed the Vanderbilt Commodores to defeat Tennessee for the first time in 23 years. Bennett, a third round draft pick, didn't do anything last season as a rookie with the Bears, but the team is looking for him to take a step this season. He has a much better chance of taking that step with Cutler under center.

Greg Olsen

Olsen showed last season that he can play tight end at a high level in this league. He can also play a little fullback. And maybe receiver. Olsen is a guy who can create matchup problems with his size and speed. He should be able to get open. Plus, with Cutler's feet and his ability to extend plays, a big quick target in the flat or the middle of the field is an enticing target. Look for Olson to have a LOT of catches next season. 

The Bears Defense

It's easier to play with the lead. It's easier to play when you know you're offense can score consistently and quickly if need be. It's easier to play when you can get off the field from time to time. It's easier to play when you're in a playoff race. Cutler should give the Bears an offense that makes the defense's life a little easier. 

THANK YOU JERRY ANGELO

This is the best thing to happen to Bears fans since January 26, 1986. And thank you for signing Orlando Pace. That was awesome.

Thank you Denver Broncos. Rocky Mountain dumb.

Thank you Kyle Orton. A classy guy, who was always put in tough spots here and, basically, always succeeded in those spots. It wasn't always pretty (neck beard), but he got it done.

Thank you Jay Cutler. 

BEARS TRADE FOR CUTLER!!!

It's done. Jay Cutler is a Bear. JAY CUTLER IS A BEAR!!!

I never thought it was gonna happen. Call him Jerry "Blockbuster" Angelo. 

The Bears send Kyle Orton and the 2009 and 2010 first round draft picks (there is now talk that a third round Bears pick may also be involved in the deal) to the Denver Broncos for Jay Cutler and the Bronco's fifth rounder this year.

I love this deal.

The Bears have a franchise quarterback. Probably the best QB they've EVER had.

BEAR DOWN!!!!

Cutler mania!

It's in all the papers, all over talk radio, it's all anyone in Beardom is discussing these days. Jay Cutler. Denver has announced they are looking to move him. The Bears want him.

I don't see it happening.

Somebody out there will be willing to overpay. The Jets? Detroit? The Redskins? Angelo won't be willing to do that. He'll draw a line at what he thinks is reasonable and he won't cross it. 

The bidding for a 25-year old franchise quarterback, disgruntled or not, is going to be high. It's going to be a blockbuster. Is Jerry Angelo a blockbuster kind of guy?

We'll find out.

Interesting faces at Halas Hall

Free agent offensive tackle Orlando Pace and free agent cornerback Ken Lucas both visited Halas Hall today. Pace has been in negotiations with Baltimore, but reportedly took a physical today for the Bears. 

Is Jerry Angelo set to make a splash? Or is this just smoke and mirrors?

Pace has a lot of miles on him, and some injury history, but could be an option for a couple of seasons. He played in 14 games last season with St. Louis. 

Signing both these guys would probably take OT and CB out of our draft plans, at least in the early rounds. WR? DE? Or, and I hesitate to even put it out there, but, could he be thinking of trading that 18th pick ... say for a certain disgruntled Bronco?

As much as it pains me to admit it, I like what Angelo has done in free agency so far. He's been surprisingly aggressive without overspending. 

Let's see where he's going with this.

Dream day 1 Bears draft scenario: Maclin falls

1. (18) Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri

2. (49) Phil Loadholt, OT, Oklahoma

3. (85) Derek Pegues, S, Mississippi State

3. (99) (compensatory) Rhett Bomar, QB, Sam Houston

1. I don't believe Maclin will fall ... but it could happen. A Cutler trade could make it happen. Someone could fall in love with Heyward-Bey or one of the other receivers. There could be a run on QBs and OTs ... Maclin would instantly be our best offensive player.

2. The guy is huge at 6'8 332 pounds. You could plug him in at RT for a long time. 

3. This may be a little high for Pegues. He's a little bit of a tweener, lacking ideal size (5-10 199) for a safety and ideal speed (4.54 40) for a corner. But he's played all over the field and been successful everywhere. He's a playmaker. Could start at FS for the Bears.

3. (compensatory) I just like the name. Rhett Bomar. The Bomar. Hey, Bomar.  

Ask and you shall receive

Michael Crabtree from Texas Tech and Jermey Maclin from Missouri are the two best receivers in the draft. If either one of these guys should, by some miracle, fall to the Bears at 18, Angelo & Co. should snatch that man up and immediately fall to their knees and thank god. 

