Defensive Player of the Decade

By Primetime3454
Published on 1:39 PM at



In the NFL’s current era of high flying offenses filled with quick strike capabilities defenses might be valued less than they were before or they might be valued more depending on the team. For some teams like the Chargers and Colts they live or die by their offense. The Chargers for example, had great success in 2009 as they finished with a regular season record of 13-3. They came into the playoffs with an 11 game win streak- the most in the NFL heading into the playoffs. The Chargers had an explosive offensive with QB Philip Rivers leading the way with 4,254 yds and 28 TD’s. However, they became lost in the 2010 AFC Divisional game because their offense became ice cold and became helpless against the New York Jets #1 ranked defense. Also the Chargers defense could not make a single play when the team needed it the most. The Colts suffered the same fate in Super Bowl XLIV as their defense could not create a single turnover and they consequently lost to the Saints who were able to return an interception for a touchdown. The underrated Saints defense which led the NFL in turnovers and points off turnovers stepped up and made a play…again. Both teams had high octane offenses yet it was a single defensive play that decided the outcome of the biggest game of them all.

The Bears have always and will always be known for their punishing defense. Throughout NFL history the Chicago Bears have produced some of the fiercest defenses and some of the greatest Defensive Players of all time; players so dominant that they still cast an impact on current generation of NFL players. Many have cited these players as huge inspirations behind their careers. Names like Dick Butkus, Doug Atkins, Mike Singletary, Clyde “Bulldog” Turner, and Bill George are household names when it comes to mentioning greatest Defensive Players of all time.
With that being said we now will examine the top Defensive Player of the Bears during the 2000’s. That’s right not just the best Linebacker, Safety, Cornerback, or Defensive End we are taking about the BEST of the 2000’s. And because this is the Chicago Bears we are taking about you know there are going to be some excellent candidates on this list; and here they are.

1.(Defensive End) Alex Brown

Drafted in 2002 with the 104th overall pick Alex Brown has devolved into one of the most consistent players on the entire Bears roster. Productive and durable, Brown has helped anchor the Bears defensive line since he arrived in 2002 as a fourth-round draft pick. He ranks fourth in franchise history and tops among active Bears with 43½ sacks, and leads the team with 127 consecutive games played dating back to the second week of his rookie season. He has also picked off five passes (two in 2006) and deflected 33 passes, an unusually high number for a defensive end. On December 22, 2008 Brown also deflected a kick by Mason Crosby to set up the game-winning field goal for the Chicago Bears in a win 20-17 over the Green Bay Packers. This block was huge considering it kept the Bears playoff hopes alive for the 2008 season all though the Bears would ultimately fail in their quest that blocked field goal is one of the most famous plays from the historic Bears-Packers rivalry

2.(Defensive Tackle) Tommie Harris

Harris was the 14th pick of the 2004 NFL draft out of University of Oklahoma. He quickly made an impact on the Bears by finishing second in balloting for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. In only his second NFL season, Harris was selected to the 2006 Pro Bowl. Harris became the first Bears defensive tackle ever to be selected to three straight Pro Bowls in 2005-07 and the first defensive lineman since Doug Atkins went to seven in a row from 1958-1964. In his career Harris has 199 Tackles, 27.0 Sacks, and 1 Interception.

3.(Cornerback) Charles Tillman

Known for his big play making ability the Chicago Bears selected Tillman in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft 34th overall. He recorded eighty-three tackles and four interceptions during his first year with the Bears. Known for his ability to strip the ball, Tillman has forced 21 fumbles in seven seasons, the most by an NFL defensive back during that span. His 22 career interceptions are the most among active Bears and are tied for 10th in franchise history. In 2009, Tillman forced a career-high six fumbles and scored his fourth defensive touchdown on a 21-yard interception return against the Browns

4.(Safety) Mike Brown

Brown was drafted in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft 39th overall and quickly became one of the greats in Bears History. Brown was the only rookie to play in the 2000 season’s opener, eventually becoming the team’s starting free safety for all sixteen games of the season. He recorded the second most tackles on the team that year and one interception that was returned for a touchdown. He received accolades from Pro Football Weekly, Football News and Football Digest , but lost the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award to teammate Brian Urlacher. The following year, he had two memorable performances, during which he returned two interceptions for two consecutive overtime wins. Brown was one of the most productive and clutch defensive backs in Bears history before his career was derailed by injuries. The all-time franchise leader with seven career defensive touchdowns, Brown was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2005.

