Chicago Bears: 3 Reasons Alshon Jeffery Will Take the No. 2 Spot on Depth Chart

Source: Bleacher Report

The Chicago Bears win the NFC North led by their twin tower wide receivers Brandon Marshall and rookie Alshon Jeffery.

There is a better chance you hear that if Jeffery is the Bears' No. 2 wide receiver instead of Devin Hester or Johnny Knox.

The Bears have not had a legitimate receiving core for years. The last time they had a receiver with 1,000 yards was Marty Booker in 2002.

Here are three reasons why Jeffery will win the No. 2 receiver spot on the Bears' depth chart as a rookie.

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What is Each Chicago Bears’ Signature Play?

Source: Bear Goggles On by Boomer

The Twitterverse was buzzing on Friday morning, leading up to the first 2012 Cubs-Sox matchup not necessarily with the usual trash talking, but with an unexpected mid-season retirement.  When I heard that Kerry Wood was going to retire, I have to admit I wasn’t totally surprised.  With an ERA north of 8, Kid K just doesn’t have it any more.  Then word began to spread that he was going to make one last appearance, a swan song if you will.  It couldn’t have worked out better for him,  striking out the last batter that he faced.

 

Seeing that moment, it was clear that aside from being on the DL, the strikeout on a nasty breaking ball was Kerry Wood’s signature play and it got me to thinking, what is the signature play or the signature moment for each Chicago Bears star?

Walter Payton

Sweetness has so many signature plays, it’s hard for me to pick just one.  How about diving over the pile for a touchdown?  Is it a stiff arm and dragging a would-be tackler another 5 yards?  Is it the high stepping down the sidelines toward the end zone?  What about when he became the league’s all-time leading rusher vs the Saints?  Hit the jump to see my ideas for our current Bears.

… [visit site to read more]

What is Each Chicago Bears’ Signature Play? - Bear Goggles On - Bear Goggles On - A Chicago Bears Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

The Chicago Bears' 10 Best & Worst Moves of the 2012 Offseason

Source: Bleacher Report

The Bears have quietly (and not so quietly) had a very good offseason. Many of the moves that new GM Phil Emery made were under-the-radar additions, except for Brandon Marshall, who was easily the best addition of the offseason for Chicago.

GM Jerry Angelo was fired, in large part due to his draft record. But it also had to do with his not having an adequate backup to Jay Cutler. So Phil Emery went out and grabbed Jason Campbell, who should be able to actually win a couple games if he has to.

In all, it was a very good offseason for the Bears, who, despite a tough division, are right in the thick of the Super Bowl chase.

But not everything that happened this offseason was positive. That's true of all NFL teams. The draft, meanwhile, will take time to determine, but the Bears still have some critical gaps that were not addressed, such as the offensive line.

So let's take a look at the Bears' top offseason moves, both good and bad, and see what's in store for our team this season.

