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2013 NFL Free Agency: Bears Have Quietly Added Solid Depth This Off-Season

28th March 2013 by under Bears News     

bennett_bushrod_inside_031313The Chicago Bears have quietly put together a very solid off-season. They added LT Jermon Bushrod and TE Martellus Bennett out of the gate on the first day of free agency.

Bennett, 26 has made 48 starts in five seasons, while Bushrod, 28, has made 62 starts in six seasons.

The Bears got two players who were needed desperately. A tall and speedy tight end like Bennett who can stretch the field and give Jay Cutler some extra help. Bushrod finally gives Cutler a solid blocker on his blindside which can help take some pressure off of him.

In an off-season where many big-name players have changed teams including Wes Welker from the New England Patriots to the Denver Broncos, the Bears have done a good job at building depth to their roster.

“We are up against the cap. So we are going to have to be to slow and methodical and make sure that every decision that we make is going to the best,” said Bears GM Phil Emery via Chicagobears.com.

The Bears have had to make some tough decisions, but overall they have done a solid job at adding depth to a team that is in a so-called “transition.”

Bennett and Bushrod were obviously the big splashes. Before free agency started the Bears announced they were going to franchise tag DT Henry Melton, who made the Pro Bowl last season.

They are looking to free up some cap space by locking Melton up on a long-term deal.

DT Nate Collins and CB Zack Bowman both will provide depth at their positions. Bowman shined on special teams when he returned to the team during the middle of the season in 2012. He should get a chance to earn some playing time as the Bears’ fourth or fifth cornerback. Collins added a nice pass rush from the middle of the line and should get a shot to be the third or fourth tackle behind Henry Melton and Stephen Paea.

DE Turk McBride provides depth at defensive end. He has the ability to play to defensive tackle as well. He isn’t a lock to make the team, but he could be insurance just in case Israel Idonije decides to play elsewhere. The Bears are still working on a deal with Idonije.

TE Steve Maneri replaces Matt Spaeth and should provide a nice touch to the Bears run attack. He joins a revamped tight end unit which should see second-year Temple product Evan Rodriguez get plenty of opportunities to shine.

Linebackers D.J. Williams and James Anderson have some big shoes to fill. Williams replaces lifetime Bear Brian Urlacher in the middle and Anderson replaces Nick Roach at strongside linebacker. Anderson can play all three linebacker positions and is comparable to Roach. Williams will have to stay healthy and stay out of trouble off the field to prove to be an upgrade over Urlacher. The Bears found two solid linebackers rather quickly after things didn’t look to good for them at the position.

Tom Zbikowski gives the Bears even more depth in the secondary. Major Wright and Chris Conte are penciled in as the starters at safety, while second-year man Brandon Hardin will fight for playing time and Craig Steltz will be a solid backup once again. The safety position has plenty of athleticism for the Bears for the first time in a while.

T Jonathan Scott and CB Kelvin Hayden both re-signed this week. Scott will compete for the starting right tackle gig with J’Marcus Webb. The 30-year old Texas product started seven games last season for the Bears at right tackle. Hayden will likely be the Bears nickelback with D.J. Moore now in Carolina. The Bears need to add more depth to the cornerback position, but the starters seem to be locked in.

LB Geno Hayes bolted for Jacksonville the first day of free agency and he might have made a mistake. He likely would have been the starter on the strongside if he was re-signed.

G Lance Louis and QB Jason Campbell leaving town really hurts the Bears. Louis was by far the most consistent lineman on the team a year ago. Coming off a devastating knee injury, Louis is still a question mark because of it. He will have to be replaced with another veteran. The Bears have been linked to 32-year old Brandon Moore who played very well with the New York Jets last season.

Of course the Bears really couldn’t afford Jason Campbell, but it would have been nice to bring him back considering how thin the quarterback market is. They could choose to bring back Josh McCown once again to backup Cutler.

Overall, the Bears have done a very good job at adding depth to their team. They made moves that made sense for them. Letting Urlacher go was certainly tough, but it was just a matter of time. Losing Lance Louis and Jason Campbell was the toughest and the Bears will have to fill their shoes with some crafty veterans.

Bringing back DE Israel Idonije, adding a veteran guard and veteran quarterback should be what the Bears focus on for the time being.

Additions:

DT Henry Melton - re-signed to a one year, $8.45 million deal (franchise tag) on March 12.

