For Lance’s sake, I am glad he wasn’t doing any “yardwork” or this situation could have been much worse for his social life!  Briggs, who had an appearance at the cell phone store over the weekend told fans that he was trying to shave using a straight razor.  One of the attendees snapped the pics and posted them on her blog.  Damn bloggers!!! 

From the looks of that bandage, it appears as though Briggs had to seek professional treatment for the injury.    I really hope this is a legit accident and not a Bryan Robinson“I tripped and fell over my dog and broke both of my wrists” or a Brian Griese’s infamous driveway fall after a “rough night” out with teammates back in Denver. 

Briggs has had a notable 0ff -field incident when he wrecked a $350,00 Lamborghini on the Edens expressway back in 2007.  Briggs was the lone Bears Pro Bowler last season and has emerged as one of the leaders of the Bears defense.  The organ-i-zation is said to be looking into the matter.  Any while you’re at it, get him one of those fancy Fusion Power razors from Gillette.

More importantly, the Bears are trying to figure out what chemistry is leading to losing games late.  Last week the Bears opted to start cornerback Corey Graham instead of veteran Nathan Vasher for what they called personnel matchups.  I’m a bit perplexed since Vasher is probably the most talented corner the Bears have had in a while and has shown a great ability to get interceptions.  Perhaps it served as a wake up call to Vasher that he needs to step up his game if this defense is going to continue to do well.  The passing defense has looked horrible and opposing quarterbacks are doing whatever they want, leading to easy touchdowns late in the game.

The scapegoat appears to be linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer, who is the player responsible for giving up key touchdowns late in both losses.  Hunter is an extremely smart, capable linebacker, but it is obvious teams have found a way to exploit his weaknesses.  Coaches have a tough decision if they will continue with Hillenmeyer or give capable backups Nick Roach and Jamar Williams more playing time. 

The Bears seemed perfectly healthy a week ago but now that the losses are piling up, so are the injuries.  There is no reason the Bears shouldn’t be 3-0 right now except for the complete breakdown of the defense late in the game.  The starting point for me is lack of pressure on the quarterback.  The Bears have always prided themselves on good defense and a strong rotation of players to apply constant pressure on the quarterback.  There is something wrong with the Bears front four, they should be more productive and producing more sacks. 

There are rumors that Tommie Harris is having knee problems again and he is attempting to play through the pain yet again.  Whether its true or not, that doesn’t excuse the rest of the men on the line for getting taken out of the game.  Brian Griese may be accurate but he sure is not nimble and the Bears should have been able to get at him with the blitz.  Instead he tore the Bears defense up for the winning drive. 

The penalties late in the game that cost the Bears were probably pure frustration for the sudden inability to hold the lead late.  That isn’t the identity the Bears defense has carved for itself and they have not changed any of the players from previous years.  Fans are starting to turn to coaches for answers and more specifically, defensive coach Bob Babich.  His defenses and blitzes are working good throughout the game, but opposing teams are making easy reads and finding ways to beat them late.  More needs to be done to change up the defensive attack late in games to keep offenses confused and maintain the win.  If not, the murmurs are already starting in Chicago for a change in coaching staff if this trend continues.

Luckily the Bears still have some depth at the position.  In training camp the starting nickel back was Danieal Manning but by the end of camp he had been beaten out by McGowan for the position.  Manning will have an opportunity to step up and prove that the job should have rightfully belonged to him.

Manning already knows the position well and should not have too difficult of a learning curve to get back into action.  However, the Bears are debating the options of using Manning or leaving linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer on the field to concentrate on shutting down the run.  The problem is leaving too many linebackers could leave the secondary exposed to big passing plays.

The other element comes from opponent Tampa Bay starting former Bears quarterback Brian Griese on Sunday.  Whether the Bears go with a nickel back or an extra linebacker could dictate how difficult they want to make life for Griese on Sunday.  Griese had some mild success in Chicago but lacked consistency.  The Bears defense may contest his ability to make throws on the run.  Griese’s biggest drawback is his lack of mobility and the ability of Manning or Hillenmeyer to reach the quarterback may make the difference of which gets more playing time.

The injury to Devin Hester still remains a mystery.  He simply ran out of bounds and held his side with extreme discomfort and has been held out of practice.  Hester made an appearance at practice today but did not participate.  He told reporters he plans to play on Sunday but his availability remains unknown.