5.(Linebacker) Lance Briggs

Briggs was a third round draft pick (68th overall) by the Chicago Bears in the 2003 NFL Draft. He has come to be known for his consistency and excellent play making abilities. In 2004, he made 126 tackles, and was elected as a second alternate to the Pro Bowl. Briggs is just the fourth linebacker in Bears history to be selected to five straight Pro Bowlers, joining Hall of Famers Bill George, Dick Butkus and Mike Singletary. Since arriving in 2003 as a third-round draft pick, Briggs has registered 1,006 tackles, the fourth most by a Bears player since 1971 behind Singletary (1,487), Urlacher (1,410) and Gary Fencik (1,102).

6.(Linebacker) Brian Urlacher

Selected 9th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears Brian Urlacher has since become one of the most productive and popular players in Bears History. He is regarded as one of the best defensive players in the NFL, winning the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2000 and the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2005, becoming only the fifth player in NFL history to win both awards. The face of the franchise since he arrived as a first-round draft pick in 2000, Urlacher has been voted to six Pro Bowls in 10 memorable seasons with the Bears. Blessed with a rare combination of size and speed, Urlacher registered at least 100 tackles in each of his first nine seasons (before missing most of the 2009 campaign with an injury). In his career Urlacher has 1,410 tackles 37.5 Sacks, and 17 interceptions including a 75 yard TD return against the Green Bay Packers in a 2007 game.

Annnnnnnnd the winner is: Brian Urlacher

That’s why you save the best for last but all the names here have Pro Bowl talent and many of them have in fact been invited to play in the Pro Bowl. Two names on here in fact might be future Hall of Famers. Although Urlacher was named Defensive Player of the Decade the fact is that all the names mentioned above have that kind of potential. Each individual is explosive and has big play making ability. This is what makes the Chicago Bears so great the exceptional defenses and the great Defensive players. This is Chicago football this is Bear Defense.

Offensive Lineman of the Decade

By Primetime3454
Published on 9:19 PM at





In order for any team to have success in today’s passer friendly era, one must have a good if not great offensive line. With today’s Defensive Tackles and Defensive Lineman being stronger, faster, and more athletic than players from the past having a good offensive line is a must. With that being said we continue with our All-Decade list and if you haven’t figured it out already we are going to be examining the top Offensive Lineman of the decade for the Bears. If you call your self a Chicago Bears fan then you must have realized how pathetic our O-Line was this season. With Orlando Pace past his prime and Frank Omiyale a disaster at the offensive tackle position the Bears greatly struggled to field a consistent offensive line. The debacle of the O-Line was a main reason the Bears struggled to a 7-9 record; if you can’t protect the QB and run the ball effectively your team isn’t going anywhere. With that being said the top Offensive Lineman of the Decade is:

FRANK OMIYALE…okay that was a joke. THE top offensive lineman of the decade truly is:

(Center) Olin Kreutz


The Chicago Bears drafted Kreutz in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft 64th overall. Over his nine year career, Kreutz has been selected to six Pro Bowls, and one of the team's most consistent offensive lineman. Kreutz has been a member of the Bears organization longer than any of his current teammates. Kreutz has anchored the Bears offensive line since being appointed the starter in 1999. Tough and durable, the Hawaii native has started a team-high 118 straight games dating back to 2002, when he missed one contest after undergoing an appendectomy. If only we had more lineman like Kreutz.



Although Kreutz was an easy decision for Lineman of the Decade other candidates were:

(Tackle) James “Big Cat” Williams (2000-02)

Big Cat played his entire 12-year NFL career with the Bears, emerging as a dominant right tackle after entering the league as a defensive lineman.

(Tackle) John Tait (2004-2008)

A versatile and durable performer, Tait started at right tackle in his first season with the Bears in 2004, moved to left tackle for three years, and then returned to right tackle in 2008. Tait blocked for 1,000-yard rushers in three of his four final seasons with the Bears

Perhaps the Bears best group of Offensive lineman during the 2000’s was the 2006 squad. Both Ruben Brown and Olien Kreutz were selected to the Pro Bowl with the latter earning his first All-Pro selection. That dominant line helped power the Bears to Superbowl 41. Hopefully the Bears with their young core of players are able to duplicate the success of that 2006 squad sooner rather than later.