Begin Slideshow

Beyond the Shutdown 50: Juron Criner, WR, Oakland Raiders (Shutdown Corner)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Now that the 2012 NFL draft is in the can, it's time to take the Shutdown 50 scouting format forward and get a closer look at some of the surprising and fascinating selections from this year's draft -- the guys we missed in the original 50, but who could be impact players now or down the road. Our next entry: Arizona receiver Juron Criner, selected by the Oakland Raiders with the 33rd pick in the fifth round (168th overall). Overview: While most of the talk about Pac-12 passing attacks in 2011 focused on the offenses led by Andrew Luck and Matt Barkley, the Arizona passing  game has been one of the more productive in the nation in recent seasons -- and receiver Juron Criner may be the primary reason for that. If you're in the group who believes that former Arizona and current Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles hurt that aerial attack as much as he helped it with his inaccuracy and questionable decision-making, Criner stands out in sharper relief. After catching 7 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown as a true freshman, Criner moves up to 45/582/9 in 2009, and made a name for himself in 2010, when he caught 82 passes for 1,233 yards and 11 touchdowns. He repeated that touchdown figure last year, and the rest of the numbers almost matched up (75 for 926). Criner further set himself on the radar with an exciting week at the Senior Bowl. From our own Mike Tanier's report : Criner has probably helped his stock more than any other player during Senior Bowl practices this week ... [he] does not have breakaway speed, but he appears to have the rest of the package. "I'm very agile for a man my size," Criner said after Thursday's practice. That agility was evident earlier in the week, when he made smooth cuts and adjusted to poorly thrown balls in live practices. Criner has also been demonstrating good hands and pass-catching technique, and he looks more fluid and comfortable running routes than some of the other big receivers on the South squad. Janoris Jenkins (CB, North Alabama), the likely first-round pick who transferred from Florida because of personal issues, singled Criner out as the hardest South receiver to cover this week during his Thursday press conference. "He's kinda got ball skills," Jenkins said. "If you hit his hand, he'll catch it. And he's tall." So, there's that. When he's thrown to by good quarterbacks, Juron Criner tends to make plays. And even when he's thrown to by quarterbacks who couldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat, he's going to do some interesting things. Now a proud member of the Oakland Raiders, Criner has a shot at doing what Tennessee wideout Denarius Moore did in 2011 -- come out of nowhere as a late-round pick and impress the NFL. Moore went off the hook in a relative sense in his rookie campaign, catching 33 passes for 618 yards and five touchdowns. Could Criner be the next guy on the Raiders' late-draft boards to flash that same kind of long-term potential? Strengths: Shows an impressive burst for an alleged "possession receiver" -- Criner gets up to speed quickly off the line and in end-arounds. Fires upfield with an impressive second gear. Good catch radius and fine hands in space -- Criner often contorted his body to make catches when Foles was throwing with questionable accuracy. Will adjust his body to catch deep balls without losing too much speed after he's already beaten the corner or safety down the seam. Made a lot of catches despite the fact that Foles was clearly targeting him as the first read, which allowed opponents to time their jumps on the ball. Will fight to get through contact before he's wrapped up and occasionally gets free to make a big play. Senior Bowl performances showed what he could do when targeted by quarterbacks with a clue, as has his brief performances in Raiders minicamp. Frequently listed as a possession receiver, but he's got more downfield speed than the title might imply. Weaknesses: Tends to lose control of the ball when contact is coming -- doesn't have alligator arms, per se, but has trouble bringing the ball in and securing it when a defender is bearing down on him. Will lose the ball too often upon contact, leading to fumbles and incompletions. Not an especially physical player when fighting for balls with defenders in short spaces.

NFC North Watch: Calvin Johnson is Playing the Wrong Sport

Source: Windy City Gridiron by Steven Schweickert

Calvin Johnson made an appearance with the Detroit Tigers before a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates and took batting practice with the team. He made some very solid contact, a couple deep balls to the outfield, before timing up a perfect line-drive home run to left field. Only two more until he ties Albert Pujols.

In actual football news, Lions running back Kevin Smith said that Megatron is the

Briggs not worried about new Bear Marshall

Source: Chicago Tribune

Says receiver with troubled past 'going to be fine' in Chicago

From the moment Brandon Marshall was introduced as a Bear, there was talk of how a strong locker room would play a crucial role in taming the sometimes-volatile wide receiver.

Picks to Improve: Stephen Paea

Source: Windy City Gridiron by Steven Schweickert

So far with this little miniseries on recent prior draft picks we've discussed a player who'll probably retain a starting spot and another player who need to step up to keep his. Let's go now with a player who will see his playing time increase but should still show more before he gets comfortable with 2013 - last year's second round draft pick Stephen Paea.

Paea didn't see the field until the first game against Minnesota and responded by picking up a sack/safety in his first game action. He picked up one more sack in his last nine games that season - a run-stuff against Tim Tebow, called a sack

Trevor Coston: Q&A with Chicago Bears Rookie Safety Trevor Coston

Source: Bleacher Report

Safety Trevor Coston from the University of Maine went undrafted, but the Chicago Bears inked him to a deal the day after the draft.