Even if those two are, as expected, long gone at 18, there will be plenty of stud wide receivers left on the board worthy of that pick. This class is extremely deep at receiver.

Here are some options for wide receiver in the first two rounds of the draft.

Darius Heyward-Bey, Maryland 

See what I had to say about Heyward-Bey here. He's was on a real rise, continuing to impress scouts with his size and speed, until he hit a small bump in the road when the results of his Wonderlic Test were leaked to the press.

The Wonderlic is reportedly a 50-question, 12-minute intelligence test administered to prospective players at the NFL scouting combine. A score of 20 is said to be indicative of average intelligence. 

Heyward-Bey scored a 14. If you put that into context with what some of the other receivers scored, that may not actually hurt him.

Percy Harvin, Florida

Percy Harvin (5-11 195) is perhaps the most explosive, exciting player in this draft. The man most compared to the Bears own Mr. Devin Hester. They're comparable in their explosiveness and also in the fact that neither was a "true" receiver in college. Harvin was used as a running back fairly extensively in college, and even lined up as quarterback on occasion. 

I'd say Harvin is definitely a more polished receiver coming out of college than Hester was, but he will have some work to do with his route running. The main knock on Harvin,  however, may be his durability. He's had some ankle issues, missing five games in three years and being limited in several more. Ankle issues aren't a good thing when you make your living running faster than everyone else.

And his score of 12 on the Wonderlic didn't help him either.

Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina 

Hakeem Nicks (6-1 212) is a physical receiver with fantastic hands. He runs better than timed (4.51 40-yard time at the combine) and is able to break tackles with his size and athleticism to gain yards after the catch. 

He's been rising on lots of draft boards and the Bears are thought to like his game. They recently had him in for a private workout.

Once concern about Nicks is his weight. There are reports floating around out there that Nicks was 14 lbs heavier at the North Carolina pro day workouts than he was at the combine a month earlier. And another concern: Hicks scored an 11 on the Wonderlic.

Kenny Britt, Rutgers

Kenny Britt (6-4 215) has the sort of size that scouts covet at wide receiver, making him a delicious red-zone option. He showed up at his pro day reportedly five pounds lighter than listed here and proceeded to run a 4.40 40, improving from his time of 4.56 at the combine. 

The Bears had Britt in for a private workout earlier this week. Britt is another player who's stock has been rising, and a case could be made for him at 18, but that may be a bit early.

Britt was said to carry a bit of a primadonna label, and was suspended for a game by the Scarlet Knights last season for violating a team rule, but he reportedly worked hard to dispel that reputation at the combine.

Britt's Wonderlic score has not been leaked to my knowledge. 

And, as a footnote, I'm not overly concerned about these Wonderlic results, but it does have to give you pause. If Vanderbilt's Earl Bennett couldn't make his way onto the field for a catch in his rookie season because he had trouble learning the playbook, how will a guy like Hakeem Nicks do? 

He sure looks like a lineman

The Bears signed 29-year-old offensive tackle Kevin Shaffer to a three-year deal today. Shaffer was not retained by his former team, the Cleveland Browns, who instead opted to sign former Bears OT John St. Clair. 

Funny world, ain't it?

The 6-5, 315 pound Shaffer is a seven-year veteran, drafted out of Tulsa by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round of the 2002 draft. He started 39 games for Atlanta before signing with the Browns in 2006. He started 47 out of 48 games for the Browns over the last three seasons, playing left tackle in 2006 and right tackle in 2007 and 2008.

Terms of the his deal with the Bears were not disclosed. 

Shaffer is expected to compete for the starting right tackle spot, and should give the Bears some flexibility in the NFL Draft, now just one month away. One also wonders if we'll see newly signed offensive lineman Frank Omiyale moved back to guard after sliding over to tackle during the Bears minicamp last week.

 

While not exactly reeling in the marquee names (unless hell freezes over and Jay Cutler is under center for the Bear in 2009), nobody can accuse Jerry Angelo of not being active in free agency. 

Is this a signal that the Bears may go for a wide receiver in the first round of the draft? 

Bears awarded three compensatory picks in NFL draft

The Bears were awarded three compensatory picks in next month's NFL Draft, including a third round pick, number 99 overall, the third highest choice awarded. The Bears also will get two seventh round picks, 246 and 251.

