Countdown To Kickoff…71 Days Until Chicago Bears Season Opener

Sep 13, 2012; Green Bay, WI, USA; Chicago Bears defensive end Israel Idonije (71) during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. The Packers defeated the Bears 23-10. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

I decided to do a countdown to the Chicago Bears season opener on September 8th versus the Cincinnati Bengals.  Thanks to one of my Twitter followers, I decided to combine the countdown with a roster preview of sorts.

We’re Aston Whiteide days away from kickoff. Who the heck is Aston Whiteside you ask?  Good question.  Let’s leaarn about the second year defensive end.  The Bears signed the defensive end out of Abeline Christian during the last offseason after he had a brief stint with the Dallas Cowboys.  He spent last season on the practice squad.  Whiteside got some press last season when he and fellow rookie Shea McClellin were pranked by defensive veterans and handed a phony $38,000 dinner tab.

Whiteside is a longshot to make the 2013 roster, but since he has some experience as a 3-4 outside linebacker, you never know if my theory that the Bears are laying the groundwork for a 2014 switch in defensive schemes.

Other notable Bears to wear #71 are of course the departing Izzy Idonije and one of the all-time Bears James “Big Cat” Williams.  Williams joined the Bears as a defensive end but they switched him to an offensive tackle, where he played from 1991 – 2002, spanning from the Ditka era all the way to the Dick Jauron days.

We’re 71 days away from kickoff.  Are you ready???