Bears put Brown on trading block

By Mustafa
Published on 7:53 AM at

An NFL source told the Tribune the Bears are working actively to deal Alex Brown. If they cannot find a taker for the nine-year veteran who finished last season as a captain, they could release him. The move of Idonije likely signals the end of Brown's career with the Bears because there simply isn't enough playing time to go around.


This was somewhat expected when Lovie told the media that he expected Israel Idonije to be a full time defensive end. "What we're thinking about for him this year is letting him lock into end more, letting him keep his weight down," Smith said. "It's amazing what the guy can do with his body. ... I'd like to see him lock in and be more of a defensive end and see how good he can become."


The Bears feel like the addition of Peppers will neutralize if not better the situation of letting Ogunleye and Brown, both starters last year, go.


This is what the picture at defensive end looks like so far with Browns impending departure: Julius Peppers on the right to get to the quarterbacks blind side (Peppers can play both sides.), Israel Idonije on the left side to stop the run and Mark Anderson as the situational end. Throw redshirt rookie Henry Melton in there and it seems like a pretty good idea.


Now it's all about how much value Brown has if he has any. I think a mid round pick should suffice but don't expect anything higher than third rounder. Luckily for the Bears, JA has a knack for finding players in the middle of the draft.


STAY TUNED.


Bears All-Decade Team Running Back

By Primetime3454
Published on 7:01 PM at





Although the new decade started more than three months ago we though it would be interesting to examine the top three Offensive and Defensive Players of each position. We are going to start with the Offense and make our way to the Defense. A Defense that has and will always be the heart and soul of the Chicago Bears no matter how great the offense will be. Last week we examined the Quarterback of the Decade which turned out to be former Bear Rex Grossman. Tonight we examine and determine the Running Back of the Decade. In this current passer friendly era featured backs are not the commodity they once were. Nonetheless any good team needs to have some kind of Running Back talent if they want to win the Superbowl. Look no further than the defending Superbowl Champions the New Orleans Saints. The saints used a trio of different RB’s. They used Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas, and Mike Bell. The three backs combined to rush for 1,837 yards and 16 TD’s. No one star back yet a combination that helped balance out the tremendous passing attack of the Saints and led them to a victory in Superbowl XLIV (44). The Bears have a rich history of running backs from Harold Grange and Bronko Nagurski to the legendary Gale Sayers and Walter Payton. The 2000’s proved to be no different although no one man dominated the decade.

All though not relating to the article I wonder how many people saw the Jets Bengal’s game during the 2009 playoffs? I also wonder how many people noticed the two Running Backs in the game. Thomas Jones of the New York Jets and Cedric Benson of the Cincinnati Bengal’s. T. Jones ran for 1,402 yards with a 4.2 YPC and 14 touchdowns in 2009. In 13 games for the Bengal’s Benson ran for 1,251 yards wit ha 4.2 YPC and 6 touchdowns. Two excellent Running Backs now imagine if they played for one team. Two dynamic players on one team…now who would be able to stop that team. What if?…Oh wait these two players did play together at one time: They played on the Chicago Bears. The Bears drafted Benson 3rd overall in the 2005 draft. They also had Thomas Jones who became the first Bear since the legendary Walter Payton to rush for 1,200 yards in back-to-back seasons. Only the Bears could screw something up like this. The Bears released Thomas Jones after their Superbowl season in 2006 to make room for Benson who the Bears believed would become their next Walter Payton. A few years later the Bears would release Benson due to off the field problems. In 3 years the Bears got rid of two quality running backs something which I don’t believe even Matt Millen could have accomplished. Although Benson never did anything with the Bears squandering numerous opportunities the fact remains that the Bears just released two franchise running backs in three seasons. Only the Bears…

ANYWAY, the running back of the decade was a tight battle between Thomas Jones and Anthony Thomas. Jones rushed for 3,493 yards and 22 touchdowns on 850 carries in three seasons with the Bears from 2004-06. As previously stated Jones became the first Bear since Walter Payton to rush for 1,200 yards in back-to-back seasons. Anthony Thomas ran for 3,332 yards and 21 TDs on 858 attempts from 2001-04. And the Bears running back of the decade is….

