[CBFF] '08 outlook in a word? Well, it's not close :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Bears - Sent Using Google Toolbar

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'08 outlook in a word? Well, it's not close :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Bears

'08 outlook in a word? Well, it may not be close
 One thing certain: Bears have plenty of uncertainties


January 2, 2008
BY MIKE MULLIGAN mmulligan at suntimes.com

You know you've had a bad year when the buzzword is ''close.''

Nothing like abutting greatness to nearly bring out the imminent
excitement in almost everyone.

» Click to enlarge image
General manager Jerry Angelo liked what he saw in the Bears' two
closing victories.
(Joseph P. Meier/SouthtownStar)


RELATED STORIES Inside the Bears: Updates from our blog

Close might be good enough in a messy battle between howler monkeys,
but should fans be proud of a proximate pro football team?

Bears general manager Jerry Angelo pointed out the obvious flaw as he
headed out of Soldier Field after a season-ending victory over New
Orleans that accounted for the Bears' only winning streak of 2007, a
two-game home sweep of the Packers and Saints.

''Unfortunately, we weren't playing for the playoffs,'' Angelo said.
''But we did as good as we could, given the conditions. It was a good
way to finish up. We played hard. A lot of teams at this juncture of
the season, when you have nothing to play for, don't play hard. It
says a lot for the players and coaches. We wanted to end on a good
note, and hopefully it will help pull us into 2008.''
Back to you, Jerry

This was before coach Lovie Smith unveiled his stay-the-course plan in
two final news conferences, one after the Saints victory and another
the next day to close out the season.

''We're not going to overreact emotionally to anything,'' Angelo said.
''We'll do it right.''

''It'' is the rebuilding or reloading needed to get the Bears back
into contention. Closing the gap from ''close'' to playoff team or
championship contender is a fascinating subject as the Bears face
their most important offseason since 2002. Smith said he wants to keep
his coaching staff intact and would like all the players out of
contract to return, too.

That lobs the ball directly into Angelo's court. Is Smith saying the
Bears are close only if they retain their free agents? How close are
they if they lose Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs, top wide receiver
Bernard Berrian, Pro Bowl special teams player Brendon Ayanbadejo and
supposed franchise quarterback Rex Grossman? When those players leave
-- and all but maybe Grossman are nearly certain to be gone -- should
the buzzword be changed to ''distant'' or ''remote''?

Smith's plan might not be viewed as ingenious so much as a year late,
but there is something to be said for continuity in a coaching staff,
particularly when a team believes it's close enough to strike. The
Bears maintained continuity on special teams last year, and despite
losing five key players on those units, wound up repeating as the No.
1 special teams in the NFL.

They maintained continuity in the starting lineup, too, save for one
position on each side of the ball. They traded running back Thomas
Jones to the Jets and waived troubled defensive tackle Tank Johnson
before the season. Now, despite the assurances from Cedric Benson that
another running back isn't necessary, the Bears still need a running
back and a defensive tackle -- perhaps in reverse order.

Whatever went wrong on defense -- the Bears seem to believe it was
simply ill-placed injuries -- that unit shouldn't be overlooked during
the offseason tweaking. Sure, the Bears have a couple of ''redshirt
rookies'' in second-round pick Dan Bazuin and third-rounder Michael
Okwo waiting in the wings. But they felt the same way about Dusty
Dvoracek coming into this season, and he didn't last one game.
Needed: an impact draft

They've known about Briggs' likely departure for a couple of years and
have taken steps to replace him with Jamar Williams and Okwo. There
has been speculation that Brian Urlacher could be moved from middle
linebacker to the weak side. Had Smith been coaching the Bears when
Urlacher arrived, it's a no-brainer that he would have been lined up
on the weak side and told to chase the ball rather than take on
blocks, with the idea of creating the next Derrick Brooks.

Instead, Urlacher first was used on the strong side opposite the tight
end, then moved to the middle, where he could not only roam sideline
to sideline, but also drop deep to protect the vulnerable spot in the
cover-2 defense. The time to move Urlacher has long since passed.
Weak-side linebackers sometimes move inside when they hit Urlacher's
age, not the other way around. Briggs is a good player, but not so
good that you need to change two or three positions to replace him.

The Bears' most significant impact should come from the draft, where
they own the No. 14 pick and four in the first three rounds, including
a high third-rounder from the Jones deal. The last time the Bears
picked 14th, they selected Tommie Harris in 2004. Of course, the year
before, they took Michael Haynes in the same slot, so you never can
tell which way a draft will go.