The other rumor on the block is the Bears and Lovie Smith may be interested in pursuing free agent safety John Lynch.  Smith has experience with Lynch when they both were in Tampa Bay and he might have interest in bringing him in.  In that case, Lynch would give another talented and able body to help shore up the secondary in McGowan’s absense.  The Bears took a gamble last year on Adam Archuletta and it blew up in their face.  Regardless, the Bears may take another gamble with another aging safety and see if he has any gas left in the tank.

SCHEDULING CONFLICT

To put insult onto injury, the day of Cedric Benson’s court date in Austin, Texas on charges of operating a boat while intoxicated and resisting arrest is on May 19th.  This is significant because May 19th is the first day of OTA‘s (Organized Team Activities) for the Bears.  Unless the Bears make any major additions at running back, rookie Matt Forte will receive the majority of snaps at running back.  Not a good start for Benson since the Bears organization has promised Forte will have the opportunity to battle Benson for the starting spot. 

CRYING FOUL

Witnesses have come forward on Cedric Benson’s behalf and say the River Authority Officials often harrass Benson and they were abusive in the arrest.  America is supposed to be the land of “innocent until proven guilty,” but even if the allegations prove to be false, I’m afraid the damage has been done.  I don’t know if I agree, but some in Chicago feel that if it’s true that Benson is having serious setbacks recovering from off season injuries, he shouldn’t be screwing around on a boat in Texas.  I think players are entitled to have personal time as long as they don’t do anything illegal or dangerous, but in this situation, it has become the icing on the cake for fans frustrated with an underachieving player.

ADAM ARCHULETA RELEASED

The short and lackluster career of safety Adam Archuleta in Chicago is over.  The Bears picked Archuleta up from the Washington Redskins in 2007 for a 6th round draft pick.  The hope was Lovie Smith could help him revive the once promising career he had with the St. Louis Rams as a feared defender.  However, Archuleta posed a huge liability on the field with his inability to prevent big plays or defend deep balls.  It appears his time in Washington when he was signed and then promptly benched has permanently scarred him.  He no longer has the confidence he once had and is consistently exposed by the opposing offense.  He was worth the gamble but with the Bears influx of safeties they can afford to let him go. 

UNDRAFTED QUARTERBACK COMPETITION

The Bears did 90% of everything they were supposed to do in the draft and picked up some great players, but they failed to draft a quarterback.  After releasing Brian Griese, the Bears need to find a 3rd string quarterback, which on this team can mean possible playing time.  The Bears responded by signing two undrafted quarterbacks, Caleb Hanie of Colorado State, and Nick Hill of Southern Illinois. 

Hanie is described as having a strong arm with a quick release, but a tendancy to force throws.  However, Mel Kiper thinks he has pro quality and picks him to be the Bears third quarterback.  Hill is more of a local favorite for attending school in Illinois and is being praised by the team for his strong grasp of the playbook in practice.  Mel Kiper may be a national expert, but local reporters watching the two compete seem to have more good things to say about Hill.  We already have one quarterback that likes to throw passes with his strong arm, I don’t know if we want another. 

The Bears have also made it known that they will hold the third spot open if any quarterbacks become available before the season starts. 

HIS FORTE

Reports coming out of rookie camp this week indicate that Matt Forte is living up to all the hype and then some.  He appears to have the endurance of a three-down back, excels in blocking drills, and has looked good in passing routes and catching the ball.  He is the complete opposite of Cedric Benson, who has trouble protecting the quarterback and doesn’t look comfortable on third down or on pass routes.  Even if Lovie Smith gives Benson the opportunity to open as the first string back, Forte will still come in on third downs and will quickly work his way into the starting lineup. 

Lance Briggs is also reportedly going to visit with Tampa Bay, but I would be shocked if he signs with anyone other than the San Francisco 49ers, who will probably offer him the big contract he is hoping to land this off season.

Bernard Berrian is following the route of former Bear wide receivers Justin Gage and Bobby Wade by visiting with the Minnesota Vikings today and will soon meet with the Tennessee Titans.  It will be interesting to see if Berrian signs with either team that have just as much, if not more problems at quarterback than the Bears.  He may take a page of the book of the Marty Booker guide to 15 minutes of fame and leave town a popular Bear and be a forgotten name in a few years.  I guess being paid several million a year to block a cornerback and let Adrian Peterson hit the running lane isn’t such a bad gig. 