THOMAS JONES! Even though his stats are just a little bit higher than Thomas’s Jones won the award because he was even more valuable as a locker room leader and his hard play and no nonsense attitude help bring out the best in his teammates. Thomas Jones the Bears Running Back of the Decade.


Position-By-Position Breakdown: Offensive Line

By Mustafa
Published on 8:13 AM at

There's not much to say about the offensive line. Considered an elite group back in 2006 anchored by Olin Kreutz and Ruben Brown, critics thought no end to the productiveness. A few years later, the Bears faced a Superbowl hangover in which the quarterback(s) were sacked a league high and didn't help Cedric Benson's case either. It was evident that the Bears had to become more young if they wanted to keep their quarterback(s) alive. So in the first round of the 2007 draft, the Bears took left tackle Chris Williams out of Vanderbilt. But with injuries, Williams barely saw the field his rookie season. A year after that, veteran tackle John Tait retired along with the departure of tackle John St. Claire. The Bears then signed guard/tackle Frank Omiyale to a relatively big contract not to mention the signing of future Hall of Famer Orlando Pace and then journeyman tackle Kevin Shaffer.
Here was the starting lineup for last year for the most part starting from the left side to the right. Pace, Omiyale, Kreutz, Garza, Williams.
This is how it went down: Jay Cutler was thrown to the ground, brutally I might add, 35 times and Matt Forte and company were met in the backfield more times than you can count.
...No need to elaborate on this poor performance. Let's just get straight to the Breakdown.

LT, CHRIS WILLIAMS-A first-round pick out of Vanderbilt, Williams was drafted as a left tackle. So when the Bears moved him to right tackle to make room for Pace, Williams took a step backwards. To his credit, Williams did a decent job compared to the other lineman but it wasn't his inability to play that hurt him, it was the mistakes/penalties. 30 of the 61 penalties came from Williams whether it was false starts or holding. It was evident that this was not his natural position. Luckily, Pace went down and Williams moved back to the left side where he showed the Bears why they drafted him in the first round. In week 16, Williams basically manhandled arguably the best defensive end in the league in Jared Allen. He truly is the left tackle of the future.

LG/RT, FRANK OMIYALE-Was the first and few free agent acquisitions last year. He was signed to a fairly big (and unwarranted) contract. He ended up starting the season and let's just say it was one of the poorest performances you will ever see. He was benched midway through the season and then came back a few weeks later. Surprisingly, Omiyale did much better on his second try in his run and pass blocking. He could be the left guard for next year but might be moved over to right tackle in favor of Mike Martz's scheme.

C, OLIN KREUTZ-One of the greatest offensive lineman in franchise history and our All-Decade offensive lineman of the year. Kreutz was a solid part of the offensive line just like every other year. Again, not much to analyze with Kreutz he simply is one of the best centers in the league. Unfortunately for Kreutz and every other player in the league (except for grandpa Favre) age is a huge factor in performance. He had surgery on his ankle and called out the front-office earlier in the off season. His contract expires next year. Don't be surprised if the Bears draft a project replacement or attempt to convert a current player to center. But for now, long live Kreutz.

RG, ROBERTO GARZA-Garza has been one of the most underrated players on the Bears ever since he's been here as well as being one of the most consistent players every year. He won't be flying down to Hawaii anytime soon but he's a solid pro and a lock for right guard next year. To his credit, he can easily play center as well...Just saying. Signed through 2010.

RT, KEVIN SHAFFER-Shaffer is a solid player with good skills and strength. He looked a little uncomfortable playing tackle earlier in the season but eventually ended up doing very well in the later part of the season. He should have the opportunity to start a RT but will be challenged by Omiyale or a draft pick.

LG, JOSH BEEKMAN-Was a solid starter in 2008 when he started every game and helped lead running back Matt Forte to an impressive 1200 yard rookie season. He is considered more of a run blocking/down field blocker than a pass blocker and that will hurt his value in Martz's system. Again, he's a good player but not good enough to beat out anybody on the roster. He can also play center very well, how about that.