The 5'10", 210-lb Coston joins third-round draft pick Brandon Hardin, undrafted rookie Jeremy Jones (Wayne State) and second-year pro Anthony Walters behind the veterans in the secondary.

Major Wright, Chris Conte and Craig Steltz provide the most depth for the Bears, while the four mentioned above will likely battle for two spots behind them.

With that being said, Coston put up strong numbers in his four seasons at Maine. In 36 career games, he reeled in 12 interceptions including one for a touchdown.

He intercepted six passes in his senior season. He also returned a punt for a touchdown as a well in his final year.

The main way undrafted free agents earn their way onto NFL squads is by playing special teams. The practice squad is also a spot Coston could land in his first year.

I had the chance to catch up with Trevor this past week and he talked about his biggest strengths and weakness, who he credits to getting him to this point and much more.

Here's the interview with Bears rookie safety Trevor Coston.

 

 

Q: Was it always your dream to play in the NFL? Are you excited to be in the city of Chicago playing for such a historic franchise?

A: It was definitely always a goal since I was a child to play in the NFL, now I couldn't be anymore excited to play for the Bears.

 

 

Q: What do you feel is your biggest strength?

A: I love getting the ball whether it's an interception, force fumble, fumble recovery—I'm always around the ball.

 

 

Q: What do you feel is your biggest weakness?

A: I can be over-aggressive sometimes whether it's tackling or jumping the route. The great thing about these weaknesses is that they can and will be fixed.

 

 

Q: Which NFL player do you most compare yourself to on the field?

A: I really don't like to compare myself but my favorite player is Ed Reed. I like to try to mimic things he does on the field with coverage and ball-hawking skills, Ryan Clark is another player as well; you never see him out of position, he is a very underrated player.

 

 

Q: Who is the person that you credit to getting you to this point?

A: My mother. I wouldn't be anywhere without her, she was my mother, my father, my role model, and more importantly kept me out of trouble and into sports and put me before herself. I'm truly blessed to have a mother like her.

 

 

Q: In terms of off the field and personality, what will an NFL franchise be getting with Trevor Coston?

A: A leader on and off the field but also a laid-back guy who likes to work hard.

 

 

Q: What does your pregame warmup consist of?

A: Light stretching and relaxing. Making sure I'm laughing. Because this game is fun and you have to enjoy it.

 

 

Q: What artists/songs are typically part of your warmup playlist?

A: Wale, 2 Chainz, Jay-Z and many others.

 

 

Q: What is a fact that some people may not know about you?

A: I love to collect sneakers. I am very big on the latest and newest sneakers that come out, some would say I'm addicted.

 

 

Q: Do you have a nickname that your teammates and friends call you? How did that come about?

A: T, Trev, TC, or "chill 3" referring to my old college number.

 

 

Q: Are you a big social media guy?

A: I like to keep up with what's out like Twitter and such but I'm not a big Facebook guy.

 

 

Q: What is your favorite part of football?

A: Physicality and team play. This game is where you need other teammates to be on the same page to complete that one goal.

 

 

Q: Are you glad to be done with the draft process and be part of a team? What are you most excited about?

A: Yes I am, now I'm just ready to play football and prove the doubters wrong.

 

Jake Perper is the owner and head writer for Bearsbacker.com. Follow him on Twitter, @Bearsbacker and on Facebook for up-to-the-minute news about the Bears.

Read more Chicago Bears news on BleacherReport.com

Trevor Coston: Q & A with Chicago Bears Rookie Safety Trevor Coston

Source: Bleacher Report

Safety Trevor Coston from the University of Maine went undrafted, but the Chicago Bears inked him to a deal the day after the draft.

The 5'10", 210-lb Coston joins third-round draft pick Brandon Hardin, undrafted rookie Jeremy Jones (Wayne State) and second-year pro Anthony Walters behind the veterans in the secondary.

Major Wright, Chris Conte and Craig Steltz provide the most depth for the Bears, while the four mentioned above will likely battle for two spots behind them.