TE Martellus Bennett - signed a four year, $20.4 million deal on March 12.

LT Jermon Bushrod - signed a five year, $35.96 million deal on March 12.

DT Nate Collins - re-signed to a one year, $715,000 deal on March 14.

CB Zack Bowman - re-signed to a one year, $780,00 deal on March 15.

DE Turk McBride -signed a one year, $715,000 deal on March 20.

TE Steve Maneri -signed a two year, $1.55 million deal on March 21.

LB D.J. Williams - signed a one year, $900,000 deal on March 22.

S Tom Zbikowski - signed a one year, $715,000 deal on March 23.

LB James Anderson - signed a one year, $1.25 million deal on March 24.

T Jonathan Scott - re-signed to a one year, $780,000 deal on March 25.

CB Kelvin Hayden - re-signed to a one year, $905,000 deal on March 27.

RB Armando Allen - re-signed to a one year, $480,000 deal on March 28.

Subtractions:

LB Geno Hayes - signed a two year, $1.95 million deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars on March 13.

TE Matt Spaeth - cut by Bears on March 13. Signed a one year, $750,000 deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers on March 15.

TE Kellen Davis - cut by the Bears on March 13. Signed a one year deal with the Cleveland Browns on March 22.

LB Nick Roach -signed a four year, $13 million deal with the Oakland Raiders on March 15.

CB D.J. Moore - declared a free agent March 12. Signed a one year, $715,000 deal with the Carolina Panthers on March 18.

QB Jason Campbell - signed a two year, $3.75 million deal with the Cleveland Browns on March 26.

G Lance Louis - signed a one year deal with the Miami Dolphins on March 27.

Top needs: G, DT, CB, QB, LB, WR.

 

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

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2013 NFL Free Agency: Bears Ink Safety Tom Zbikowski To A One-Year Deal

23rd March 2013 by under Bears News     

zbikowskiThe Chicago Bears announced today that safety Tom Zbikowski has been signed to a one-year deal worth the veteran minimum of $715,000.

Zbikowski is entering his sixth season in the NFL. He was drafted in the third round in 2008 out of Notre Dame by the Baltimore Ravens.

A Chicago native, Zbikowski attended Buffalo Grove High School where he starred as a quarterback and safety.

In five seasons in the league, Zbikowski has appeared in 64 games making 25 starts, 89 tackles, three interceptions and two sacks.

At 5’11″, 200 lbs he is a solid addition to a secondary that will star Chris Conte and Major Wright once again next season. Expect him to compete for the third safety spot with second-year man Brandon Hardin.

Zbikowski has been a solid performer on special teams as well adding 59 special teams tackles. He spent his four seasons with the Ravens where he started eight games reeling in two interceptions.

He started 11 games a year ago for the Indianapolis Colts recording 27 tackles, one interception and one sack.

He was released last week by the Colts after they added veteran safety Laron Landry.

He should fit in nicely in the Bears’ secondary. The Bears have veteran Craig Steltz and third-year man Anthony Walters as well.

The depth at safety is much better than a year ago. GM Phil Emery continues to add high character guys to bolster the depth on this team.

The tight ends have been revamped, the offensive line and secondary have been improved and the linebacker core has been changed drastically.

The Bears are far from done when it comes to signing players. Look for them to sign more of their own free agents in the coming weeks.

 

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

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2013 NFL Free Agency: Bears Add Veteran D.J. Williams To Replace Brian Urlacher

22nd March 2013 by under Bears News     

williamsIt didn’t take long for the Chicago Bears to find Brian Urlacher’s replacement. On Friday, the Bears announced that D.J. Williams was signed to a one-year deal.

The deal is worth $900,000 and isn’t guaranteed, but Williams can earn up to $1.75 in 2013 after a series of roster bonuses.

Williams spent all nine of his NFL seasons with the Denver Broncos playing inside and outside linebacker. He appeared in 127 games making 115 starts, 816 tackles, 20.5 sacks, two interceptions, 13 forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries.

The 30-year old linebacker was drafted by Denver in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft out of the University of Miami.

He was due $6 million this upcoming season and was released alongside former Bears QB Caleb Hanie on March 11.

Williams joins a Bears’ defense that was looking for veteran help at linebacker with Lance Briggs remaining as the only starter.

