BEARS FANTASY NEWS

February 16, 2006 9:00 AM ET

In just his second season in Chicago, Bears head coach Lovie Smith took a team that went 5-11 in his first season and led them to an NFC North division crown, a home playoff game, and a No. 1 defensive ranking in total points allowed. All of this despite an offense that ranked second-worst in yardage, finished just 26th in the NFL in scoring, and played without its starting quarterback for 15 of 16 regular season affairs.

Clearly, the NFL Coach of the Year and his vaunted defensive schemes has the Bears looking like the class of the NFC North. Before benching their starters in a 34-10 loss to the Vikings in a meaningless week 17, the Bears had swept their division rivals with seven wins and zero losses.

For the first time in three years, Chicago will not be changing one of its top three coaching positions, as Smith, offensive coordinator Ron Turner, and defensive coordinator Ron Rivera will all return. Additionally, 21 of the 22 starters on offense and defense are already under contract, a testament to the foresight of general manager Jerry Angelo.

Needs
Again, the Bears have 21 of their 22 starters on offense and defense under contract—the lone is exception is strong side linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer—but still have plenty of questions to address, especially on offense. Chicago has ranked 24th or worse in the NFL in scoring in nine of the past 10 seasons.

For the first time since Sid Luckman was under center, the Monsters of the Midway at least appear to have some stability at quarterback, where Grossman returns as the starter and Kyle Orton as an experienced backup. For the first time in his professional career, Grossman will not have to adapt to a new coach or a new system.

Prepare for another season of uncertainty in the backfield, however. Resurgent veteran Thomas Jones is coming off his best season as a professional—one in which he ranked ninth in the league in rushing (1,335 yards), scored a career-high nine touchdowns, and became only the second back in franchise history (some guy named Walter Payton) to break 1,300 yards in a single season.

Of course, that will do little to quell the speculation that the Bears need to get something out of their fourth-overall pick in the 2005 draft, Cedric Benson. Between a lengthy holdout and a sprained knee, Benson managed only 67 rushes for 272 yards in his rookie campaign. Smith has already established the pecking order with Jones atop the depth chart, but Benson is an awfully expensive backup and will likely get his shots. Similar to the Chiefs' approach last season, we could see Benson on every third series. The Bears used veteran Adrian Peterson on that schedule behind Jones late last season.

Perhaps the most glaring need for Chicago this offseason is out wide. Last year, they quickly snagged Muhsin Muhammad as their No. 1 option. However, Moose struggled with no legitimate threat on the opposite side to attract attention or stretch the field. Hence the Bears' much-publicized interest in unrestricted Steelers free agent Antwaan Randle-El, a perfect fit as a No. 2 downfield option. Speedster Bernard Berrian and explosive Mark Bradley (recovering from knee surgery) are also candidates to fill that spot.

Turner also got just 28 catches out of his tight ends , a position the Bears finally seem resigned to upgrading after realizing that Desmond Clark is indeed not the second coming of Mike Ditka—or even Emery Moorehead, Cap Boso, or Ryan Wetnight for that matter. Elsewhere on the offensive line, the team is set in the short-term with veteran anchors Fred Miller and John Tait at tackle, Ruben Brown at guard, and Pro Bowl center Olin Kreutz. In a sign that they're cognizant that they're a bit long in the tooth up front, they signed impressive young lineman Roberto Garza to a long-term deal late in the year, and he will likely start at guard.

On the other side of the ball, the Bears are not only quickly becoming the most feared defense in the league, they are also one of the youngest. Thus, their continued improvement will likely come from within. Hillenmeyer has already suggested he would like to return, which would solidify a cohesive front seven led by Defensive Player of the Year Brian Urlacher, Pro Bowl tackle Tommie Harris, Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs, and talented pass-rushers Adewale Ogunleye and Alex Brown.

In addition to re-signing or replacing Hillenmeyer, Angelo will have to concern himself with addressing the contract status of Briggs, who becomes an unrestricted free agent after this season. Piling up tackles and big plays alongside Urlacher, Briggs has also stated his desire to stay in Chicago, and Angelo would be wise to get that accomplished before he hits the open market.

Despite two more Pro Bowlers in the secondary, safety Mike Brown and cornerback Nathan Vasher, we can't help but point out that the last time we saw this vaunted defense, it was being ravaged by Panthers stud Steve Smith to the tune of 218 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Smith, Rivera, and new secondary coach Steve Wilks will have to rebuild the confidence of former Pro Bowl corner Charles Tillman, replace free agent nickel back Jerry Azumah, and address much-needed depth at both corner and safety.

Azumah's imminent departure also creates a vacancy on special teams, where he made the Pro Bowl in 2003 as a kick return specialist. The Bears also struggled to return punts last season, where Bobby Wade met an untimely release thanks to countless muffs. Again, the interest in Randle El, a Chicago product, is logical.

Salary Cap Situation
The Bears are approximately $17 million under the projected $92 million salary cap for 2006, according to NFL.com.

Unrestricted Free Agents
QB Jeff Blake, TE John Gilmore, OT John St. Clair, OG Terrence Metcalf, LB Hunter Hillenmeyer

Restricted Free Agents
CB Jerry Azumah, TE Gabe Reid, LB Marcus Reese

Free Agent Signings
None.

The Draft
A shocking 11-5 record moves Chicago out of their familiar top-10 placement and into the bottom of the first round (No. 26 overall). Their lackluster offense and a strikingly thin receiver pool have led to rampant speculation that they will jump on one of the draft's talented tight ends to aid in Rex Grossman's development. Georgia's Leonard Pope, UCLA's Marcedes Lewis, and Maryland's Vernon Davis are among the top prospects at the position.

Of course, in a draft that is considered relatively tight end-heavy, if the Bears elect to wait on that position, depth in the defensive backfield is also a priority. In any case, in the middle rounds, they are expected to bolster their secondary, address uncertainty at linebacker, and infuse youth on an offensive line that is mostly on the wrong side of 30-years-old.

Injury Watch
After leading the NFL in the preseason in receiving, Bradley was just coming on as a starter in the Bears offense when he tore his ACL in the midst of a career-best game (five catches, 88 yards) in week five. Should Bradley recover adequately, he is a definite option at the No. 2 receiver and kick return positions.

Tillman is expected to miss mini-camps after undergoing postseason shoulder surgery that is expected to keep him out four months. After slipping on one Smith touchdown and being outwrestled by Steve on another deep ball, his bruised ego will need recovery time as well. Backfield mate Mike Brown also spent a significant portion of the season on the injury report with a calf problem that reared its ugly head in the defensive collapse against Carolina. Coupled with the previous season's Achilles' tear, Brown's increasingly frequent injuries are beginning to concern the organization.

Muhammad sustained a broken hand in the playoff loss to the Panthers, but the injury is considered minor. Benson's sprained MCL was healthy enough for him to return to carry nine times in week 17, so he should not be limited in any way this offseason. And of course, no injury watch would be complete with the inclusion of Rx Grossman, who has sustained a torn ACL and a fractured ankle in each of the last two seasons. He is injury-free as of this report, but we'll remain concerned about his health until he strings an entire season together. He has made seven regular season starts in his three-year career.

More NFL Offseason News - More Teams...

2006 Bears NFL Schedule...

More Bodog Football Articles...