Under the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement, a team losing more or better free agents than it signs in a year is eligible to receive compensatory draft choices. Last season the Bears lost Bernard Berrian, Brendan Ayanbadejo, and John Gilmore without adding any free agents.

The Bears now have nine picks in the upcoming draft. 

Teams are not permitted to trade compensatory selections. 

It's on like Donkey Kong

The first game of the Bears 2009 season will be at Lambeau Field against the Pack in prime time, Sunday, Sept. 13. 

The Bears/Packers tilt is the longest-running rivalry in the NFL, with the Bears holding the edge in the all-time series 91-80-6.  I just like to point that out. 

It will be interesting to see the Packers deploy their new-fangled 3-4 defense upon the NFC North. Freshly-hired Packers Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers is a dirty, tricky schemer, and he should give that shiny new Bears offensive line some real problems. 

The 3-4 is all the rage these days. The cover-two is last year's girl. The top two defenses in the league last year were Baltimore and Pittsburgh, both 3-4. The top two defenses in sacks were Dallas and Pittsburgh, both 3-4 teams. The Patriots have been awfully successful running a 3-4. 

Now the 3-4 comes to the NFC North. Well, bring it on, Packers. As long as Brett Favre remains retired, I'm fine with that. You don't scare us. 

Not anymore.

Safety option

The Bears threw another body at the safety problem today, signing Glenn Earl (6-1 215) to a one-year contract. Out of Notre Dame (and Naperville North), Earl last played in the 2007 season with the Houston Texans. He suffered a Lisfranc separation on his left foot after a collision with (drumroll please) ... Cedric Benson in an exhibition game.

Earl, who played for new Bears defensive backs coach Jon Hoke at Houston, was invited to participate in the three-day minicamp this week, and passed a physical Thursday. He made 31 starts in his first three seasons with the Texans and had a career high 74 tackles in 2006.

A tale of two tackles

With the exodus of our starting offensive tackles from last season (John Tait to retirement and John St. Clair to free agency), the Bears will be looking for an OT on the first day of the draft, possibly in round one. It is, as it was last year, a very deep and talented class at tackle. 

Two names that will likely still be on the board at 18 are Arizona junior Eben Britton and UConn's William Beatty. I like 'em both.

The 6-6, 310 pound Britton has good size and is a good athlete (5.16 40-yard dash) who has played both tackle positions and started 37 consecutive games for Arizona. 

Beatty also has good size (6-6 , 307), and athleticism (5.12 40-yard dash). He played LT last year, but for a lefty QB, so he wasn't a true blind side tackle. That's not a knock, the guy is a beast.

I would be happy with either one of these guys in the first round. Chris Williams last year, another tackle this year ... it would be awfully nice to be set at tackle for a while. 

Then your second and third round picks have to be about wide receiver and safety.

That could set us up. A lot of "ifs" but that could do the trick. 

John St. Jerk-Face (or Cleveland Browns find new way to suck)

The Trib's website is reporting John St. Clair signed a three-year deal with the Cleveland Browns today, reportedly worth $9.1 million with $1.25 million guaranteed. The Bears offer was $4 million for three years.

That hurts, but there's no way you can pay St. Clair that kind of money. No way. 

Get ready to take a tackle early in the draft. And we should probably quit screwing around with newly acquired Frank Omiyale as a guard and slide his substantial arse over to the RT spot. You don't have the luxury to play with him at guard anymore.

And please. Sign another free agent. How 'bout Torry Holt?

Prime Cutler

This is killing me. It's cruel and unusual. I've been waiting for this story to finally go away and die. But it just keeps coming back. It hurts.

Pro Bowl quaterback Jay Cutler wants out of Denver. Multiple media outlets are reporting that his destinations of choice are Tennessee or Chicago.

I found myself starting to believe today. It could happen. Trade our first round draft pick plus a couple of players ... maybe Vasher? Urlacher? Maybe you have to toss in a high pick from '10 too. But you'd have your guy.

Jay Cutler. There's a marquee player. There's a guy to build around. He went to college with Bears OT Chris Williams and WR Earl Bennett. He grew up a Bears fan in Indiana. He wants to come play here.

And he's the player we've always wanted at quarterback. He makes plays, he's got the arm. He's a big, tough kid. He's only played three years in the league. You're getting him right as he is poised to be a superstar.  He threw for 4,526 yards and 25 touchdowns last season.

If there's a package out there that would pry him away from Denver, you have to investigate it.

But it's never going to happen, Bears fans. 

Right?