Williams won’t be guaranteed to win the starting job, but he was one of the top linebackers remaining on the market and it takes some pressure off picking a youngster in the NFL Draft next month.

“We see a player that has very good athletic upside who can contribute immediately at MIKE (middle) linebacker,” said GM Phil Emery via ChicagoBears.com. “He is also a versatile player who has played both outside linebacker positions, giving us flexibility in the draft.”

The 6’1″, 242 pound Williams led the Broncos in tackles in five of his nine seasons in Denver. He was in trouble with the league last season however. He played in only seven games due to a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance enhancing drugs and a three-game suspension for a DUI arrest in his time in Denver.

Williams joins LT Jermon Bushrod, TE Martellus Bennett, TE Steve Maneri, and DE Turk McBride as the fifth free agent the Bears have signed this off-season. DT Nate Collins and CB Zackary Bowman so far are the only free agents that have re-signed.

Williams is one of three players in the league to record 600 tackles, 40 stuffs and 20 sacks from the 2004 until 2011. The other two are former Bears LB Brian Urlacher and former Dolphins LB Karlos Dansby.

Final Thoughts:

For half the price of Urlacher the Bears got themselves a pretty solid linebacker. Williams will fit in nicely next to Lance Briggs. Playing alongside a talented and smart defense could give Williams the confidence to focus on football. A change of scenery could be exactly what he needs to play hard once again.

It’s not much of a gamble considering his contract. Expect the Bears to add another veteran linebacker before the draft. Former Packer Nick Barnett is reportedly on the Bears radar according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

The move would make plenty of sense considering the 31-year old Barnett hasn’t missed a game the past two seasons in Buffalo while adding 242 tackles, five sacks, four forced fumbles and three interceptions.

He was released from the Bills on February 11. The former first-round pick out of Oregon State still has plenty of talent left. He would be an upgrade over J.T. Thomas at strongside linebacker, who seems to be the logical choice for the spot if the Bears don’t add any new linebackers.

Don’t be shocked to see Barnett in a Bears uniform in 2013 if the Bears can get him for a reasonable price.

More news to come about the Bears off-season moves. Stay tuned.

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 Chicago Bears.

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Not A Proper Goodbye: Bears Have Big Hole At Linebacker With Urlacher Officially Gone

21st March 2013 by under Bears News     

Urlacher13 seasons, 180 starts, 1,779 tackles, 41.5 sacks, 22 interceptions, 12 forced fumbles, 16 fumble recoveries and two defensive touchdowns.

That’s what soon to be first ballot Pro Football Hall Of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher contributed in his time with the Chicago Bears.

The Bears announced late Wednesday that they were unable to reach a new deal with the eight time Pro Bowl linebacker. The offer the Bears made was a one-year, $2 million deal which Urlacher called a “take it or leave it” deal on Sirius Radio.

Drafted ninth in the 2000 NFL Draft, Urlacher was a safety out of the University of New Mexico. He was used in training camp as a strong side linebacker, but couldn’t edge out Rosevelt Colvin for the starting gig.

Middle linebacker Barry Minter got hurt in Week Three of the 2000 season, so Urlacher took over in the middle and for the next 13 seasons Bears fans witnessed great performances from No. 54.

In his first start he made 13 tackles and one sack against the New York Giants and he quickly became a fan favorite at Soldier Field.

He is one of four players in NFL history with 40 sacks and 20 interceptions. The Bears’ defense was always a legitimate contender with him manning the middle of the field.

Take away the 2009 season, when he fractured his wrist in the first game of the season and he was one of the healthiest players in the league year and year out. This past season he started 12 games despite having serious knee problems which clearly limited his ability to stop the pass.

But he was still a leader. He still found ways to make plays. He still found ways to force fumbles, create turnovers.

He consistently shut down quarterback Michael Vick throughout his career. He took it upon himself to stop one of the fastest players of all time.

He became the first Bear since Mike Singletary to win the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2005, when he lead the league’s top scoring defense with 171 tackles and six sacks.

His performance in one of the most memorable games in Bears history was flat out ridicilous. He posted a career-high 25 tackles and a forced fumble which Charles Tillman took back 40 yards for a touchdown in the 24-23 comeback win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Without his incredible performance we would have never witnessed perhaps the best coaching press conferences of all time from Cardinals head coach Dennis Green.

