Here’s what Bears coach Lovie Smith had to say when asked about it:

Any player that’s available, we look at. That’s been our standard policy throughout. That’ll be the case with Larry.”

Unless Larry can play safety, corner, linebacker, defensive tackle or offensive line, forget about it!  I wouldn’t have this malcontent bum on my fantasy team!

Haven’t we learned our lesson from the likes of Cedric Benson BC (Before Cinci) and Tank Johnson.  Heck, look no further than current pariah Tommie Harris!  Does Larry possess more talent than hospitalized Garrett Wolfe or Adrian Peterson (Orange not Purple).  Sure, at least he did once upon a time.  Is it worth adding more poison to an already embroiled locker room?  Hell no!   We need answers, not more problems!

BEAR DOWN!!!

All I can say about last week is this: What the hell is going on with the Titans? Was Albert Haynesworth that much of a difference-maker? 0-4? Seriously? No, I was not panicking giving the points to the Lions last week when it was 21-21. I told you, 10 is not that much. Baltimore‘s defense, as good as it is, has been rather disappointing this first quarter; I bet they’ve messed up alot of people’s over/under betting, not to mention my fantasy football defensive points. Tack on their offense which has become quite the juggernaut and people aren’t quite sure which way to go. Lastly, San Fran was a no-brainer, so I’m not going to talk much about that.

On to Week 5, where the Bears are hibernating. I’ll take another pick to keep my 4 picks a week alive: (more…)

Brown heads to a Kansas City Chiefs defense that ranked 31st in the league last season.  He will compete for a starting spot against Bernard Pollard and Jarrad Page. Check out what the Chiefs might expect from Brown when he’s at his best:

Thanks for the memories #30!!!

The Kansas City Chiefs acquired hot QB prospect Matt Cassel and veteran linebacker Mike Vrabel from the New England Patriots for a high 2nd round pick.  Um, Jerry, we have the #18 pick in the first round and chances are there will not be a QB of Cassel’s caliber available at that spot in the draft.

A side story coming out of the Cassel trade is that the Denver Broncos tried to trade for Cassel and would have subsequently moved Pro Bowler Jay Cutler to make room for a QB better suited to new Bronco head coach Josh McDaniels‘ system.  Rumor has it that Cutler was close to being moved to the Tampa Bay Bucs for the #19 pick.  Um, Jerry, we have the #18 pick and I am quite certain that there will not be a quarterback with a Pro Bowl on his resume available in the first round.  And to be quite honest, even if there were, you couldn’t find him.

Among the other top free agents to get away was former Bengal WR TJ Houshmandzadeh, who signed with Seattle.  Here’s Jerry Angelo on Housh from Vaughn McClure’s Huddle Up blog on chicagotribune.com:

Houshmandzadeh is a fine receiver.  Would we have entertained him? Yes, but we wanted to see what his marketplace was. In this case, we felt like [what he received from the Seahawks] was an exorbitant amount of money. Remember, he was a No. 2 in Cincinnati. That’s not to say that what Seattle did wasn’t right for them; their situation is different in my mind than ours. They had an inordinate amount of injuries with receivers and they felt like they needed to get somebody that was established and healthy.

A lot of teams would have liked to have had Houshmandzadeh. But he’s going to be 32 in ’09 and the price that you’re paying for that receiver we felt was very high. You have to look at economics when you look at players. Who doesn’t want Houshmandzadeh? But you have to look at the economics: What are the implications to the cap going forward and what does that prevent us from doing in other areas within our team and/or in free agency?

Hey Jerry, how about the Bears set the market for once?  You talk about how Seattle needing to get someone established and healthy.  Um Jerry, which receiver on the Bears is “established,” Rashied Davis?  Up until last season, Devin Hester needed someone to tell him where to go.

I hope my rant didn’t wake you from your nap.  Would someone please wake up Jerry before the draft?

BOOM!!!

Of course my excitement is curbed by reality of this being an exhibition game.  We’ll like only see a quarter or half tops of good football and then the remainder of the game will feature the players fighting for a roster spot.  The third and fourth string players certainly play with plenty of heart but they run around the field with a wild disregard that makes you wonder if they really know what play was just called in the huddle. 