With that being said, Coston put up strong numbers in his four seasons at Maine. In 36 career games, he reeled in 12 interceptions including one for a touchdown.

He intercepted six passes in his senior season. He also returned a punt for a touchdown as a well in his final year.

The main way undrafted free agents earn their way onto NFL squads is by playing special teams. The practice squad is also a spot Coston could land in his first year.

I had the chance to catch up with Trevor this past week and he talked about his biggest strengths and weakness, who he credits to getting him to this point and much more.

Here's the interview with Bears rookie safety Trevor Coston.

 

 

Q: Was it always your dream to play in the NFL? Are you excited to be in the city of Chicago playing for such a historic franchise?

A: It was definitely always a goal since I was a child to play in the NFL, now I couldn't be anymore excited to play for the Bears.

 

 

Q: What do you feel is your biggest strength?

A: I love getting the ball whether it's an interception, force fumble, fumble recovery—I'm always around the ball.

 

 

Q: What do you feel is your biggest weakness?

A: I can be over-aggressive sometimes whether it's tackling or jumping the route. The great thing about these weaknesses is that they can and will be fixed.

 

 

Q: Which NFL player do you most compare yourself to on the field?

A: I really don't like to compare myself but my favorite player is Ed Reed. I like to try to mimic things he does on the field with coverage and ball-hawking skills, Ryan Clark is another player as well; you never see him out of position, he is a very underrated player.

 

 

Q: Who is the person that you credit to getting you to this point?

A: My mother. I wouldn't be anywhere without her, she was my mother, my father, my role model, and more importantly kept me out of trouble and into sports and put me before herself. I'm truly blessed to have a mother like her.

 

 

Q: In terms of off the field and personality, what will an NFL franchise be getting with Trevor Coston?

A: A leader on and off the field but also a laid-back guy who likes to work hard.

 

 

Q: What does your pregame warmup consist of?

A: Light stretching and relaxing. Making sure I'm laughing. Because this game is fun and you have to enjoy it.

 

 

Q: What artists/songs are typically part of your warmup playlist?

A: Wale, 2 Chainz, Jay-Z and many others.

 

 

Q: What is a fact that some people may not know about you?

A: I love to collect sneakers. I am very big on the latest and newest sneakers that come out, some would say I'm addicted.

 

 

Q: Do you have a nickname that your teammates and friends call you? How did that come about?

A: T, Trev, TC, or "chill 3" referring to my old college number.

 

 

Q: Are you a big social media guy?

A: I like to keep up with what's out like Twitter and such but I'm not a big Facebook guy.

 

 

Q: What is your favorite part of football?

A: Physicality and team play. This game is where you need other teammates to be on the same page to complete that one goal.

 

 

Q: Are you glad to be done with the draft process and be part of a team? What are you most excited about?

A: Yes I am, now I'm just ready to play football and prove the doubters wrong.

 

Jake Perper is the owner and head writer for Bearsbacker.com. Follow him on Twitter, @Bearsbacker and on Facebook for up-to-the-minute news about the Bears.

Read more Chicago Bears news on BleacherReport.com

Q & A With Bears Safety Trevor Coston

Source: Bears Backer by Jake Perper

Safety Trevor Coston from the University of Maine went undrafted, but the Chicago Bears inked him to a deal the day after the draft.

The 5’10″, 210 lb Coston joins third-round draft pick Brandon Hardin, undrafted rookie Jeremy Jones (Wayne State) and second-year pro Anthony Walters behind the veterans in the secondary.

Major Wright, Chris Conte and Craig Steltz provide the most depth for the Bears, while the four mentioned above will likely battle for two spots behind them.

With that being said, Coston put up strong numbers in his four seasons at Maine. In 36 career games, he reeled in 12 interceptions including one for a touchdown.

He intercepted six passes in his senior season. He also returned a punt for a touchdown as a well in his final year.

The main way undrafted free agents earn their way onto NFL squads is by playing special teams. The practice squad is also a spot Coston could land in his first year.