He helped the Bears get to Super Bowl XLI after he posted a career-high four pass deflections in a whooping of the New Orleans Saints 39-14 in the 2006 NFC Championship game.

Let’s not forget he helped the Bears sweep the Green Bay Packers in 2007 which was the last time they were able to. He returned his longest interception 85 yards for a touchdown in Brett Favre’s final game as a Packer in a 35-7 win by the Bears at Soldier Field.

Also he had success against one of the best quarterbacks in the league right now if not the best, Mr. Aaron Rodgers. He is the only NFL player to have intercepted Rodgers three times. He had a big interception against Rodgers in the 2010 NFC Championship which the Bears fell short in.

He never won the big one in the windy city, but he made so many memorable plays. He made so many of his teammates want to play that much harder. He was a game changer. It sure will be weird not seeing him out there anymore, but in the end the NFL is a business.

As low as $2 million is to a legend like Brian Urlacher is what’s another $2 million at that point. He was looking for a contract in the range of $3.5-4 million for this season.

I understand he wants more money, but at what point is money more important than the franchised that drafted him. You can say the Bears low-balled and seemed like they didn’t want him back. They certainly gave him a low offer, but at the end of the day he had an opportunity to play for the Chicago Bears in 2013.

He likely won’t get that deal from another team. Maybe the Dallas Cowboys, who recently hired former Bears defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli as their defensive line coach.

A return to the Bears may seem out of the question at this point, but the Bears have some glaring holes at linebacker. They could come back with a counter offer or Urlacher could come back and accept the deal.

GM Phil Emery made a tough decision on a player who is loved by the city of Chicago. The window was closing on this defense and the time was coming when Urlacher would no longer be apart of it.

Its certainly not a proper goodbye to a player who meant so much to a storied franchise like the Bears. He epitomized what a monster was in the “Monsters of the Midway” defense. You never want to see so much tension between a star player who gave it his all for so long and the team.

“The Bears kept saying, ‘We want to make Brian a Bear, retire a Bear. Blah, blah, blah.’ It was all lip service in my mind,” Urlacher said on Mike and Mike in the Morning on Thursday. “They said that, but they never acted on it. It was like they all had a handbook on how to handle the situation they passed out around there.”

It won’t be the same without Urlacher manning the middle of the field, but Lance Briggs and the new linebacker core will have to step up. The rest of the defense is still solid. They just have to find someone who can transition into the middle linebacker spot. They certainly lose knowledge and leadership from Urlacher, but they gain speed and agility and that was certainly a big reason in his departure.

The soon to be 35-year old Urlacher will always be remembered as a Bear no matter where he winds up. Here’s to hoping he can retire a Bear very soon.

Thanks for everything Brian.

 

Urlacher

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 Chicago Bears.

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2013 NFL Off-Season: Bears RB Matt Forte Not Pleased With New NFL Rule Change

20th March 2013 by under Bears News     

forteNFL owners and club officials voted Wednesday on a new rule for offensive players eliminating contact with the crown of the helmet.

The rule change comes at a time when safety concerns is at an all-time high in the NFL.

On Sunday when Bears starting RB Matt Forte first heard about the possibility of the rule change he was flat out upset.

“The proposed rule change for RB’s might be the most absurd suggestion of a rule change I’ve ever heard of,” said Forte via Twitter. “You can’t change the instinctive nature of running the football.”

I agreed with Forte on Sunday and I agree with even more now that rule has been set in stone.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell clearly has team officials on his side when it comes to player safety. I agree rules need to be changed, but not a rule like this that not only favors the defender and like Forte said changes the “instinctive nature” of the game.

Earlier on Wednesday Forte took to Twitter once again to make his frustration with the new rule change known.

“Wow so they really passed that rule…last time I checked football was a contact sport. Calling bank now to set up my lowering the boom fund.”

He went on to say in a series of tweets:

“I guess I’ll get my fine money ready. “Next year they’ll probably be a no jumping over defenders rule.”

He used the hashtag: loweringtheboomfund in all three of his tweets about the new rule change implemented by the NFL on Wednesday.

I understand Forte’s frustration. He is a humble guy who just wants a fair chance at succeeding. The rule change really favors the defensive side.

The referees will be instructed to throw a flag when its apparent a running back leads with his helmet. This rule change will be similar to the helmet-to-helmet rule implemented a couple seasons ago in terms of penalties called.

