Chicago Bears

ProFootballTalk seems to be beating a drum for the Bears to dump Devin Hester. First they jumped on the fact that a local publication noted that Hester is “competing” to be the Bears’ primary kick returner. Then they opined that it wouldn’t cost much for the Bears to cut or trade him. I fully understand that Hester had a bad 2012 season, as well as bad 2008 and 2009 seasons. In 2012 he looked like he was spending more time running backwards on returns than forward, granted. But in 2012, he still had better averages on returns than he did in ’08 and ’09. Despite those bad years, the Bears stuck with him, and he responded in 2010 and 2011 by returning five punts and one kickoff for touchdowns. Think about it, in just two seasons (following two poor seasons) Hester returned more kicks for touchdowns than arguably the vast majority of returners do in their entire careers! I think it would be ridiculous to release Hester without giving him a chance in 2013. If he flops, his contract is up after this season. I truly believe, although I very well could be wrong, that now that he doesn’t have to flood his brain with trying to become a receiver, we will see a resurgence from the NFL’s all-time best kick returner. Even trading Hester, which I doubt would bring more than a fifth-round pick, would be insane.

May 10, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Brittan Golden (82) warms up during the rookie minicamp on Friday. Mandatory Credit: Reid Compton-USA TODAY Sports I decided to do a countdown to the Chicago Bears season opener on September 8th versus the Cincinnati Bengals.  Thanks to one of my followers on Twitter @Beneiserle, I decided to combine the countdown with a roster preview of sorts. We’re Brittan Golden days away from kickoff.  Who in the heck is Brittan Golden?  I’m glad you asked.  Golden is a wide receiver who played his college ball at West Texas A&M.  The Bears signed him following the 2012 draft as a free agent.   His claim to fame was returning a blocked punt 22 yards for a touchdown in the 2012 preseason finale vs the Cleveland Browns.  The Bears promptly cut him two days later.  After a brief stint on the Jaguars practice squad late last season, the Bears picked him back up this offseason.   (more…)

Last week we wanted to know, Which current player do you think is overrated on the Chicago Bears? And now today we're asking you to think about the entire 93 year history of the franchise, and tell us who is the most overrated Bear of all time. NFL.com is running a poll with their five most overrated Chicago Bears ever, and asking their readers to vote on the options. Earlier today we asked you who you thought was the most underrated Bear in franchise history, so if you still want to weigh in on that topic go here. Here are the five Bears NFL.com came up with, and a little bit of what they had to say on each player. William Perry, DT - 1985-93 This pick was almost too easy. The Fridge lives on in NFL lore more for his persona than his actual play on the field. The Fridge is knocked for playing with some legends, but I do think he was a very productive player. Never a Pro Bowler, but he had a solid career. I do agree, his hype far outshines his productivity. Jim McMahon, QB - 1982-88 The fact of the matter remains that 1985 was his peak. He had career highs in yards and touchdowns, and because of injuries and other mitigating factors was never able to reclaim that magic he had when he played lights out during the Bears' Super Bowl run. What is this a 'pick on the 85 Bears' list? McMahon was a very popular player, but he was another guy whose celebrity was bigger than his play. Adewale Ogunleye, DE - 2004-09 Ogunleye had productive seasons, but not enough to warrant what the Bears gave up for him in the trade (Marty Booker and a 3rd round draft pick) or for his contract. In the underrated portion of the NFL.com article, they heap praise on the DE that played opposite Ogunleye, Alex Brown. And I agree, Brown was a much better football player. Nathan Vasher, CB - 2004-09 Vasher signed a nice extension after the Bears' Super Bowl run in 2006. However, injuries and mediocre play prevented him from living up to that contract. Vasher was a solid player, but too many people remember him for his outstanding 2005 season, and not the four average seasons he posted after. What is this a 'pick on the 06 Super Bowl team' list? I wholeheartedly agree with Vasher's inclusion as a most overrated Bear. He received a bunch of fortunate bounce interceptions, and I always thought Corey Graham should have replaced him after he filled in during the '08 season. Jay Cutler, QB - 2009-present Cutler is often regarded as just outside the cusp of the "elite" quarterbacks in the NFL thanks to his cannon arm, but in reality his stats don't merit that level of consideration. Even in 2012, when he was finally reunited with Brandon Marshall, Cutler only threw 19 touchdowns and completed less than 60 percent of his passes. Oh please, please, please, don't let this turn into another 300+ comment argument about Jay Cutler. So now it's your turn. Who do you think is the most overrated Chicago Bears player of all time? And remember if you want to discuss the most underrated Bears player ever, go here. More From Windy City Gridiron: Confidence Check: Safeties Ten Thoughts on the NFL: Chicago Bears and beyond Bears Working to Speed Up Jay Cutler's Release Time Story Stream - Breaking Down the 2013 Chicago Bears Schedule