For the Chicago Bears, the preseason holds an important test for several positions on the field.  A season cannot be made or lost in a single preseason game, but tomorrow night’s contest certainly holds the futures and opinions of my players in the balance.  Without further delay, here are my players to watch tomorrow night.

First Round Bench Warmers

The Bears and Chiefs have a lot invested in the success of their first round picks, all of whom will not be dressing tomorrow.  Bears first round pick, and hopeful for left tackle of the future, Chris Williams will not be playing due to a lingering back injury.  He has missed significant practice time and is now reaching the point where coaches should be concerned if he will be ready for the actual season.  Without Williams playing left tackle the Bears will be starting the season with a weak offensive line.  The Chiefs will also be playing without their first rounders, Glenn Dorsey and Branden Albert.  Both players need to get healthy and contribute to help the Chiefs rebuilding process begin.

Matt Forte Show

The Bears signed free agent running back Kevin Jones to help in the backfield but Jones is still coming back from his injury.  He is almost ready to put on pads and get his first taste of game action but for tomorrow, it will be the Matt Forte show.  There is no understatement in saying all eyes will be on his every move and touch of the ball.  He should get about ten touches before being pulled for Adrian Peterson, but he needs to show some of the flashes coaches have been telling us about.  Fans may extend a learning curve to the rookie, but I think everyone will feel better on Friday if Forte can show he can run the ball in the NFL.

Wide Receiver Madness

The Bears have a LOT of receivers to choose from and players need to stand out or find themselves at the bottom of a deep depth chart.  Bears quarterbacks can throw to Marty Booker, Devin Hester, Brandon Lloyd, Rashied Davis, Mike Hass, Marcus Monk, Earl Bennett, Brandon Rideau, and Ryan Grice-Mullen.  Every day I read articles from reporters at training camp and every day they seem to have a new favorite at the receiver position.  The Bears appear committed to Booker, Hester, Lloyd and Davis as their starting four for the upcoming season.  The remaining players will have to come up with big plays to earn a place among the top.  Fan favorite Mike Hass is known for making spectacular catches but coaches are afraid he’s too slow to put him on the field.  Little has been said about rookie draft picks Bennett and Monk so any contribution will help get their names in the running.

O-Line Disaster

I’ve been talking all summer until blue in the face about the importance of the Bears to solidify the offensive line.  First round pick and left tackle Chris Williams is out indefinately with back pain and Olin Kreutz missed practice time with injuries early in camp.  More recently there have been troubles with the guard position and the Bears may be forced to start Josh Beekman.  No one really knows if Beekman is good or bad because coaches have never opted to use him.  Even last season when the offensive line was terrible, Beekman dressed but was never put into a game.  That’s not a good sign for things to come.  I for one will be watching Beekman to see if he can step up with this opportunity.

QB Coin Flip

Coach Lovie Smith didn’t rely on a coin flip to make his decision this time, but he did continue to flip.  Kyle Orton will be the starter of tomorrow’s game and Rex Grossman will the starter for next week’s game.  Grossman and Orton have been very close throughout training camp and game situations could prove to be the final test.  Grossman has always given the Bears the better chance to win, but his failure to maintain his composure and mechanics have proven disasterous.  If Orton shows he can stand in the pocket he may move ahead in the competition.

Injury Bug

Defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek is considered a possible key player for the defense at tackle but can’t seem to stay healthy.  For the third year in a row he has been injured and will force the Bears to find a new tackle to play alongside Tommie Harris.  Rookie Marcus Harrison was ranked by many teams as a possible first round pick but passed on him because of character issues.  Reports indicate he has been a model citizen in training camp and he may get a lot of activity tomorrow night.  At the present moment he appears to be the best candidate for surprise draft pick if he can deliver.

Roach Factor

Nick Roach is a second year linebacker with the team that is getting a lot of attention.  He recently moved up the depth chart ahead of Rod Wilson as backup middle linebacker to Brian Urlacher.  I thougth highly enough of Wilson that I suggested last season the Bears should let Lance Briggs go and start him this season.  If Roach is even better he may prove to be valuable addition to the defense.  If he can make a big play Roach may see more significant playing time.