Only more rule changes will come because of all the safety concerns. But Forte and the rest of the NFL running backs have to try and alter their game now while they have time.

It is disappointing to see such a physical sport such as football design a rule that makes it look soft. The NFL is the top football brand in the world and arguably the biggest sports league in the world.

Roger Goodell is going to get more backlash than he ever has from players this upcoming week. Expect fines aplenty from the NFL on players criticizing this rule change on social media.

 

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 Chicago Bears.

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2013 NFL Free Agency: Bears Add DE McBride; Could Signal Idonije’s Departure

20th March 2013 by under Bears News     

mcbrideThe Chicago Bears announced the signing of veteran DE Turk McBride on Wednesday.

McBride signed a one-year deal a day after he visited Halas Hall.

The six-year veteran was drafted in the second round in 2007 by the Kansas City Chiefs.

He spent two seasons in Kansas City appearing in 25 games making 10 starts. In 2007, he played the entire season at defensive tackle, but he was moved to defensive end in 2008 where he made nine starts.

He was released by the Chiefs after the 2008 season. He then signed a deal with the Detroit Lions where he spent the next two seasons.

His most successful seasons came in Detroit where he appeared in 26 games making 12 starts (four at DT and eight at DE). He had a career high five sacks in 2010 with the Lions.

He then moved onto New Orleans where he appeared in just 15 games in two seasons making two starts.

In six seasons in the NFL the 27-year old Tennessee product has appeared in 66 games making 24 starts. He’s added 73 tackles, 9.5 sacks, six forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

The move makes sense for the Bears considering Julius Peppers, Corey Wootton and Shea McClellin are the top three ends. After that the Bears don’t have much depth at defensive end. Plus McBride can move over to defensive tackle if needed.

He isn’t going to be guaranteed a roster spot due to the fact that he has struggled with injuries as of late.

But the move adds insurance just in case Israel Idonije isn’t retained. Idonije signed one-year deal last off-season worth $2.5 million.

The Bears are working with very little salary cap space. According to league sources, they have just $5.6 million remaining.

A good amount of that has to go to rookies that are drafted in next month’s NFL Draft, backups, practice squad players and their own free agents that they choose to re-sign (Brian Urlacher, Kelvin Hayden, Jonathan Scott, Jason Campbell and Idonije).

The 32-year old Idonije could be brought back if he agrees to a reduced deal. The interest between Idonije and the Bears is there its just a matter of money at this point.

He and many other veterans haven’t had an easy time finding interest because of the cap issue around the league. But Idonije is still a solid lineman who can play any position on the line. He added 7.5 sacks in 2012.

Many key decisions will be made over the next few weeks.

Adding a veteran defensive end like Turk McBride is just an insurance move by the Bears at this point. Hopefully it proves to be a depth move rather than the departure of Idonije from the windy city.

 

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 Chicago Bears.

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2013 NFL Free Agency: Bears Looking At TE Maneri and DE McBride

18th March 2013 by under Bears News     

ManeriAfter the Bears added two marquee players in TE Martellus Bennett and LT Jermon Bushrod last week they have been rather quiet in terms of free agency.

They re-signed CB Zack Bowman and DT Nate Collins to one-year deals late last week as well.

Since they don’t have much salary cap space to work with ($5.6 million left according to league sources) they have to be careful how they spend their remaining cash.

They are reportedly interested in former Kansas City Chiefs TE Steve Maneri and former New Orleans Saints DE Turk McBride.

With the addition of Bennett to the tight end core the Bears have second-year player Evan Rodriguez as depth as well as third-year Purdue product Kyle Adams.

But with Matt Spaeth let go due to financial reasons the Bears are looking to replace his role as a blocking tight end. Steve Maneri could fit that role.

Maneri, 6’6″, 280 lbs went undrafted in 2010 out of Temple. He signed with the Texans and then spent the first half of 2011 with the Patriots until he found a home with the Chiefs.

He first came into the league as an offensive tackle and switched to tight end when he arrived in Kansas City. The 24-year old did a solid job as a blocking tight end in Kansas City earning nine starts in 19 games played there. He caught five passes for 51 yards as well.

Maneri would be a relatively cheap option considering he is an exclusive rights free agent.