Bruce Kluckholn- USA TODAY Sports It’s hard to believe that the owners of the 28th ranked offense in the league were playoff contenders last season, but remarkably enough, the Chicago Bears were. The offense was slow, unreliable, and it was marred by three-and-outs, turnovers, sacks, and a general inability to produce. It isn’t hard to remember the many times the defense recovered the ball inside the opponent’s 20 yard line, or when the Bears were given a short field to score on and simply could not get the job done. Frankly, the Bears’ offensive ineptitude is what cost the Bears a playoff spot and what ultimately cost Lovie Smith his job. With all of that said, it is totally fair to expect a new look offense from the Bears this season. Most importantly, coaching styles have changed. With the arrival of head coach Marc Trestman and offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer, the Bears have swapped traditionally defensive-minded staff members in favor of offensive juggernauts. Trestman, for one, was the mind behind the Montreal Alouettes’ hugely successful offensive scheme in the CFL. Kromer was the offensive line coach for the New Orleans Saints, and also served as offensive coordinator and interim head coach. But what do these additions mean for the Bears? Simply, without any changes in personnel, the Bears will be better schematically this season. They will adopt a less run-heavy offense and certainly find productive ways to use Matt Forte and Michael Bush out of the backfield. Brandon Marshall should continue to be a force in the passing game, but other receivers will be creatively integrated to take pressure off of Marshall and to exploit defensive mismatches.The new offense will almost certainly be audible friendly, and allow Jay Cutler to change plays after diagnosing defensive alignments and evaluating matchups. There should be better protection and a new, zone-based blocking scheme in the run game. The passing game should improve significantly, and Jay Cutler will be utilized to his fullest extent. With the caliber of receivers, running backs, and quarterbacks the Bears have, offensive production should not be difficult to achieve. Even without the Bears’ draft picks and recent acquisitions, it should be expected that the Bears offense come out as powerful as ever for the 2013 season. Jake Wittenberg is a writer for RantSports.com. You can follow him on Twitter here.

Former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson appeared Tuesday on "Good Morning America" to ask for one more chance to play football.

Last week we had a spirited debate break out about Jay Cutler when we asked you, Which player do you think is underrated on the Chicago Bears? This week we're asking you to think about the entire 93 year history of the franchise, and tell us who is the most underrated Bear of all time. NFL.com recently ran down their most underrated Bears ever, and they gave five possible players for you to vote on. We'll touch on the overrated Bears later today, so be sure to stick with the topic at hand in this post. Here's who they had for most underrated, and a brief snippet of what NFL.com had to say on each. Neal Anderson, RB - 1986-93 Anderson took the reins after Payton retired in 1988 and never looked back. Anderson rushed for more than 1,000 yards and at least 10 touchdowns every year from 1988-1990, twice helping carry the Bears to the playoffs where they lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion (San Francisco in 1988, New York in 1990). Anderson played fullback had some injury issues late in his career, but he was an outstanding all around player. His 302 receptions is 6th all time. Johnny Morris, WR - 1958-67 His best season came in 1964, when he snagged 93 passes for 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns. Receivers nowadays would kill for those numbers, and Morris did it in an era when quarterbacks didn't throw 40 passes a game. That's some impressive production for 1964. Some Bears fans may not remember him on the field, but only as a Chicago media personality. Morris is 2nd only to Walter Payton in receptions, and he's #1 in receiving yards. Alex Brown, DE - 2002-09 Brown was the type of quiet, high-motor player defensive coordinators covet. He was second on the team with seven sacks during the 2006 season, when he also intercepted two passes, forced three fumbles, and batted down four other passes. Talk about productivity. Brown never made a Pro Bowl, but he was close a number of times. He was a cap casualty when the Bears signed Julius Peppers. I would have loved to see Brown move over to the left DE spot and play with Pep. Harlon Hill, WR - 1954-61 Hill went to three consecutive Pro Bowls upon entering the league in 1954. Check out these stat lines from 1954 and 1956 respectively: 45 / 1,124 / 12 and 47 / 1,128/ 11. Hill was the NFL Player Of The Year in 1955, and a trophy of his namesake is given to the top NCAA D2 wide out every year. Doug Buffone, LB - 1966-79 Buffone started 186 games as a Bear, during which time he recorded more than 1,200 tackles and 24 interceptions (the most by a Bears linebacker in franchise history). That production on an unheralded team is exactly why Buffone makes this list. The passionate Buffone played on some pretty bad teams (he only saw the post season twice), but he always gave his all on the field. Those are their five underrated Bears, and now it's your turn. Who do you think is the most underrated Chicago Bears player of all time? And remember we'll touch on the most overrated later today, so try not to thread jack. More From Windy City Gridiron: Taking A Look in the Bears History Book: Johnny Morris Taking a Look in the Bears History Book: Harlon Hill Looking Back: The 1989 Chicago Bears Joe Anderson Making the Most of Opportunities