G/T, LANCE LOUIS-A sixth round pick last year drafted as a tight end. He was actually a fairly good tight end to in college but gained significant weight and was more of a tackle/guard. To be honest, I was surprised he event made the final roster last year. So that means this guy must have some potential. To his credit he is one of the most athletic 300+ pound players in the league and it surprised me when they signed Manaeulama. Other than that he's just another bad draft pick with a lot of off field issues.

Bears Release Vasher

By Mustafa
Published on 3:23 PM at

After less than a day of signing cornerback Tim Jennings, the Bears released cornerback Nathan Vasher.

Vasher was a fourth-round draft pick from Texas became a starter midway through his rookie season in 2004 and was a Pro Bowler the next year when he made a team-high eight interceptions and helped bolster one of the most dominant defenses in the NFL.

Vasher was dubbed, "The Interceptor" and was one of the most prolific corners in the NFL...when healthy. Vasher suffered a groin injury and several others after the Superbowl season in 2006 and was never the same again.

Vasher was benched after week 1 when he gave up the game winning 50- yard touchdown to Greg Jennings. Never really saw the field after that, but just want to put this out there. In week 5 against the Falcons, Vasher was put in only one play the whole game. Results, interception.

Vasher will always be beloved by Bears fans and should be an asset to any team when he's healthy. But injuries made Vasher a bad investment for the Bears.

First McKie? Then Vasher? Who's next in line?
Stay tuned.

McKie Released, sign Jennings

By Mustafa
Published on 4:30 PM at
The Bears have released veteran fullback Jason McKie this afternoon.



McKie has been with the Bears for seven seasons and has been an over-looked factor in what once was smash mouth football, the Bears offense. But unfortunately, he saw his role decrease significantly this season.

It seemed as though there would be no role this season for him as well with new offensive coordinator Mike Martz who uses the position sparingly. The fullback in Martz's system should be more of an athlete and that is why the Bears recently signed fullback Eddie Williams, a pass catching fullback/ H type back. With the monster in line blocker Will Ta'ufo'ou already on board, there seemed no need for the aging McKie.


With that being said, the Bears signed cornerback Tim Jennings, a 5-8, 185-pound cornerback who played the last four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts.


Can't tell you what was going on in JA's mind when he already had a little playmaker in DJ Moore...but Jennings has started 21 games and is not as bad as his size might lead you to think.

Stay tuned.

Bears All-Decade Team Quarterback

By Primetime3454
Published on 9:16 AM at



Although the new decade started more than three months ago we though it would be interesting to examine the top three Offensive and Defensive Players of each position. We are going to start with the Offense and make our way to the Defense. A Defense that has and will always be the heart and soul of the Chicago Bears no matter how great the offense will be. But tonight we are starting with the offense and we start with the Quarterback. In this current passer friendly era it is evident that it will take only a great QB to reach his team to the promised land. In Superbowl XLIV (44) Peyton Manning and Drew Brees respectively took both their teams to the biggest game in football; both future Hall of Famer’s. Of the last ten Superbowl Champions The Ravens, Patriots, Bucs, Patriots, Patriots, Steelers, Colts, Giants, Steelers, and Saints; 8 of the 10 teams had an elite quarterback. The only two teams who didn’t have an elite QB were the Bucs and Ravens but they also had a dominating defense, defenses that are considered two of the best in NFL history. However, those teams made it in the first three years of the 2000’s after that it was all Quarterbacks and the trend figures to continue. A record 10 different quarterbacks threw for 4,000 yards during the 2009 NFL Regular Season. So now we look at the top Chicago Bear Quarterback of the 2000’s. ( I know that’s not saying much)

We start of our All-Decade list with Rex Grossman…ahh Rex Grossman.

Rex Grossman(2003-08) was an incredibly polarizing figure who experienced more ups and downs than an elevator during the lunch hour. There was Good Rex then Bad Rex and it would be this way for his entire Bear career. The Chicago Bears selected Grossman 22nd overall during the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft. As inconsistent as he was Grossman nonetheless led Bears quarterbacks in virtually every statistical category from 2000-09 with 521 completions, 962 attempts, 6,164 yards, 33 touchdowns and 35 interceptions. Grossman ranks second with a .613 winning percentage as a starter (19-12) behind Kyle Orton (.636, 21-12). Despite all his inconsistency he led the Bears to Superbowl XLI (41)only the second Superbowl in team history. People can say it wasn’t Rex Grossman who led the Bears, that it was the defense and Devin Hester(which is a very solid argument). Good Rex or Bad Rex in the end he took the Bears to the Superbowl which is all the proof anyone needs to name Rex Grossman the Bears Quarterback of the Decade.

