2007 NFC North Preview: Chicago Bears

Walter Anaruk - 2007-07-23 20:32:45

The Bear’s followed up their Super Bowl loss by getting rid of the offenses lone bright spot in that dismal game. They handed running back Thomas Jones to the New York Jets for a late draft pick. Meanwhile, they hemmed and hawed at giving talented head coach Lovie Smith a contract on par with Super Bowl caliber head coaches. The Bears found themselves embroiled in contract disputes with weak side linebacker Lance Briggs. And have dealt with legal issues regarding defensive tackle Tank Johnson.

With training camp on the horizon, the Bears have released the troubled Johnson. They’ve given Lance Briggs no play on his contract, opting instead to leave the one-year franchise tender on the table. They’ve paid defensive back Nathan Vasher and rested the future of their running game on the enigmatic and perhaps injury prone Cedric Benson.

Many feel that they Bears stubborn and frugal off-season, combined with the Thomas Jones giveaway has put their hopes of returning to the Super Bowl in jeopardy. With a steadily improving NFC North, the Bears cannot afford to rest on their laurels.

Quarterbacks: Rex Grossman is good when he has time. He has a great deep ball and a good feel for the pocket. When Grossman is under pressure, he throws off his back foot, tries to push passes into coverage, and generally makes poor decisions. Some of that can be attributed to inexperience. Despite playing in his third year, Grossman spent the past two seasons on injured reserve. The Bears are staunchly in Grossman’s corner. He needs to earn that support on the field this season by being more consistent and careful with the football.

Brian Griese is the best quarterback on the Bears roster. If Grossman struggles again this season, Griese has a shot at supplanting Grossman as the starter. Griese is smart, accurate, and mobile. While he lacks Grossman’s elite arm, he is strong enough to get the ball deep.

While Grossman may have gotten into the playoffs, it is easy to argue that he did not lead the team into the post season. Griese has led two teams to the playoffs in Denver and Tampa Bay. He is also a former Pro Bowler. Griese isn’t young but he’s not old either. If Grossman fails to prove he’s the future this year, the Bears may have an excellent long term alternative in Griese.

Kyle Orton did well enough two seasons ago in relief of an injured Grossman to pilot the offense to an 11-win record and a playoff berth. However, Orton was more of a bus driver, allowing Thomas Jones to grind out yards and open things up for an occasional shot down field. Orton is firmly the third quarterback on the depth chart.
Fantasy Impact: Grossman is the prototype of fantasy football inconsistency. Last season, owners got excited early in the season only to be repeatedly scalped by Grossman in the middle and late season. Grossman is worth a later round pick as a back up. Against a weaker pass rush, Grossman can even be good against teams with a good secondary. But matched up against a team that can put pressure on, Grossman is a poor start.

Running Backs: I still can’t believe the Bears gave up Thomas Jones for so little. And the future of the Bears running game rests squarely on the shoulders of Cedric Benson. Benson was never really able to carve out a feature role with Jones on the roster. While Benson is bigger and stronger than Jones, Jones is faster and capable of grinding out an entire game between the tackles. Jones is also a superior receiver, shiftier in space, and near flawless in pass blocking. So the Bears are now bigger and more powerful at running back, but slower and less versatile.

Not to totally rain on Benson’s parade. The Bears obviously like Benson enough to let Jones go for a song. Benson is not as fast as Jones but he does burst through the line of scrimmage with authority. He doesn’t have breakaway speed but he’s fast enough to round the corners and quickly burst into the secondary.

Adrian Peterson now climbs the depth chart from third to second. Peterson is smaller than Benson but is a good receiver and willing blocker. Peterson plays bigger than he is and should be a good third down complement to Benson.
Fantast Impact: The Bears rely heavily on the run. So Benson is a good second running back for your fantasy team but there are plenty better. Don’t look for Benson until after the third round or you’ll give up something better like an elite receiver or quarterback. Benson’s injury concerns are a major factor in his decreased value. If he can rumble through this season injury free, his value will shoot up next year.

Wide Receivers: Bernard Berrian and Mushin Muhammad are a very good tandem. Berrian has elite speed and can burn overaggressive press-coverage. Muhammad has lost a bit of a step but can use his size and ups to shield off defenders from the ball. Muhammad is also a willing blocker.

The question marks come in with former defensive back Rashied Davis, speedy but gimpy Mark Bradley, and special teams ace Devin Hester. Hester was originally a defensive back but Chicago is looking at Hester on offense this preseason.