Key dates ahead on Bears, NFL calendar - Brad Biggs: Bears report to training camp on July 24th (Non-Tribune link). Dane: What would make 2013 a successful season? Peter King's MMQB - Peter King is taking his annual vacation; guest columnist Steve Gleason on his life with ALS, mission for a cure. Atlanta radio station fires hosts for skit mocking Gleason. Follow WCG on Twitter; like us on Facebook (& click on 'Subscribed to'). Click for Chicago Bears Tickets for next season. Check out David "OSS" Taylor's CheekyMonkeyArt prints and t-shirts. ---------- Bearsss Brandon Marshall tabbed 27th best player in NFL - Larry Mayer: Marshall is the fifth Bears player—and only member of the offense—to be included on the NFL Network list of the top 100 players. ProFootballFocus - The Top 10 pass rushers to have roamed the NFL over the past five years: Before joining the Bears, there were those who questioned whether Peppers was worth the investment. NFCN Blog - Kevin Seifert's quick roundup of news from around the NFCN's recent minicamps: Carimi, Hester, Bishop, Lions' OL, Louis Delmas' knees. Lester: Ten Thoughts on the NFL: Chicago Bears and beyond Best remaining free agents - Includes one Israel Idonije, but the signing of Sedrick Ellis and the Bears' tight salary cap situation means it's highly unlikely we'll see him return. Football Outsiders - Matching Up to 11: How defenses dealt with the most common offensive personnel grouping (RB, TE, 3 WRs). ---------- Polish sausage The magic number - Joe Fortenbaugh: Average a combined total of 50 rushing attempts and completions per game and a winning season will likely follow. Mike Martz: 3 rushes, 47 completions is ok! [Videos] NFL Network - Kurt Warner reveals his top 10 QBs list on the "Top 100 Reaction Show"; no place for this guy but a few names may surprise you. Know thy enemy: Vikings - Kevin Seifert: Packers release ILB Kevin Bishop, Vikings could well be interested in picking him up to man their MLB spot if he's healthy.