The short list of candidates includes former Detroit Lion Kevin Jones, former Seattle Seahawk Shaun Alexander, former Denver Bronco Travis Henry, former Houston Texan Ron Dayne, and current Oakland Raider LaMont Jordan.  The Bears organization hasn’t given us any indication they are on the market for a new running back.  The hype is the result of Kevin Jones expressing his desire to suit up for the Bears so he can get back on the field.  Jones has been working out for several NFL teams to show them he has recovered from his torn ACL but no one is biting.  Even when he was healthy, he showed some flashes of talent but could never stay consistent on the field.  It appears to be a replacement of Benson in terms of running ability to could be a mistake for the Bears.  Jones has been in the league four years and the Bears have had plenty of time to scout him as a Lions running back to decide if they like his style.

I don’t even know where to begin with the rest of the candidates.  Shaun Alexander was over-hyped as an MVP and the Bears should avoid his fall to obscurity.  Travis Henry has more than enough legal problems to keep the Bears from even entertaining him for a workout.  Ron Dayne showed some life in Houston but I don’t see how he would fit into an offense built to utilize speed.  If the Bears did bring in Dayne he could fill a void needed for a bone crushing goal line back, so there is an outside possibility. 

LaMont Jordan is currently under contract with the Raiders but they are looking to get rid of him and are afraid he will sign with the Broncos or Kansas City Chiefs if released.  Jordan is due $4.7 million this season and $5 million next season so any trade talks would scare off a Bears organization looking to save up salary cap room.  I’m also very concerned about the Warren Sapp interview, highlighted in the Raiders blog, JustBlogBaby, and can be seen here: Sapps got no love

I will be the first to admit that Sapp runs his mouth, but he’s also a veteran defensive tackle that lasted many years in the league and knows a good running back from a bad one.  He commented that Jordan is one of the softest running backs he has ever seen.  Coupled with scouting reports that Jordan does not work hard in practice and has been asked by coach Lane Kiffin to stay away from practice, I doubt he’s in very good football shape.

Put it all together and it appears that the Bears should avoid the running back market like the plague.  The whole crop carries too much baggage that counter acts the Bears releasing of Benson.  The only two I would consider are Kevin Jones and Ron Dayne and both are inconsistent runners that failed to meet expectations.  Sounds exactly like the guy that just left town.  If the Bears were eager to grab either back the organization would buzzing about the possibility, but as for now they are silent.

The current third string running back is Garrett Wolfe, drafted two years ago with a lot of promise as the 4th player in division 1-A history to rush for over 1,500 yards for three straight seasons.  He has been compared to Warrick Dunn as a small, speedy back that is hard to tackle in the open field.  The Bears designed a package of plays just for him, but he was never able to showcase much of his ability on the field.  Benson and Adrian Peterson were never able to establish a solid running game to incorporate Wolfe into the mix.  As a result, his position on the roster was shaky with the drafting of Matt Forte and could be in doubt if the Bears invite a new running back to training camp.  For now his job appears to be fairly secure. 

The Bears will play their first exhibition game the second week of August against the Kansas City Chiefs.  The exhibition season includes games on Thursday night so the date for the may fall anywhere between August 7-11.  The second exhibition game will take place against the Seattle Seahawks in Qwest Field on the weekend of August 14th through the 18th. 

The Bears are able to say for certain that the third exhibition game will be played against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, August 21st.  The game has been picked to be nationally televised on Fox and will obviously air in prime time.  The reason why the NFL would decide to display the Bears and 49ers to a national audience is completely beyond me.  Apparently watching dueling quarterbacks struggle to live up to their expectations will have the nation sitting at the edge of their seats.

The final exhibition game will be played against the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland on August 28th or 29th.  It will be the fifth year in a row the Bears have finished the preseason against the Browns. 

The schedule offers a good bench mark game to start out against a struggling Chiefs club and then give them a real test when they travel to Seattle.  The difference in playmaking ability from the first to the second game will be a key element for players trying to make the team.  Any hopefuls that can shine against Kansas City will have to show a repeat performance in the adverse conditions of Qwest Field.  The third game in a prime time slot with a national spotlight will offer a good final challenge.  Typically the third game of the exhibition season uses starters for the first couple series, plays second stringers for a quarter, and allow third stringers and below to play it out for the second half.  Any player making it that far will have to show that they can handle a little spotlight and knowing friends are watching.  The final game against the Browns will offer a good match up to get the starters ready for the season.  It will be a partically good tune up for the secondary, which will have to take on Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn for a significant part of the game.  By this time we will have a good picture if the Bears have resolved their issues at the safety position and if Charles Tillman, Nathan Vasher, and Mike Brown have fully recovered from their injuries. 