I had the chance to catch up with Trevor this past week and he talked about his biggest strengths and weakness, who he credits to getting him to this point and much more.

Here’s the interview with Bears rookie safety Trevor Coston.

BB: Was it always your dream to play in the NFL? Are you excited to be in the city of Chicago playing for such a historic franchise?

TC: It was definitely always a goal since I was a child to play in the NFL, now I couldn’t be anymore excited to play for the Bears.

BB: What do you feel is your biggest strength?

TC: I love getting the ball whether it’s an interception, force fumble, fumble recovery I’m always around the ball.

BB: What do you feel is your biggest weakness?

TC: I can be over aggressive sometimes whether it’s tackling or jumping the route the great thing about these weaknesses is that they can and will be fixed.

BB: Which NFL player do you most compare yourself to on the field?

TC: I really don’t like to compare myself but my favorite player is Ed Reed. I like to try to mimic things he does on the field with coverage and ball hawking skills, Ryan Clark is another player as well; you never see him out of position, he is a very underrated player.

BB: Who is the person that you credit to getting you to this point?

TC: My mother. I wouldn’t be anywhere without her she was my mother, my father, my role model, and more importantly kept me out of trouble and into sports and put me before herself I’m truly blessed to have a mother like her.

BB: In terms of off the field and personality, what will an NFL franchise be getting with Trevor Coston?

TC: A leader on and off the field but also a laid back guy who likes to work hard.

BB: What does your pregame warmup consist of?

TC: Light stretching and relaxing. Making sure I’m laughing. Because this game is fun and you have to enjoy it.

BB: What artists/songs are typically part of your warmup playlist?

TC: Wale, 2 Chainz, Jay-Z and many others.

BB: What is a fact that some people may not know about you?

TC: I love to collect sneakers. I am very big on the latest and newest sneakers that come out, some would say I’m addicted.

BB: Do you have a nickname that your teammates and friends call you? How did that come about?

TC: T, Trev, TC, or “chill 3″ referring to my old college number.

BB: Are you a big social media guy?

TC: I like to keep up with what’s out like Twitter and such but I’m not a big Facebook guy.

BB: What is your favorite part of football?

TC: Physicality and team play. This game is where you need other teammates to be on the same page to complete that one goal.

BB: Are you glad to be done with the draft process and be part of a team? What are you most excited about?

TC: Yes I am, now I’m just ready to play football and prove the doubters wrong.

Jake Perper is the owner and head writer for Bearsbacker.com. Follow him on Twitter, @Bearsbacker and on Facebook for up to the minute news about the Bears.

Bears tight ends full of potential

Source: Scout.com

The Bears have two untested tight ends whom most believe have the potential to be very good in the NFL. Can Evan Rodriguez and Kellen Davis be the next Gronkowski/Hernandez combo?

Kyle Adams Undertaking Charitable Endeavor in Haiti

Source: Windy City Gridiron by Steven Schweickert

Next month, Kyle Adams will be heading down to Haiti once the Bears' offseason program ends.

Adams will spend a week in Haiti helping to build a security fence as part of the construction of an orphanage in the poverty-stricken country. The 24-year-old Texas native will also conduct sports camps, share the gospel with local children and bring food and clothing to other orphanages.

Adams is part of the Ephraim Orphan Project.

According to its website, the

No reason Cutler can’t be MVP in 2012

Source: Scout.com

Considering the pieces in place around him, the new offensive system and the progress he made last season as a passer, there is no reason why Jay Cutler can’t be the league MVP this year.

LT's Super Bowl XXV ring sells for $230,401 (National Football Post)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Auction house gets big bucks

Brandon Marshall says Bears could be Super Bowl contenders

Source: NFL.com by NFL.com

After joining the Chicago Bears this offseason, wide receiver Brandon Marshall is confident his new team can leapfrog the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions in the NFC North pecking order.

McCoy gets paid; Forte does not

Source: Scout.com

The Sports Xchange discusses the contract extension of LeSean McCoy, the upcoming owner’s meeting, Pittsburgh’s improved offensive line, the impact of the rookie wage scale and much more.