Feeling defensive

How will the Bears defense return to its former glory? Some young players are going to have to progress, some older players are going to have to step up. And Lance Briggs, Alex Brown, and Charles Tillman have to at least maintain their level of play from last season.

Young guys who need to keep progressing:

Corey Graham, CB

Is Corey Graham a legit starter in this league? Nathan Vasher has disappeared the last two seasons. Depending on what "The Interceptor" does this year (and what the Bears do in the draft), Graham could be starting at corner from week 1.

Kevin Payne, S

Now that Mike Brown is gone, there's a void to fill. Payne has looked good, especially against the run, and he hits like a ton of bricks. 

Marcus Harrison, DT

He has the skills and measurables to dominate. May be better suited to play the gap than the nose, but it will be interesting to see what Rod Marinelli can get from this kid.

Veterans who need to step up:

Tommie Harris, DT

Tommie Harris is the engine that makes the Bears' cover-2 defense run. When he's not right, the defense isn't right. When he is right, he may be the best in the game. He certainly wasn't that last year.

Adewale Ogunleye, DE

Didn't do much last season. Everybody knows we have to get pressure on the quarterback. 'Wale is supposed to be the guy to supply that pressure. That's why he's here. If he can't supply the heat, we need to get him the hell out of the kitchen. 

Brian Urlacher, LB

The center of the cover two has to be strong. DT, MLB, S. If those three positions are weak, your defense will be weak. Urlacher doesn't need to be the player he was at his peak, but he needs to be more of a force than he was last year. Urlacher just disappeared last season for alarmingly long stretches. 

Wildcards:

Free Safety

Can Josh Bullocks be the guy? Will they draft someone? Will Steltz step up to be an NFL-caliber free safety. None of those are great bets. Best bet is probably Bullocks. 

Lovie Smith

Can Lovie handle taking over the play-calling on defense and being head coach? Something has got to give, right? Maybe. 

Bears sign safety Bullocks, finally release waste of space Terrence Metcalf

Bears GM Jerry Angelo must have read the Bear Down Chicago Blog posting yesterday, because he went out and did what we asked him. At least in part.

The Bears signed fifth-year free safety Josh Bullocks to a one-year deal today. Bullocks (6-1, 207) is a gifted athlete who started 51 games in four years with the New Orleans Saints. He was supplanted as a starter at the beginning of last season by veteran Kevin Kaesviharn, reportedly due to the fact that he was inconsistent, especially in deep pass coverage (is it me or does this guy sound a little bit like Bears nickel back/safety Danieal Manning?). Bullocks was pressed back into a starting role in the last month of the season after Kaesviharn was injured, and ended up with an interception against the Bears in the Dec. 11 contest at Soldier Field (a game the Bears won in overtime).

Bullocks is expected to compete with second-year man Craig Steltz for the starting free safety job.

The other move the Bears made today was to release seven-year veteran guard Terrence Metcalf, who, it's safe to say, never really lived up to expectations. A third round draft pick in 2002 from Mississippi, he mostly languished on the bench, unable to crack the lineup. By far his best season was in 2005, in which he started 13 games on a team that went 11-5. Last season he was suspended four games for violating the league's policy on banned substances.

The fact that the Bears are willing to release any offensive linemen could signal that they are close to a deal with John St. Clair.

Orlando Pace available, Jerry Angelo shrugs

The St. Louis Rams released seven-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle Orlando Pace today. The 33-year old Pace, who played 14 games last season for the Rams, will likely be ignored by Jerry Angelo and the Bears, who have shown zero interest (at least publicly) in any veteran free agent other than the guys who played for them last season (Kevin Jones and the still unsigned John St. Clair), and offensive (maybe) guard/tackle Frank Omiygale. While Omiygale looks like a good prospect, he has started exactly one game in his four-year career, but was given a four-year contract by the Bears. 

Why not take a look at Pace? How about free agent WR Torry Holt, Pace's teammate in St. Louis? 

The Bear's just can't bring themselves to do it. They are committed to their off-season strategy, which seems to be revamping their defense and maximizing the talent they've already paid for by bringing in defensive line guru Rod Marinelli and new defensive backs coach Jon Hoke, and by head coach Lovie Smith taking over the defensive play calling from Bob Babich. They've also made it clear they are going to focus on the draft to fill roster vacancies at safety, wide receiver, and offensive line. 

I don't think that strategy is necessarily a bad one, but I think we're putting an awful lot of pressure on this draft panning out really well for us. 