Position-By-Position Breakdown: Tight Ends

By Mustafa
Published on 8:14 AM at
In recent years, Chicago has had one of the more consistent groups of tight ends in the league led by veteran Desmond Clark and emerging superstar Greg Olsen. A couple of months ago, I thought this was going to be one of the easier positions to write an article about. But with the arrival of new offensive coordinator Mike Martz and free agent acquisition Brandon Manumaleuna, things are just not as clear anymore.

Martz has never been one to really utilize the tight end position. Tight ends in Martz's mind are meant to block first and catch second; his philosophy is evident in the previous teams he coordinated. But let’s not forget that Martz has never had a tight end tandem as productive as Olsen and Clark.

In 2008 the Bears tight ends combined for 95 catches, 941 yards, with 4 touchdowns under mediocre quarterback Kyle Orton. When the Bears brought in Jay Cutler and was down on the receivers, everybody expected the tight ends to come out the strongest. Unfortunately, much like the entire 2009 season, the Bears tight ends took a step backwards with Cutler. Although they had a mind boggling 13 touchdowns, catches went down to 88 and 832 yards. Granted, the receiving corps really stepped it up.

So without further a due, let’s get to the breakdown.

GREG OLSEN- After being promoted above teammate Desmond Clark, everybody thought his numbers would sky rocket this season. Then they brought in Jay Cutler, and once they made a strong relationship on and off the field, everybody thought Olsen was a sure fire Pro Bowler. Again, this whole seasons been like this, but Olsen's lack of Pro Bowl numbers was a dissapointment. That's not to say Olsen didn't have a good season because he really did. Olsen had 60 catches with 612 yards. And oh yeah, tack on a whopping 8 touchdowns.

GREG OLSEN'S FUTURE- There's no doubting that Olsen has the potential to be one of the elite tight ends in the game for years to come especially when paired with a young gun in Jay Cutler. He has perfect height at 6'5'', soft hands, speed and the ability to find gaps in the middle of the field. But Olsen is still far from elite. The biggest knock on Olsen is his inability to block, whether it be run or pass. So unfortunately for Olsen, he is not favored by Martz. And there are some rumors that the Bears will trade Olsen? There is no way the Bears let one of the most athletic tight ends in the game go, especially since Jerry Angelo is infamous for his first round draft picks. Expect Olsen to be the number one tight end in 2010 and look for Martz to find ways to utilize his immense talent.

DESMOND CLARK- Desmond Clark has never been flashy in his 11 year career, but he has always been consistently reliable. After several years of being a very respectable starter for the Bears, Dez had to make room for emerging star in Greg Olsen, and he was fine with that role (At the age of 32 I'm sure he was fine with it.) But nobody expected his numbers to drop this low... 19 catches for 147 yards and 2 touchdowns? Granted he was injured for a very good portion of the season but even when healthy never showed the same swagger he had before.

DESMOND CLARK'S FUTURE- Dez is due $1 million plus a $475,000 roster bonus. Money shouldn't be the reason the Bears let him go...IF they let him go. But with Olsen the obvious starter for years to come, the signing of blocking tight end Manumaleuna and Martz scarce use of double tight end sets, they might want to cut him to make room for someone else. Again, this is just IF he is released. Other than that I fully expect him to be in a Bears uniform come the start of the season. 99% sure that Clark will play behind Olsen. Now whether the Bears re-sign him next year is a different story.

KELLEN DAVIS- Davis really went under the radar this season and rightfully so since he had limited playing time. But when given the opportunity, Davis really showed that he had potential to be great pass catching tight end. Davis had a minuscule 9 reception for 75 yards, but 3 of those catches were for touchdowns. And guess how many games he played in this season? Only 2.