The move would make sense for the Bears and Evan Rodriguez, who will switch to TE after spending all last season as a FB seemed excited about the possibility.

He tweeted on Saturday: “Chicago calling your name big bro! Temple Tuff!”

The interest is there between Maneri and the Bears, but the visit hasn’t been set up just yet. A visit that has been set up is with DE Turk McBride for Tuesday afternoon at Halas Hall.

The former second-round pick has 78 tackles, 9.5 sacks to his name in six seasons in the NFL.  The 27-year old could prove to be a cheaper option than veteran Israel Idonije, who signed a one-year deal worth $2.5 million a year ago.

The Bears want Idonije back, but at a cheaper price. Their dealing with the same contract issues with LB Brian Urlacher and G Lance Louis, who both seem to be playing the waiting game.

The big time free agents are likely not options for the Bears at this point due to their salary cap space, but they can add some of these lesser known players like Maneri to the mix.

They still have big decisions to make on their own free agents including the names above plus QB Jason Campbell, CB Kelvin Hayden and T Jonathan Scott.

GM Phil Emery and Co. have a lot of moves to make before this April’s NFL Draft.

 

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 Chicago Bears.

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2013 NFL Free Agency: Bears Must Add Depth At LB Even If Urlacher and Roach Are Retained

6th March 2013 by under Bears News     

Urlacher-RoachMore likely than not Brian Urlacher and Nick Roach will be re-signed. Roach seems more likely to be back at this point than the 34-year old Urlacher, but both could be donning a Chicago Bears uniform come the 2013 season.

ESPNChicago.com reported that the Bears want to bring Roach back and have interest in talking with Urlacher on a new contract.

Even if the Bears opt to bring back these two veterans they must look to add more depth at the position.

32-year old Lance Briggs is under contract for next season. The only legitimate backup a year ago was 25-year old Geno Hayes, who added just 16 tackles and is a free agent this off-season.

Other depth currently on the team is Blake Costanzo, J.T Thomas, Patrick Trahan and Jerry Franklin, who have all played mainly on special teams in the NFL.

The Bears could choose to bring back all three of their free agents at the linebacker position including Geno Hayes, who did a solid job in his few opportunities.

Briggs and Urlacher aren’t getting any younger and the Bears have to make sure they have proper replacements in place. Roach can play all three linebacker positions. Hayes can fill in when needed. But that’s simply not enough depth considering the health of the position.

The draft could be where the Bears look for a linebacker, possibly a legitimate replacement for Brian Urlacher or just a guy for depth purposes.

Some names to look at in the draft at linebacker are:

Corey Lemonier, OLB, Auburn- (6’3″, 255 lbs). 34 tackles, 5.5 sacks, one forced fumble as he battled through a serious ankle injury. Looks to be selected either in the second or third round.

Jamie Collins, OLB, Southern Mississippi-(6’3″, 250 lbs). 92 tackles, 10 sacks and four forced fumbles as a senior. He has a chance to be a steal in the third or fourth round of the draft, if he falls that far.

Sio Moore, OLB, Conneticut- (6’1″, 245 lbs). 72 tackles and eight sacks as a senior. He could be a nice pickup in the middle of the draft.

Don’t expect the Bears to select a linebacker in the first round unless Jarvis Jones from Georgia falls to the 20th spot.

Final Thoughts:

Either way the Bears must add more depth at the linebacker position whether its through free agency or the draft.

GM Phil Emery and Co. have many key decisions to make this off-season, but re-signing Urlacher and Roach and adding a couple future pieces at the linebacker position is vital at this point.

It will be interesting to see what the Bears decide to do at the linebacker position.

Free agency begins next Tuesday, March 12 at 4 p.m. ET.

 

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 Chicago Bears.

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Report: Bears LT J’Marcus Webb Arrested For Possession Of Marijuana

27th February 2013 by under Bears News     

nfl_a_webb_wm_600According to a report from KFVS-TV, Chicago Bears’ LT J’Marcus Webb was arrested late Sunday evening in Pulaski County, Illinois for possession of a controlled substance, cannabis, and paraphernalia.

The 24-year old paid $500 of a $5,000 bond on Monday afternoon and was released from jail.

He will be back in court sometime in March according to Pulaski County sheriff Randy Kern.