Why not take a little of the pressure off and bring in a Torry Holt? And why haven't we made a move for a safety? The draft is thin at safety again this year, particularly guys who can cover. Do you really want to find yourself in a situation where you start Craig Steltz at safety? At free safety? 

Because that's where you're steering this thing, Jerry Angelo.

QB conundrum

The Chicago Bears and quarterbacks. It's been stormy. 

The keys to the franchise have been handed to some world class strokes over the years. We all know the sad litany of names. Cade McNown, Kordell Stewart, Shane Mathews, Peter Tom Wilis, Rick Mirer, Moses Moreno, Jonathan Quinn, Chad "Hutch" Hutchinson. 

Rex.

Sure, we've had the occasional Eric Kramer or Jim Miller blow through town. There's nothing wrong with those guys. Jim Harbaugh may have developed into a good Chicago Bears quarterback if Ditka hadn't broken him so badly with the psychological torture and constant abuse. But mainly it's been disappointment, failure, and ineptitude under center. 

Enter Kyle Orton.

The then beard-less kid from Purdue started 15 games his rookie year, and while he didn't look great, he led the team to a winning record at 10-5 before being replaced by Grossman. That's second-best since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 for rookie QBs (behind Ben Roethlisberger's 14 victories in 2004). 

The kid's got moxie. We like moxie.

Orton took a back seat for a couple of seasons to let the Rex Grossman drama play out, then got another chance last year. We all know the story last season. Orton looks like a hero the first part of the year, hurts his ankle against the Lions in week nine, and comes back and looks bad. 

So which Kyle Orton shows up this year? Can he be the guy we're looking for? Do the Bears need to go out and make a run at another quarterback?

There's a couple of intriguing names out there in free agency. There will also be QBs available at 18 in the NFL draft. USC's Mark Sanchez could fall to them, especially now that the Chief's made their move for Matt Cassell and will not be looking for a QB with the second overall pick. 

Bears General Manager Jerry Angelo famously said the team is "fixated" on getting the quarterback position right. Does that mean the Bears should make a big move on QB right now?

The Bears don't have the luxury of fixating on the quarterback position this season. There are too many other holes to be filled on both sides of the ball. Kyle Orton may or may not develop into the QB Angelo is looking for, but he has definitely shown enough that Angelo probably believes the Bears can win with Orton under center. 

If Mark Sanchez is there at 18, trade down out of that pick. Someone will overpay you for the right to draft Sanchez, who reportedly did not help himself at the combine with a pedestrian performance in the position drills. Bring in another QB through free agency or later in the draft. Someone to add depth and develop. 

We need WRs and DBs. We need offensive line. We could probably use some defensive line too. Maybe a linebacker? This isn't the year to fixate on quarterback.

For better or for worse, Orton's the starting QB for the Bears this season.

Bears ink RB Kevin Jones to two-year deal

The one-two punch of Matt Forte and Kevin Jones never really materialized last season, with Jones only carrying the ball 34 times in 11 games. But the Bears outbid the Buffalo Bills for Jones' services today, signing him to a two-year deal worth a reported $3.5 million.

Jones is now expected to be the primary backup to Forte, with Garrett Wolfe coming in as the change of pace/third down guy. 

Despite his lack of production last year after recovering from knee surgery in January 2008, Jones provides proven, veteran help to the offense and a good presence in the locker room. Jones lobbied the coaches to let him play special teams late last season so he could see increased playing time. He has also been vocal about the fact that he wanted to return to Chicago, citing the quality of the organization and his belief in the staff and players as his reasons for wanting to do so. 

Those are the guys the Bears want.

This should take running back out of the equation on draft day. It will also be interesting to see how this move affects Adrian Peterson's roster status. With Wolfe's strong play on the kick coverage units and Jones' willingness to play special teams, can the Bears afford to keep another halfback on the roster?

Bears Hall of Famer George McAfee dies

George Anderson McAfee died yesterday at the age of 90. He was with the Bears eight seasons, playing on three championship teams  (1940, 1941, 1946). 

The second player picked overall in the 1940 draft, McAfee played halfback, defensive back, and returned kicks and punts. He was one of the most dangerous offensive weapons of the day, considered a threat to score every time he touched the ball. He was also the most dangerous kick returner of his era. As a defender he recorded 25 interceptions, none perhaps more famous than the 35-yard interception return for a touchdown he scored in the 73-0 rout over the Washington Redskins in the 1940 NFL Championship Game.

