As it stands today, Lance Briggs is sort of lonely in the Chicago Bears linebackers meeting room.  Sure, JT Thomas and Dom DiCicco are loitering around, but do they really belong in the same room as Briggs?  Can they fill the shoes of the departed Nick Roach and one-foot-on-the-banana-peel Brian Urlacher?  Regardless of what happens with Urlacher, the Bears will need to go linebacker shopping.  Let’s see what’s in stock.  (more…)

Jan 7, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Manti Te’o

Linebackers

I can’t think of a positional group that is asked to be more versatile or do more than linebackers.  From rushing the passer to covering the deep middle and sideline to sideline, linebackers have to do it all.  Teams will have their own criteria based on the scheme they run and their individual needs.  (more…)

We'll get to see if Pisa is more reliable this season after an injury-plagued 2009. (Photo courtesy of chicagobears.com)

So much for one bloggers’ hope that the Bears and linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa had parted company.  Why?  Because I am sick to death of trying to remember how to spell Tinoisamoa.

Tthe Bears bring back Tinoisamao after an injury plagued 2009 season where he hurt his knee in the season opener against the Packers and aggravated the injury in Week 6, when he went on IR.

Pisa adds some depth to the linebacking corp.  He will compete with Hunter Hillenmeyer, Nick Roach and Jamar Williams for playing time on the strong side.

Here’s what PT had to say about coming back tot he Bears in 2010:

“Hopefully I’m not the same player; hopefully I’m better,” Tinoisamoa said. “That’s my goal. I’m at a point in my career where I’m smarter, and physically I feel like I’m in some of the best shape I’ve been in a long time. So hopefully I can be better than I was before.”

His 1-year deal provides some insurance since neither Roach nor Williams have signed their tender offers.  Now if only the Bears could get this kind of depth in the secondary, they’d be in great shape.