KELLEN DAVIS'S FUTURE- Davis is a mammoth of a target at 6'7'' (Some report he's 6'8'') and that's probably why Cutler would favor him in the red zone. Davis has also immensely improved in his blocking skills from his rookie season. Although he gets overlooked by the one-two punch in Olsen and Dez, Davis could be a very solid number two tight end and that's just one more reason Clark is in danger next year. Expect him to be on the roster next year.

BRANDON MANUMALEUNA- Brandon Manumaleuna is among the worst pass catching tight ends in the game and unfortunately that's been the case for him throughout his 8 year career (Although he did have a decent season in 2003 when he had a career high 29 receptions.). This season Brandon only had 5 catches for 13 yards the whole season. But enough with the bashing, if he wasn't good the Bears wouldn't have wasted their money on him. Brandon is known best for his aggressive run and pass blocking as he paved the way for some of the greatest in Marshall Faulk and Ladanian Tomlinson. He also has helped protect some of the elite quarterbacks in the league, Kurt Warner, Marc Bulger and Philip Rivers.

BRANDON MANUMALEUNA'S FUTURE- Brandon is the perfect fit in Mike Martz's system. He should be used mainly as a "third tackle" on the field. He'll get his share of playing time and because of his relationship with Martz, he may just beat out Davis for the third TE.

Kevin Jones Released,

By Mustafa
Published on 8:14 PM at
There's good news and then there's bad news.

The good news is, early this Tuesday, running back Kevin Jones was officially cleared by the medical staff to participate in off-season workouts.

The bad news is, the Bears released the running back that same day. (Just want to point out that I called it a couple weeks ago... Then again, who didn't?)

Jones signed with the Bears prior to the 2008 season after being released by the Lions. After rushing for 109 yards on 34 carries in his first year, Jones missed all of 2009 after tearing ligaments in his left ankle in the preseason game against the Browns.

After the signing of Chester Taylor, it was apparent that one of the backs was doomed and it turns out they chose the injury-plagued veteran.

Aside from monetary issues, Jones was never a true contributor on special teams, an ability called for in all backups.

Garrett Wolfe and Kahlil Bell should remain on the roster and play primarily on special teams with Forte and Taylor getting virtually all the carries.


On a different note, the Bears picked up former seventh round fullback from Iowa Eddie Williams after he was released by the Redskins.

Williams is an accomplished receiver out of the backfield and is more athletic than McKie in his running ability. He would be more an H-back than an in line blocker and therefore, Williams is more appealing to Martz than McKie.

It'll be interesting (more or less, probably less.) to see how the fullback situation pans out given Martz's rare use of the position.

Da Big Three

By Primetime3454
Published on 4:55 PM at










The bears are who we thought they were. Or are they? Historically reluctant to go after big name free agents the bears changed all of that by making one of the biggest free agent splash’s in the teams history. Julius Peppers and the Chicago Bears finalized a six-year deal to bring the top free agent in 2010 to Chicago, and the defensive end feels he hit a home-run with his new deal. "I'm excited to be here and looking forward to doing big things," Peppers said during a news conference. "Being able to come to a place with a deep-rooted tradition in winning is a great thing for me. It's a wonderful thing. It's one thing to play football in this league and make a living. But it's a totally different thing to come to a place with a great tradition and rich football culture like the Bears." According to sources, the contract totals $91.5 million and has $42 million in guarantees. Over the first three years of the contract, Peppers will make $40.5 million, but the number could be more if he makes the Pro Bowl, records a certain number of sacks or is Defensive Player of the Year. Peppers is a Five time Pro Bowler and is known as one of the most athletic and versatile players in the NFL. In his career, Peppers has 8 blocked kicks (extra points and field goal attempts). Peppers has had double-digit sacks in all but 2 seasons. In Chicago, he'll get to play alongside Lance Briggs, Brian Urlacher and Tommie Harris, and give a much-needed boost to a defense that ranked 17th overall and tied for 13th in sacks with 35.