I said yesterday the Bears should move to lock up Tommie Harris.  Instead they are spending today working on locking up Brian Urlacher, who is already signed for the next four years.  Way to go guys, you never cease to make me shake my head.

Remember that guy Brian Griese?  The Bears are trying to trade him because they must think no other team in the league is smart enough to figure out they will probably cut him anyway.  Really making me proud here guys. 

This is really proving to be a disasterous start to free agency. 

Suddenly the chances of bringing in difference makers like running Michael Turner and right guard Alan Faneca seems much more likely. The Bears don’t seem to be in any hurry to bring back guard Ruben Brown and Faneca is regarded as one of the top guards in the league. Locking up Faneca long term would open up the door for the Bears to use their first round pick on an offensive tackle, which I have been lobbying for since mid-season.

My biggest disappointment is the Bears did not make more of an effort to get Moose the last 66 receiving yards he needed to reach 10,000 receiving yards for his career. In a season that fizzled, it would have been nice to have a special event at Soldier Field to honor a great receiver. Instead, Moose will have to enjoy his career milestone in a different uniform.

The sudden cuts come because many NFL players have their first paycheck come in March. Moose was owed a $500,000 roster bonus in March, another $500,000 to Miller, and an unreal $5.2 million to a largely ineffective Walker. I hate to see Moose leave but when you look at the numbers the roster cuts eliminates over paid players that opens up cap room to sign younger, more productive players.

The sudden surge in cap room addresses several questions that will be answered in the coming weeks. Will the Bears use the franchise tag on Bernard Berrian or attempt to lock him up in a long term contract? Some football analysts feel Berrian is just as over-hyped as Moose but I have never seen an analyst take a ball deep and to the end zone the way Berrian does. Will the Bears grab Michael Turner off free agency and sign him to a huge deal to lock up the top free agent running back? Will the Bears do the same to Alan Faneca? Will the Bears look at free agent wide receivers or are they that confident that Devin Hester can remember his routes without Moose explaining the play while leaving the huddle? Will the Bears address any of their safety concerns in free agency or wait for the draft? Even if the Bears offer Rex Grossman a contract, will he want to return after all the criticism? If he does re-sign, will Brian Griese be gone?

The next couple months are going to be a big determination of how the Bears want to rebuilt a Super Bowl contender.

A couple questions have already been answered. My suggestion of signing back Marty Booker didn’t seem to have much effect on Halas Hall and they don’t appear to have any interest of bringing back another aging wide receiver. The Bears also showed their confidence in Alex Brown and need at defensive end by signing a two-year extension to his contract, keeping him in Chicago until 2011.

Yesterday, Bill Parcells, Miami’s new Head of Football Operations made his biggest move to correct a team that went 1-15 that season.  Nine players were cut from the team in a decision that the team needs to go in a drastically different direction.  In an NFL where teams covet their star players, Miami cut many of their marque players and team leaders.  The list of names includes quarterback Trent Green, wide receiver and former Bear Marty Booker, tackle L.J. Shelton, defensive tackle and former Bear Keith Traylor, and five others.

According to USATODAY.com, Marty Booker was paid $3.7 million for the 2007 season.  Considering the Bears are prepared to pay upwards of $9 million to keep Bernard Berrian with the franchise tag, I’d say another tour with Marty wouldn’t be a bad idea.  I can make the same argument for Keith Traylor who made $1.2 million last season and can contribute at a position where the Bears always have a need with a high tempo defensive tackle rotation.  I don’t know much about L.J. Shelton but after the performance by the offensive tackles last season, any new starting tackle would be an improvement.

But without a doubt, the biggest name on that list is Trent Green.  After all the talk about Rex, Brian Griese, and Kyle Orton it could all become a moot point with a solid, accurate passer like Trent Green.  Last year he was paid $6 million by the Dolphins but ended up being little help from the injured list.  The Bears are not paying that much for Rex and Brian combined, but there is no doubt the Bears can use an upgrade at the position.