His playing career was relatively short at just eight years, interrupted by his service in World War II. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966.

T.O.? NO.

The Bears need a receiver. Terrell Owens, just released from Dallas, is a great one. Some in Bears nation are clamoring for Jerry Angelo to go out there and slap the orange and navy on Owens.

I don't see Angelo doing it. And I agree with him.

I know all the things there are to love about T.O. Even though last season was considered a down year, the man still went over 1,000 yards. Only once in the last nine seasons has Owens failed to go over the 1,000-yard mark, and he put up 763 in just seven games played that year ('05 with Philly). 

He is a beast. 

But signing him would be contrary to everything Jerry Angelo & Co. have proven to be about. They are not going to go out there and overpay for veterans in the tail end of their careers. The Bears have shown that their philosophy is to build through the draft, add depth through free agency (see offensive lineman Frank Omiygale, the Bears lone free agent signing thus far), and not panic even when it seems like the wheels are coming off.

Owens, while still formidable, is 35. How many more years can he play at the same caliber? He needs to go to a team built to win it all now. A team with a veteran QB who's already won and won't fall prey to T.O.'s power plays.

That ain't our beloved Bear.

Watch him go to New York and replace Plaxico. T.O. on Broadway. Let Eli Manning deal with him. Kyle Orton has enough to worry about next year without T.O.

Hey, hey, Heyward-Bey

Most of the mock drafts out there have the Bears selecting Maryland receiver Darius Heyward-Bey with the 18th pick in the first round. There's no question the Bears do need a receiver, and Heyward-Bey is an electrifying prospect. 

He has terrific size (6'2", 210 lbs) and speed (4.3 40-time at the combine—tops for WRs). With Devin Hester on the other side, the Bears would certainly have their vertical passing game back. Those two WRs would scare defenses into defending deep, then those Bear tight ends and Matt Forte could feast underneath. With that kind of size he would make a nice target for QB Kyle Orton in the red zone too.

As much as I like Heyward-Bey, I do worry about taking a WR in the first round. There is a high bust-to-success ratio for early round receivers. Think David Terrell, Mike Williams, Troy Williamson, Matt Jones. Think Ashley Lelie. 

Conventional wisdom says tackle would be the safer pick. It would be the third or fourth tackle off the board, but the draft is deep at tackle. You could get the second cornerback, the first safety. One of the top rated QBs could slide.

But if Heyward-Bey is there I would have a real hard time not pulling the trigger. You need a receiver. He looks like a good one. You'll never know what you have in Kyle Orton if you don't give him some more weapons. 

With Heyward-Bey and Hester on the outside, and Forte and Greg Olson underneath ... if the offensive line comes together you have yourself a unit that strikes fear into people.

Fixing a hole

Well Bears fans, we find ourselves with some significant holes to fill on the ol' roster before the start of the '09 campaign. Tackle. Receiver. Safety. How about a backup QB? Corner? Defensive line?

I do like the new guy we signed the first day of free agency, offensive lineman Frank Omiygale. He ain't sexy, but he has some upside. He is touted as versatile (tackle or guard), young (26), and meaty (6'4",  310 lbs.). All good. We just got bigger and younger on the offensive line. This is a good move.

Bears General Manager Jerry Angelo says Omiygale projects at guard. Tackle, on the other hand, is the bigger need right now. With only unproven newcomers Chris Williams (projected as starting left tackle) and ... ummm ...gulp ... Cody Balogh (projected as practice squad meat for Marinelli's guys) manning offensive tackle, the need for another starter quality player there should be apparent.

John St. Clair, last year's starting left tackle, is reportedly the Bears first choice. St. Clair was a trooper last year starting 16 games, but he looked bad in pass protection against top-tier talent. 

Whether or not St. Clair returns, and I hope he does, the Bears still need to add another starting quality tackle. You've got one guy in St. Clair who may or may not be on your roster who has even really played tackle in the NFL. And he didn't exactly light it up. 

So why so little interest in Kalif Barnes? Kawme Harris? You don't like Marvel Smith? I like Marvel Smith.

And why aren't we looking at Wide Receiver? Their are tackles out there. There are WRs out there. There are backup QBs and safeties out there. Don't pin all your hopes on the draft, Jerry Angelo! Bring in some guys through free agency. Get some competition going then make some cuts in pre-season. 

Give yourself the freedom to draft guys you like and not just have to reach for guys to plug the holes.