Bears Football Blog

Bears have high expectations for 09 season

 Five minutes before the Bears' first practice of training camp on the campus of Olivet Nazarene, a member of Jerry Angelo's staff knocked on the door of the general manager's makeshift office.

"It's time to go see our greatest work ever," he excitedly told Angelo.

Obviously, he was referring to Jay Cutler, who is to Angelo what the Sistine Chapel is to Michelangelo. His greatest work ever.

Now the pressure to produce a season that inspires awe shifts entirely to Lovie Smith. The most pivotal year of Smith's head coaching career starts Sunday night against the Packers at Lambeau Field.

Don't worry about the expectations for Cutler mounting higher than his passer rating. Forget fretting over Brian Urlacher's burden being heavy enough to nag his aging back. Nobody on the Bears payroll has more riding on the 2009 season than Smith, who perhaps never has had a team more talented than this one.

Angelo had the equivalent of a 12-4 off-season. Smith's job? Don't screw it up.

It's still amazing how Angelo got out of Colorado after the Bears' third exhibition without having to fight extradition. Getting Cutler from the Broncos for Kyle Orton and draft picks will go down as one of the NFL's all-time heists, the Bears' Brock-for-Broglio. Continue

Urlacher looking to return to past glory

The 30-something linebacker sports a bald head, has a kid-like enthusiasm for the game and is considered by some as the face of the Bears.

Brian Urlacher would rather drop the latter immediately.

"Face of the franchise? Jay Cutler," Urlacher said without hesitation.

"It doesn't matter if he wants it or not. He's got it. He's the guy. He gets to do all the interviews now, gets to handle all the tough questions. You know, I'm OK not doing any of that stuff."

Urlacher, 31 to be exact, would rather focus on rediscovering his old self, the player who struck fear in opponents with his speed, power and instincts. Kryptonite struck Superman in the form of an arthritic back, unexpected neck surgery and a sprained thumb, injuries that affected his play the last two seasons.

"I just have to be more physical at the point of attack," he said. "I've got to get more downhill. I've got to get back to where I was a few years ago when I was just downhill attacking, hitting people in the mouth -- offensive linemen, fullbacks, everybody. Continue

Broncos will take best shots vs Cutler

They will take their shots at Jay Cutler here Sunday night.

In a place called Wrigley's Chicago Bar in Golden, they will stage a contest in which participants will deface Cutler jerseys. They wanted to burn them, but the local fire department wouldn't let them. And they will sell "Cutler Sucks" T-shirts.

In the stands, the fans will jeer him and display signs detailing their displeasure over how Cutler orchestrated a trade to the Bears.

On NBC, Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Andrea Kremer will scrutinize how a player as talented as Cutler could be traded as he is entering the prime of his career.

On the field, the Broncos will try to give him something to remember the city by -- a souvenir lump on his head, perhaps.

Former teammates seem intent on doing most of their talking with their shoulder pads, however. Continue

Cutler deal saves draft holdouts

- Jay Cutler, the gift that keeps on giving, has done more than simply generate intense fan interest in training camp. He has spared the Bears the indignity of drafting and paying a first-round pick both this year and next.

A week into NFL training camps, first-round members of the Class of 2009 were finally starting to reach terms as extended contract holdouts began agreeing to deals. The situation is fluid, but as of Friday night, eight of the top 14 picks remained unsigned. None of this seemed of much interest to the Bears, who were the first team in the league to have all their guys under contract, marking the third time in four years they pulled that off. Continue

Competition at safety for Bears

Safety might be where you'll find the most legitimate competition for starting jobs in camp. Nothing is locked down, but Kevin Payne probably will emerge at strong safety, where he played well at times last season.

The switch with Mike Brown to free safety at midseason didn't play to Payne's strengths. Payne is a physical player who had offseason shoulder surgery a year after missing most of his rookie season with a broken arm. Continue

Tinoisamoa needs to regain form for Bears

The biggest moves the Bears made on defense -- or at least the ones getting the most attention -- were the changes on the coaching staff. Rod Marinelli was hired to coach the defensive line, and Lovie Smith will call the plays instead of defensive coordinator Bob Babich.

But I discussed the two biggest personnel changes on defense -- the acquisition of linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa and the loss of safety Mike Brown -- with Bill Barnwell, the managing editor of Football Outsiders. Its mean projection gives the Bears a 49 percent chance to have 11 or more victories -- the highest figure for any NFC club. Continue

Parking spots going up$

The cost of thousands of parking spots near Soldier Field will spike nearly 50 percent for Bears games this fall.

A lot beneath McCormick Place Lakeside Center and another at 31st and S. Moe Drive will cost $25, up from $17 last season. RV drivers must pay $50, up from $34.

The steep increase covers "the cost of security, portable toilet facility rental, shuttle buses, cleaning and parking taxes,'' said Mary Kay Marquisos, spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority, which controls the lots.

Both lots have about 2,000 spaces each. Continue

Bears willing to stand pat at WR

Although a veteran receiver -- even Anquan Boldin -- remains an option for the Bears, general manager Jerry Angelo dismissed talk of Amani Toomer being on the radar Saturday night.

The NFL Network reported Thursday that the Bears placed a call inquiring about Toomer, a 34-year-old free agent who spent 13 seasons with the New York Giants.

"We have not talked about [Toomer]," Angelo said Saturday before the Bears Care Gala at Solier Field
"A veteran receiver is something we could do. We've looked at just about everybody. But right now we're in a holding pattern. If we go to camp and go into the season with the hand we dealt ourselves, we're very comfortable with that as well." Continue

Marinelli can't wait to mold Melton, Gilbert

If you haven't seen new Bears defensive tackle Jarron Gilbert jump out of a swimming pool by now, well, you're just not trying. Gilbert, a third-round pick, was the Bears' first selection in the draft. He's a YouTube sensation, but he's no more of a genetic freak than fourth-round pick Henry Melton, a defensive end and the Bears' third pick in the draft.

Melton was a running back at Texas who scored 10 touchdowns during the Longhorns' championship season his freshman year. He grew into a defensive end while growing out of a running back's body, but he retained the remarkable athletic ability that once allowed him to vie for the job as Cedric Benson's college replacement. Continue

Briggs cuts self?

Perhaps it's time for Bears linebacker Lance Briggs to treat his straight-edge razor like a new Lamborghini and abandon it altogether.

Briggs -- who walked away unscratched after wrecking his $350,000 sports car on the Edens Expy. less than two years ago -- apparently didn't have the same luck recently while attempting to shave with a straight-edge razor. That's the story Briggs told people who showed up Saturday at an autograph signing in Algonquin. The left-handed Briggs patiently signed with a heavy wrap on his right hand, clearly seen in multiple pictures posted on a blog by a fan who attended the event. Continue