Examining the Leverage in the Forte Case

Source: Windy City Gridiron by Steven Schweickert

Yesterday, I put up my comparison of Matt Forte and LeSean McCoy by the numbers and gave my thoughts on how much Forte is worth compared to McCoy. Today, I thought we'd take a look at Dan Pompei's article discussing the finer points of the "Pay Forte" dilemma.

The first thing the article does is list out the top "tiers" of running backs in the NFL - and smack in the middle of the second tier are Forte and McCoy.

7. Forte: 7. An

Gale Sayers Highlights

Source: Bear Goggles On by Boomer

I was watching NFL Films Top Ten the other night and they had the Top 10 most dominant single season performances.  They had Gale Sayers on the list.  Now I’m a Payton guy and grew up on Sweetness, so I hadn’t really paid attention to “the other … [visit site to read more]

Gale Sayers Highlights - Bear Goggles On - Bear Goggles On - A Chicago Bears Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

Picks to Improve: Corey Wootton

Source: Windy City Gridiron by Steven Schweickert

Earlier today we took a look at a recent draft pick from 2011 who had some decent success last season and looks locked into a starting position to begin 2012. Let's continue today with the complete opposite end of the spectrum - a player drafted in 2010 with lots of talent but an injury that was holding him back - and who is so far best known for one play and one play only - the last player to ever sack Brett Favre.

Tonight, we're discussing Corey Wootton and what he needs to do to retain his hold on a roster spot.

Wootton's a fourth round draft pick appearing in thirteen games over his

Did You Know? 5/19/2012

Source: Bears Backer by Jake Perper

Safeties Cameron Worrell (2003) and Brandon McGowan (2005) are the only players who participated in the rookie minicamp on a tryout basis to earn a spot on the opening day 53-man roster over the last decade for the Chicago Bears.

It’s funny that the two players are safeties considering how often Lovie Smith has altered his safety rotation since his arrival in Chicago in 2004.

When do organized team activities begin?

The Bears will have their first of 10 OTA workouts next Tuesday, May 22. The final OTA, scheduled for June 7, will be followed by the full-participation minicamp June 12-14.

Jake Perper is the owner and head writer for Bearsbacker.com. Follow him on Twitter, @Bearsbacker and on Facebook for up to the minute news about the Bears.

Video: Breaking down Marshall

Source: ESPN Chicago

"NFL Live's" Cris Carter discusses Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall's best attributes.

Pompei: Bears appear to have leverage in money battle with Forte

Source: Chicago Tribune

Though he compares favorably with top backs, it appears club doesn't value him comparably

Sometimes it seems the closer the Bears get to training camp, the further they are from signing Matt Forte to a new contract.

Ex-NFL lineman: At least 50% of players use marijuana

Source: Chicago Tribune

Former NFL offensive lineman Lomas Brown, an ESPN analyst, believes more than half of NFL players smoke marijuana.

Bears appear to have leverage in money battle with Forte

Source: Chicago Tribune

Though he compares favorably with top backs, it appears club doesn't value him comparably

Sometimes it seems the closer the Bears get to training camp, the further they are from signing Matt Forte to a new contract.

Video: Brandon Marshall Highlights

Source: Windy City Gridiron by Steven Schweickert

Because this, ladies and gentlemen, is the Bears' new number one receiver.

Epic Brandon Marshall 2011 Highlights (via 4Knzer)

On LeSean McCoy, Matt Forte, and Contracts

Source: Windy City Gridiron by Steven Schweickert

On Thursday, LeSean McCoy of the Eagles signed a five-year, up to $45 million extension with about $20 million guaranteed. Matt Forte played his fourth season to finish out his rookie deal and now sits with a franchise tag of $7.742 million, and the prospects of a contract getting done seeming more distant.