David Banks – USA TODAY Sports Once known as the “Windy City Flyer,” Devin Hester has taken a few steps back from meriting that moniker. Not only is Hester not a wide receiver any more — which is a great decision from the new Marc Trestman-led regime — but he also is only “competing” for the return man job. Meaning if they feel he doesn’t provide enough value at the return spot any longer, Hester could be looking for employment elsewhere before the season starts. In fact, as soon as Trestman was hired by GM Phil Emery, he said that he viewed Hester as only a return specialist, and nothing more. And with good reason. In six seasons as a receiver, Hester only had 217 receptions and 14 touchdowns. An average of about 36 receptions and two-three touchdowns per year. However, the Chicago Bears front office and coaching staff tried to pass him off as a No. 1 for at least four of those seasons, which is ridiculous and needs to be criticized at this point. I mean, seriously, the numbers are just plain awful. When compared to Brandon Marshall‘s last six seasons — a true No. 1 target without question — it’s like pretending your car that you just bought is awesome, but you know that it’s a ’95 Chevy Cavalier and it’s horrible. Doesn’t even have air conditioning. Anyway… Marshall had 592 catches and 43 touchdowns. An average of almost 99 grabs and just over seven touchdowns per season. The scary thing? They could’ve been even better if not for two mediocre (for his standards anyway) seasons with the Miami Dolphins. Alas, we no longer have to worry about that. Gone are the days of Hester being on offense, but are his days on the Bears’ 53-man roster numbered? Back to what Trestman said about Hester, CSNChicago.com’s John Mullin provided the report on Sunday. “Trestman said as much earlier this offseason and observing the rotations during minicamp, with Earl Bennett among others fielding kicks,” Mullin wrote Sunday. “Trestman again used the word ‘competing’ to describe Hester’s situation as the Bears’ primary returner. “With the Bears tight against the salary cap, Hester’s 2013 base of $1.85 million is potentially a factor, as is his age (31 in November), if he does not establish a level of dominance approaching what he had before working into the offense as a receiver.” As a Bears fan, I really appreciate this approach by Trestman. Is Hester the best return man on the roster? I would say yes still. And even if Trestman does or does not recognize that, he is going to make him earn his spot. That’s a very good culture to have instilled that hopefully brings competition and level of play up as training camp nears. However, in the past week, Hester has said that he feels “energized,” which at the very least is a major step up from considering retirement several months ago. “I’m having fun,” Hester said according to the Chicago Sun-Times. “I feel more energized, more in shape as far as my legs being fresh by limiting some of my reps. It reminds me of my first two years.” That is intriguing. If Hester can get anywhere near the production he did in his first two years, or even provides half of what he did (11 kick/punt return touchdowns plus one field goal return), he will have more than earned his salary in 2013. And more importantly, he will give the Bears an aspect they missed last season. In 2012, teams still kicked away from Hester from time to time, but even when he did get an opportunity, he was never really able to get anything going. He had no touchdowns and his longest run-back was a 44-yard punt return. The main question is, was it him or the special teams unit as a whole? The Bears have had great blocking on special teams during his time with the team, however, last year, it didn’t seem like the lanes were there very often. Or if ther

Devin Hester may be voted into the Hall of Fame someday as arguably the most dominant returner in NFL history. But right now he is working to hold onto that job with a new Bears coaching staff, John Mullin of CSN Chicago reports. Coach Marc Trestman said as much earlier this offseason and observing the rotations during minicamp, with Earl Bennett among others fielding kicks. Trestman again used the word “competing” to describe Hester’s situation as the Bears’ primary returner. With the Bears tight against the salary cap, Hester’s 2013 base of $1.85 million is potentially a factor, as is his age (31 in November), if he does not establish a level of dominance approaching what he had before working into the offense as a receiver.

May 22, 2013; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker (9) looks on during organized team activities at the Under Armour Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports 2012 #83- Justin Tucker PK  Baltimore Ravens- Tucker was a better option at the beginning of the season than later when the offense started scoring touchdowns.  Tucker like most kickers are a coin flip in the later rounds of fantasy drafts but Joe Flacco and Ray Rice should be able to move chains and put points on the board so Tucker should be at least an option when it’s time to take your kicker. Retro #83 2002- Jay Feely PK Atlanta Falcons- Yep #83 is all kickers.  Feely was still kicking away in 2012, but the one thing I remember in 2002 was him missing kicks against the Bears in Week #2! A Look Ahead #83 ESPN-Miles Austin- As discussed yesterday Austin has gone from the penthouse to #2 option in the Cowboys offense due to the presence of Dez Bryant.  If you’re in a deep league Austin is a good #3 option at WR but if you’re in a 10-team league only time Austin will see your starting lineup will be bye weeks. CBS Sports- Jeremy Maclin- The question for Maclin and DeSean Jackson is how will Chip Kelly’s offense affect their production.  Maclin for the past two years even though regarded as the #2 option really was the #1 WR in Philly.