Most of my reservations about dumping Rex is due to the incredible lack of talent at quarterback throughout the NFL.  Regardless of how you feel about Rex, there are not many suitable replacements to entertain.  Low and behold, Trent Green, a quarterback known for his great accuracy and ability to run an offensive drive is now available.

This is all just a pipe dream because the Bears will not tie up $6 at the quarterback position when they have much larger issues at running back, tackle, safety, and linebacker.  There are also issues if Green is healthy and if he is joining a long list of aging quarterbacks with problems taking hits.  I would probably be borderline cruel to the Bears organization if they signed Green and not free agent running back Michael Turner, but it still sounds nice.  I have no doubt that dozens of NFL teams are working through their salary cap to see if they can fit Green on to their roster.

I would still like to see the Bears try to sign back Marty Booker, a top receiver who has fallen out of popularity while stuck in a non-existent Miami offense.  The Bears offense can always use another big threat and based on his lack of production, they may be able to get him for a discount.

According to my handy Bears Media Guide, here are the list of players with expiring contracts:

Brandon Ayanbadejo

Obagemi Ayanbadejo

Bernard Berrian

Lance Briggs

Ruben Brown

Rashied Davis

Antonio Garay

John Gilmore

Rex Grossman

Leon Joe

Dante Wesley

Brandon McGowan

I’m completely amazed that all the attention has gone to Rex and Lance and people have forgotten all about Bernard Berrian. He has consistently proved himself to be the number 1 receiver on this team, even though he lines up next to Mushin Muhammed. Moose may be the more seasoned veteran, but Bernard has become one of the prime deep threats in the league. It would be foolish to let him go. The Bears have the opportunity to let Briggs go and use Jamar Williams in his place and see how well he can hold up. There is no receiver on this roster who can come close to replacing Berrian’s ability. Devin Hester may have more blazing speed but has a long way to go to learn the offensive playbook and show the solid hands we have in Berrian.

I initially felt the Bears should make Briggs a priority, but if it comes down to money, which it always does, I’d rather have Berrian. I love Briggs, but the reality is that he doesn’t make many big, flashy plays. He has become a Pro Bowler because of his solid tackling skills combined with a defense designed to flush the ball towards the linebackers. When Briggs was picked up in the 3rd round of the 2003 draft with the 68th overall pick, he was not highly regarded. It was because he flourished in the Bears defense that he became so popular. Nothing says that Briggs can flourish in another defensive scheme or that another drafted linebacker couldn’t replace him. I worry that because Briggs does not make many flashy plays that he may become a bust in his next destination. Only time will tell if I’m right, but unless he ends up with a great opportunity to play in New England or San Diego, I think he might be exposed and asked to do too much.

I will expose myself a little more and make the argument for Rex Grossman’s return. The thought of Kyle Orton and Brian Griese battling for the starting job next year is troubling. Neither quarterback gives you the hope of making the playoffs that Grossman can. He may make bonehead plays but he also makes spectacular plays that propel his team to victory. Orton or Griese could get the Bears to 8 or 9 wins, but I think with Grossman at the healm they could reach 11 or 12 wins. He is a risk taker and exactly what the teams needs to get back at the top.

As for all the rest, hopefully the Ayanbadejo boys will give the Bears a discount for signing the brothers and giving Obagemi a chance after his early season troubles. Leon Joe has been nothing short of a bust and a big disappointment. Ruben Brown will have to decide if he wants to retire or let his arm heal for another go around for a run at a Super Bowl. I don’t think anyone will really notice if Rashied Davis leaves after a houdini act of playing a big role last year and disappearing this year. Antonio Garay doesn’t even deserve me finishing his sentence. John Gilmore is a good player and contributor but is odd man out at tight end where the Bears have a deep pool of talent. Dante Wesley is cornerback and that’s about all anyone knows about him. Brandon McGowan will likely disappear and become a die hard Bears fan trivia question and joke when referencing back to the secondary on 2007 team. He’ll represent for defense what Bobby Wade represents for inept offenses of previous years.

So it comes down to only a few names. Berrian, Grossman, and Ayanbadejo. Briggs would be a welcome sight back next year but I doubt the Bears will make the investment. Jamar Williams looks too good and the Bears have too many needs in other spots on the field. Whether Briggs plays on Sunday or if he allows Williams to put on another great audition for a starting spot could be the spotlight for their game against the Saints.