Davis made a good impression in the slot last year. Mark Bradley has elite speed but was slow to recover from ACL surgery. While he was good when he found the field last season his prolonged recovery ate into his productivity. Hester was never able to find a position he was good enough at to start on offense or defense at the University of Miami. His speed makes him intriguing on offense but the Bears must figure out how to use him in a way that does not make him liability.
Fantasy Impact: Berrian is becoming worth a look as a second receiver. Last season he tallied 775 yards and six touchdowns despite missing time. But there are plenty of better options. If he’s available in the later rounds he’s a steal for a third wide receiver or flex receiver. Hester is an enigma. His return yards could be a bonus but don’t expect him to repeat his special teams wizardry. Dante Hall had the same allure to fantasy owners in Kansas City and he disappointed owners in subsequent seasons. Hester will be drafted but if he develops into a monster, the owner who drafted him isn’t a genius so much as lucky. Remember, Hester was just as fast in college but was unable to secure a starting job against lesser defenses. Why?

Tight Ends: Desmond Clark is the current starter. But first round draft pick Greg Olsen will take his job early. Olsen continues a distinguished line of tight ends from “the U.”

Think Jeremy Shockey. Think Kellen Winslow, Jr. Olsen is an excellent blend of size, speed, and soft hands. He will contribute early and often. Clark was Grossman’s security blanket last season. With Jones gone, Grossman will feel a bit more pressure and Olsen will benefit.
Fantasy Impact: Olsen is one of those rookies that will have an immediate fantasy impact. He has the talent and is on a team that will need him. Olsen is an excellent option if the Gates, Gonzo, Shockey, Heap run has already taken place.

Offensive Line: The Bears offensive line is anchored by arguably the most complete center in football. Olin Kreutz is excellent from the moment the huddle breaks. He makes smart line calls, fires off the snap. He can pass block and despite being a tad undersized, drives through and finishes blocks in the running game.

Left guard Reuben Brown is a mauler in the running game. Right guard Roberto Garza isn’t the monster than Brown is but he is consistently good and plays with a mean streak. John Tait and Fred Miller are solid bookends at tackle. They both have a good burst and good technique. However, both are vulnerable to speed rushers.

The Bears have a deep and talented offensive line. While some of the pieces have their weaknesses, as a unit they work exceptionally well.

Defensive Line: When Tony Dungy architected the Tampa-2 defense in Tampa Bay, he and Defensive Coordinator Monte Kiffen built the scheme around defensive tackle Warren Sapp. Bears Head Coach Lovie Smith, took what he learned in Tampa and built his defense around tackle Tommie Harris.

Tommie Harris has a superhuman burst off the ball that makes you wonder if he heard the snap count in the offensive huddle – on every play. Harris is a disruptive force from the three-technique.

Nose tackle Tank Johnson was released for personal conduct reasons so the Bears must find out what they have in former 49er Anthony Adams. Dusty Dvoracek’s rookie season was shortened by a foot injury. With Tank Johnson gone, Dvoracek needs to step up in the rotation.

The Bears need an elite pass rusher at end to complement Harris as well as draw blockers off of him. Adewale Ogunleye was brought in from Miami to fill that role. However, he was hampered by leg and foot injuries. Alex Brown is very good against the run but he’s not a good pass rusher. Mark Anderson is a solid pass rusher but not a great run defender. Long and short, Ogunleye needs to get healthy.

Linebackers: The Bears linebacker corps needs no heavy analysis. Brian Urlacher is smart, fast, big, and an unquestioned leader. He can cover, he can play the run, force fumbles, and he has the speed to run with just about any tight end in the league. Urlacher wasn’t dazzling in blitz packages last year but many analysts believe his performance was driven by scheme.

Strong side backer Hunter Hillenmeyer is smart and instinctive. While the least athletic of the starting three, Hillenmeyer rarely needs to rely on athleticism since he is almost never out of position.

Weak side backer Lance Briggs is in a contract dispute. If he plays, he is a terror to opposing offenses. If not, look for Jamar Williams or Michael Okwo to fill in.

Secondary: Corners Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher are perfect for the Tampa-2. They play smart, physical, and both willingly tackle in run support. Vasher is more of a ball hawk while Tillman is much more physical.

Safety Adam Archuleta, who recently came to Chicago from Washington, will be happy to find himself patrolling the line of scrimmage. Free safety Danieal Manning needs to improve as a tackler. But he’s fast and breaks on the ball well.

If Chicago expects to get back to the Super Bowl they need Rex Grossman to find consistency and Cedric Benson to live up to his draft status. The defense is exceptional. The special teams are excellent in both the kicking and return games. The offensive line is excellent. The receiving corps has a good blend of veterans and young risers. If Grossman or Benson struggle, they will have no one to blame.

Last season, Chicago went to the Super Bowl because of stellar defense, special teams, and a versatile ground game lead by Thomas Jones. Grossman and Benson don’t have Jones to lean on this year. They have to prove themselves if Chicago wants to contend for another shot at the big game.

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