The McCoy deal, according to Rotoworld, is as follows:

5/17/2012: Signed a six-year, $45.615 million contract. The deal

Jim Harbaugh says Michael Crabtree has best hands he's ever seen (National Football Post)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

49ers need more from talented wide receiver

Michael Vick running hitch pattern (National Football Post)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Eagles QB getting married next month

Former NFL lineman: At least 50 percent of players use marijuana

Source: Chicago Tribune

Former NFL offensive lineman Lomas Brown, an ESPN analyst, believes more than half of NFL players smoke marijuana.

Cardinals running backs still working to get back on field (National Football Post)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Beanie Wells confident he'll be back in top form

Calvin Johnson goes deep before Tigers game (National Football Post)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Megatron shows he's a slugger too

Umenyiora will buy LT's ring if he gets 1 million Twitter followers (National Football Post)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

But auction ends tonight and Osi isn't close

Chicago Bears: Reviewing Their 2012 NFL Draft

Source: Bleacher Report

The Chicago Bears are only two years removed from an NFC Championship berth and would have been serious playoff contenders last season if quarterback Jay Cutler’s season had not ended early because of a broken thumb.

However, they play in one of the NFL’s strongest divisions and came into the 2012 draft with numerous significant holes on their roster.

Did the Bears effectively fill their holes with draft picks and build a team that can be a serious contender in the NFC again this season? Read through the following slides to find out.

Begin Slideshow

Marshall: 'We'll have a chance to win it'

Source: NFC North Blog

On Friday, we gave you a look at the sartorial splendor of Chicago Bears receiver Brandon Marshall during the time he spent at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn. Now let's look at some of the bold talk Marshall presented during his various appearances. In the video cut of his time on "First Take," we hear Marshall say: "Honestly I think we can not only make it to the Super Bowl but I think we'll have a chance to win it." And during his appearance on "NFL Live," Marshall offered this assessment of the NFC North when asked what the Bears need to do to keep up with the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions: "I look at it the other way.

Picks to Improve: Chris Conte

Source: Windy City Gridiron by Steven Schweickert

In addition to the players the Bears just recently added in the last couple of months, there's also the players added in recent years that can also improve to help the team get better overall. This weekend, we'll take a look at a few of the players added in a couple recent drafts and their prospects to improve the team. And we'll get under way this morning with second-year safety Chris Conte.

When Conte was drafted in the third round last season, the pick was pretty largely derided,

Ex-Bears safety Harris selling home in Gurnee

Source: Chicago Tribune

Former Chicago Bears strong safety Chris Harris has put his six-bedroom, 3,139-square-foot Gurnee home on the market for $329,000.

Brandon Marshall goes toe-to-toe with Stephen A. Smith

Source: Inside the Bears

Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall surely scored points with a national audience after sparring with hosts Skip Bayless and Stephen Smith on ESPN's ''First Take'' on Thursday. If you had told me one of the three was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, Marshall would have been my third choice.

Marshall fought a losing battle with Bayless trying to defend LeBron James after the three-time NBA Most Valuable Player came up short again in crunch time in Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday. But he held his own against Smith, who challenged the notion that Marshall's offseason work with Jay Cutler will pay big dividends this season.

''I think we'll have a chance to win the Super Bowl,'' Marshall said, when asked by Bayless how good the Bears can be in 2012. ''It's a quarterback driven league. And I'm putting a lot of it on Jay. Three years ago, Jay was a great quarterback. The thing that separates him from then is his leadership. He led us then. But now it's just amazing.''

Alshon Jeffery Will Contend for the 2012 NFL Rookie of the Year Award

Source: Bleacher Report

Alshon Jeffery was asked to attend the NFL Rookie Premier in Los Angeles and did not want to attend because he didn't want to miss any of the Bears offseason programs.

With his priorities set, goals in place, and chip on his shoulder I suspect Jeffery to compete for the Rookie of the Year in 2012. With a great set of teammates, leadership, core group of veterans, play makers and a great defense, I believe the Bears have a potential perennial pro-bowler on hand to compliment Brandon Marshall, Jay Cutler and Matt Forte on offense.