The former 2010 seventh-round pick from West Texas A&M has started all 16 games the past two seasons for the Bears. He is entering his fourth season in Chicago and will likely face competition from whoever the Bears bring in either through free agency or the draft.

With a new head coach in Marc Trestman running the show and the Bears trying to bulk up their offensive line, an arrest like this for Webb isn’t very good.

Even though its considered minor he will have to work that much harder this off-season to keep his roster spot and keep his starting job at left tackle.

He is entering the final year of his rookie contract and will be owed a reasonable $1.323 million this upcoming season. Expect him to be on the 53-man roster when the regular season begins.

Here’s what the Bears had to say in an official statement to the media on Wednesday:

“We are aware of the recent arrest of J’Marcus Webb in Pulaski County, Illinois. We are currently gathering information to learn more about the circumstances surrounding the arrest.”

More news to come on Webb’s arrest.

 

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 Chicago Bears.

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2013 NFL Free Agency: Bears Must Re-Sign Idonije and Melton This Off-Season

22nd February 2013 by under Bears News     

melton-idonijeThe Chicago Bears have some key free agents this off-season, two of which play on the defensive line.

18 of the 19 Bears’ free agents are unrestricted. GM Phil Emery has said DE Israel Idonije, G Lance Louis, T Jonathan Scott will likely be first in line for new deals.

Defensive tackle Henry Melton appears is if he will be back next season likely being stamped with the franchise tag. A long-term deal isn’t out of the question at this point, but he will likely command a big contract.

Linebackers Brian Urlacher, Nick Roach and Geno Hayes are all free agents. Roach will likely be retained, while the team has a much tougher decision to make on the 35-year old Urlacher.

Other free agents: RB Kahlil Bell, CB Zack Bowman, QB Jason Campbell, CB Kelvin Hayden, K Olindo Mare, QB Josh McCown, CB D.J. Moore, S Troy Nolan, DT Amobi Okoye, G Chilo Rachal, G Chris Spencer and DT Nate Collins (RFA).

With roughly $10 million in cap space for the Bears they will have to spend their money wisely this off-season.

They might ask a couple key players to restructure their contracts including 33-year old Pro Bowl DE Julius Peppers, who has a cap number of $16.383 million in 2013.

Melton will be priced at $8.3 million if indeed he is retained with the franchise tag. That would make him one of the five highest paid defensive tackles in the NFL and the Bears would get more time to work on a long-term deal with Melton.

About one third of the team’s salary cap would be devoted to just four defensive players if Melton is slapped with the franchise tag. Julius Peppers, Charles Tillman and Lance Briggs each already have big contracts.

The 26-year old Melton is a top player at his position and with new defensive coordinator Mel Tucker coming in, a three-technique defensive tackle like Melton is perfect for the Cover-2 scheme that they will have in place.

He has 16 sacks in three seasons with the Bears including 43 tackles, six sacks, 24 QB pressures and two forced fumbles last year.

The Bears placed the franchise tag on RB Matt Forte last season and then reached a long-term deal with him before the season. GM Phil Emery will likely be figuring out a same type of a deal with Melton.

For defensive end Israel Idonije this will be his fourth contract with the Bears if he is re-signed. He signed a four-year deal worth $2.2 million as a part-time player in 2006, then he signed a two-year deal worth $7 million in 2009.

Last year he signed a one-year deal worth $2.5 million which included a signing bonus of $1.5 million.

The 32-year old defensive lineman has added 148 tackles, 21.5 sacks and five forced fumbles in the last three seasons in Chicago.

He will likely split time in the rotation with up-and-coming defensive end Corey Wootton who added seven sacks last season.

His new deal should figure to range around $2-3 million a season. It should be a short-term deal likely his last.

NFL free agency officially starts March 12th. The Bears will have plenty of decisions to make.

Bringing back Idonije and Melton should be at the top of the Bears’ plans this off-season. Both defensive linemen are an integral part to the team’s success on defense.

Strength of Schedule:

The Bears rank in the middle of the league when it comes to strength of schedule. Their 2013 schedule ranks 16th in the league. Their 2013 opponents went 128-127-1 in 2012. They will host the Cowboys, Giants, Saints, Ravens and Bengals in 2013 while visiting the Eagles, Redskins, Rams, Browns and Steelers. Of course they will play two games a piece against their NFC North opponents (Lions, Packers and Vikings).

 

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 Chicago Bears.

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