I had assumed that if the Bears were willing to let players like Berrian and Lance Briggs go, then they would spend the money to shore up running back and offensive line. There have been on reports about running back, but I have heard the Bears are dismissing the idea of signing Alan Faneca as too expensive an investment for a guard. Forget the fact that he is a Pro Bowl offensive guard that could sign a long term contract and return the Bears offensive line to dominance.

The Bears sounds optimistic that they will sign Berrian and even make an effort to sign Briggs. The entire thing disgusts me since Briggs is pretty much as good as gone to the San Francisco 49ers, who have been pursuing Briggs for a while and have a complaint filed against them by the Bears for illegally inquiring about him before free agency. Whine all they want, Briggs will likely be in a 49ers jersey next year. The Bears need to stop living in fantasyland and get their act together before they lose out.

I realize there is a game that General Manager’s play to get players for a fair price, but this offseason seems to be a make or break time for this organization to either get back to the playoffs or spend the next 10 years talking about the Super Bowl loss. If the Bears pass on Faneca, Berrian, and Briggs, then where do they plan on spending that money? I can only hope the Bears are holding their cards, waiting to cash in on a bigger pot down the line.

There have been recent revelations the past few days as teams avoid paying out the first portions of salaries on March 1st. The Kansas City Chiefs have released wide receiver Eddie Kennison, the Washington Redskins released Brandon Lloyd, the Seattle Seahawks will lose D.J. Hackett, and the New England Patriots had to let go Dante Stallworth and Randy Moss. Don’t even get your hopes up about Moss, but the remaining three names could create possibilities. Given the youth of Bradley and Hester, they could benefit from a veteran like Kennison, much the way Moose had to help last season.

In fact, the Bears have been surprisingly quiet about the possibilities of any wide receiver free agent after cleaning house a few weeks ago. It doesn’t sound like Berrian has any plans of giving a home town discount and plans to sign the largest contract available. Is it possible the Bears could pull one over on all of us and land Dante Stallworth? Surrounded by talent on the Patriots offense, Stallworth never had a chance to see the ball more than a few times a game. Is it possible the Bears could bait him to Chicago with the chance to immediately be the top receiver? Does the re-signing of Rex Grossman help or hurt the Bears chances to sign any of these receivers? We’ll have to wait and see how free agency plays out. Personally, I would like to see the Bears make a move on Brandon Lloyd, a young receiver that make some plays down in San Francisco, but was forgotten in Washington, which has become a black hole for NFL talent.

Unfortunately, the Bears look content to release three Pro Bowl players and replace them with low level free agents and draft picks. The plan will be genius or completely blow up in their faces. There really is no in between for an organization that has traded or released every offensive player with any ability to get the ball and make big plays. I’m sure Greg Olsen will become a force on the field, but he’s not ready to carry an entire offense. It looks like the Bears are going to have to use the draft to bring in an offensive tackle, guard, wide receiver, safety, and possibly running back. If the Bears are lucky, the can draft two impact players to fill those positions, but there is no way they can expect to fill them all. At least two of those positions need to be filled by free agency or this team will not even be considered a playoff contender.

Offensive tackle Flozell Adams is available from the Dallas Cowboys but even he might be too expensive for the Bears to make a move on him. Speaking of Cowboys, running back Julius Jones is a free agent and has been lying under the of radar NFL rumors. He is a durable running back that doesn’t necessarily make big plays, but neither did his brother Thomas Jones before he signed with the Bears. The Bears should put a high priority on Michael Turner, but if things turn sour or he signs quickly with another team, turning to Julius may be a good option.

The best move the Bears can make to attract free agents would be to lock up one of their own. We have seen players sign with teams for a smaller contract with the expectation of winning. I think the best move the Bears can make is locking up Tommie Harris to a long-term contract. It will show free agents the Bears are committed to winning and are willing to pay out to the right player. If the Bears are so worried about leaving cap space to sign him, then they should sign him now and figure out how much money they have left for signing free agents.

At this point, if the Bears are not willing to spend money on free agent lineman then they need to make a priority of drafting lineman in the first couple rounds and signing a free agent running back and wide receiver. You hear that Jerry Angelo??