If Jeffery plays with that chip on his shoulder, a selfless motivation to learn the team philosophy and learn the playbook, I believe Jeffery will be a great Bears teammate and a contender for the the 2012 Rookie of the Year trophy.

Begin Slideshow

Signs point to Jennings being starter at cornerback

Source: Chicago Tribune

The faith that Bears secondary coach Jon Hoke professes in Tim Jennings indicates the veteran cornerback will have the inside track on the starting job he has held for most of the last two seasons.

Seau's death hit home for ex-Patriot Ted Johnson (The Associated Press)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

BOSTON (AP) Junior Seau's death got former New England Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson thinking again about his own career in the NFL and his struggles with post-concussion syndrome after he retired in 2005.

NFL: Packers waiting before retiring Favre's jersey (The SportsXchange)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

The Green Bay Packers will wait at least another season to hold a ceremony to retire Brett Favre's No. 4.

Bears and Forte Still Not Close to a Deal

Source: Bears Gab by Matt Loede

Running back Matt Forte’s contract is still an issue the Bears need to resolve. Forte has not participated in the Bears’ voluntary offseason workout program and can’t be fined for missing their mandatory minicamp because he is not under contract.

Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports Bears President Ted Phillips said in March the club had made a “strong offer” to Forte. The most General Manager Phil Emery has said is the team continues to work on a deal. Former Packers contract negotiator Andrew Brandt probably summed up the team’s stance perfectly.

“The hardest position to sink long-term money into is running back because it has the shortest shelf life,” Brandt told the Philadelphia Daily News. “There’s a graveyard of bad contracts that were given to running backs over a certain age going back to Eddie George, Corey Dillon, Jamal Anderson and Shaun Alexander.”

Recent pay days Forte will examine, along with the McCoy deal, are contracts given to Arian Foster ($20.75 million guaranteed), DeAngelo Williams ($21 million guaranteed) and Marshawn Lynch ($17 million guaranteed). Unless he’s gunning for a pay day like Adrian Peterson or Chris Johnson received, those seem to be backs that create a range for Forte and the Bears.

The Bears want to make sure they are paying Forte for future performance, not rewarding him for previous accomplishments. He has been a durable performer before the knee sprain that cost him the final four games of 2011, averaging 19.4 touches per game over the last two seasons.

Signs point to Jennings being starter at cornerback for Bears

Source: Chicago Tribune

The faith that Bears secondary coach Jon Hoke professes in Tim Jennings indicates the veteran cornerback will have the inside track on the starting job he has held for most of the last two seasons.

Dollar signs point to Jennings being Bears starter

Source: Chicago Tribune

The faith that Bears secondary coach Jon Hoke professes in Tim Jennings indicates the veteran cornerback will have the inside track on the starting job he has held for most of the last two seasons.

Tale of the Tape - 2004 Wild Card, Vikings @ Packers

Source: Windy City Gridiron by Steve Ronkowski

It's the heart of the off-season, so you know what that means: time to break out the tape. Don't panic, though - we have not started rooting for either of the two horrible teams mentioned in the title. There is one person involved in this game who is worth taking a look at, however: Mike Tice. After sneaking his way into the playoffs with an 8-8 season, he went into Green Bay and led the team to an upset playoff win. Brett Favre did what he does best - throw interceptions in playoff games - and Daunte Culpepper and Randy

Mickey Loomis pledges deal will be done for Drew Brees (National Football Post)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Saints QB has expressed frustration

Bears have the most complete offense in the division [on paper]

Source: Windy City Gridiron by Sam Householder

This may go without saying around here, but the new-look Bears offense, at least on paper, looks to be the most balanced and complete offense in the division. If you don't believe me, follow the jump and let's see what's what.

Did you know that the Packers haven't had a 1,000 yard rusher since 2009? And that their leading rusher last year had only 578 yards? The Packers offense is pretty lopsided, obviously, it's not hard to go one-way with one of the league's best passers and the league's reigning MVP. They passed the ball 58% of the time last season. Hardly balanced. The Packers have