However, Peppers was not the only big name free agent to sign. The Bears also signed perhaps the best running back in this years free agency in Chester Taylor. The 30 year old Taylor rushed for 1,214 yards in 14 games in 2006 before Adrian Peterson (the OTHER Adrian Peterson) arrived and reduced his role. Last year with the defending NFC North Champions the Minnesota Vikings Taylor had 42 catches for 389 yards and 94 carries for 338 yards and served as a valuable third-down player for the Vikings. Taylor would greatly help the Bears in short down and goal line situations where the Bears deeply struggled last year. He'll also challenge for time in the Bears backfield after Chicago's hallmark running game slipped last season, with Forte rushing for 929 yards after finishing with 1,238 as a rookie in 2008. Taylor also fits in perfectly under new offensive coordinator Mike Martz’s system which requires a blocking back and a running back who can receive; both areas Chester Taylor thrives in. Look for him to be a valuable player in the 2010 season. Taylor's contract is worth $12.5 million with $7 million guaranteed over 4 years.



In addition to Julius Peppers and Chester Taylor, the Bears also signed blocking tight end Brandon Manumaleuna from San Diego with a five-year deal. In Mike Martz new offensive system a blocking tight end is required which Manumaleuna does very well. This also opens up more possibility for tight end Greg Olson. Although the tight end has never been a significant part in Martz’s previous offense’s, Martz has never had a tight end like Greg Olson who is very athletic and has big play making ability. So the Bears are more stable on defense and their offense has significantly improved. With all the upgrades the Bears still don’t have a credible Offensive Line. An improved line would greatly improve the Bears playoff dreams; a dream thanks to these free agents is glowing much brighter.


Peppers, Taylor agree to terms

By Mustafa
Published on 3:03 PM at

Two of the biggest free agents on the market made the trip to Halas Hall today in hopes to become a Chicago Bear. The Chicago Bears hope was for these two players to bolster the franchise indefinitely. Both parties got what they wanted.

Running back Chester Taylor agreed to a $12.5 million, four-year contract with $7 million guaranteed, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN after passing his physical. Is a huge upgrade in the backfield and may be in position to compete with Matt Forte. More on that later. Although age may be a factor, there's no doubting Taylor still has the ability to be a change of pace back in this league and would be a perfect fit in Mike Martz's offense...Seems like Mike Martz gets what Mike Martz gets.

Star defensive end Julius Peppers also agreed to terms with the Bears after taking a physical. The contract terms are undisclosed but sources say it is an enormous six-year deal. More to come on that to.

Jerry Angelo's still our GM right?
Stay tuned.

Peppers and Taylor expected to sign

By Mustafa
Published on 10:56 AM at
The Chicago Tribune says that defensive end Julius Peppers and running back Chester Taylor are taking physicals at Halas Hall as we speak.

You don't take a physical to not sign. All we can do now is wait and see how big the contracts will be. And trust me, when you beat out the Patriots and the Eagles, it will be one of the biggest contracts in franchise history.

STAY TUNED!

Bears sign Manumaleuna

By Mustafa
Published on 7:49 AM at

Christmas came early for Mike Martz as the bears signed Brandon Manumaleuna to a five year contract pending a physical. Manumaleuna is a prolific blocking tight end who has great strength in athleticism. Martz's system calls for the tight end to block before he can catch passes because of the five step drops the quarterback takes and at 6'2'' 295, Manumaleuna is practically another tackle for the Bears and is not known for his ability to catch passes.

This should be just the beginning of what will be a busy and intriguing offseason. Julius Peppers and Chester Taylor are set to visit the Bears and sign.

Unorthodox but effective. Stay tuned.

Peppers' agent meets with Bears

By Mustafa
Published on 11:04 AM at
The Chicago Tribune reports Julius Peppers agent met with the bears at Halas Hall over the weekend.

The bears would have to offer one of the biggest contracts in franchise history to land him. Other contenders include the Patriots, Eagles and free-spending Redskins.

Pace, Mines and Reed released

By Mustafa
Published on 6:00 PM at

Left tackle Orlando Pace, tight end Fontel Mines and guad Tyler Reed were all released by the Bears this evening.

Pace started the first 11 games of the season at left tackle until sustaining a groin injury. But when he came back, he was only the swing tackle for first-round choice Chris Williams and Kevin Schaffer at right tackle. Pace showed promise in the first few games of the season but eventually became ineffective. He was an excellent pass protector but contributed to what was one of the worst rushing attacks in the league.

Although Pace did not live up to expectations,he has had an amazing career, a sure Hall of Fame player and is well respected by the Bears and others in the league. We'll wait to see if he plans to retire or not after the somewhat expected departure.

Mines and Reed both spent time on the practice squad but never saw the field.