[CBFF] FOX Sports - Bears falling further behind NFC North foes

[Phil DeNomme]

Cant say I disagree with much he said.

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Subject: [CBFF] FOX Sports - Bears falling further behind NFC North foes

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Bears falling further behind NFC North foes By Adam Schein
 Adam Schein hosts the Afternoon Blitz on Sirius NFL Radio from 3-7
ET. He is also the NFL insider for Sports Net New York. Schein's
columns appear every Tuesday and Thursday on FOXSports.com. His weekly
video picks and video reports appear every Friday. Email Adam here.


 Updated: March 13, 2008, 12:47 PM EST

 Someone needs to remind the Bears that the goal in the off-season is
to improve the ball club. I'm having a hard time comprehending the
thought process in Chicago.

Let's get the good out of the way first.




I love the fact that Lance Briggs is back in Chicago. He's a Pro Bowl
caliber linebacker, a fantastic tackler and playmaker built for Lovie
Smith's system. Briggs is the perfect wingman for Brian Urlacher.

And as President, Founder, CEO, and often sole member of the Rex
Grossman fan club, I was happy to see the much maligned quarterback
re-sign in the Windy City for another year. The free-agent market was
very thin at quarterback. Grossman still has talent and upside. He
does have a conference championship on his resume. He knows Ron
Turner's offense and couldn't leave town on the low note that was
2007. Grossman's return is good for the team and the player.

But here we are two weeks into the off-season, and I'm scratching my
head on Chicago's decision making. The team is getting worse,
specifically at the receiver position. Key areas of need haven't been
addressed, like safety, offensive line, and, yes, Cedric Benson at
running back. Potentially perfect fits in free agency weren't pursued.
These questions and areas of weakness loom large as the teams in the
division get stronger.

And I'm writing this while defending Grossman!

Everyone likes to blame Grossman for everything in Chicago. But you
cannot ignore the enormous holes on this team.



I understand Bernard Berrian got gobs of guaranteed money to join the
rival Vikings. He had 16 million guaranteed reasons to defect. But
Berrian told us last week that he would've re-upped with the Bears if
the guaranteed money would've been remotely close. Even in a season
where Berrian admits he dropped more passes than he should've, the
wideout hauled in 71 passes and amassed just under 1,000 receiving
yards. And he has an excellent rapport with Grossman, especially on
the deep ball.

And it is gut-wrenching for Bears fans to think of Berrian catching
the all the passes Troy Williamson dropped through the years.

And it is even worse to think of Brandon Lloyd replacing him.

Brandon Lloyd? You have to be kidding me!

He was a total bust in Washington after Joe Gibbs and Vinny Cerrato
foolishly gave the Niners third- and fourth-round picks as well as
millions of Dan Snyder's cash to Lloyd.

How did Lloyd respond? He caught two total passes last year! And this
performance followed an underwhelming 23 catches in 2006. It was
highway robbery. I don't care that he played for Turner in college.
This is a terrible move.

I know Marty Booker has always been a favorite of general manager
Jerry Angelo. But does Booker represent an upgrade over Muhsin
Muhammad? I don't think so. It's a wash, at best.

And where's the push for a defensive tackle to replace the
underachieving Darwin Walker?

Can Chicago possibly back on Mike Brown and Adam Archuleta at safety?
Shouldn't Eugene Wilson be on the radar?

And let's be honest here - the Bears need to be in the running back
business.

Michael Turner would've looked great in a Chicago uniform, but he
signed with the Falcons.

Cedric Benson has been a total bust, with opposing players like Shaun
Philips and Luis Castillo openly questioning his toughness. Benson's
disappointing 2007 came to a bitter and dramatic end when he fractured
his ankle and was placed on injured reserve in late November. You
can't bank on him for anything in 2008.

Chicago never should've traded Thomas Jones. Thus, Angelo must
consider a carry-the-mail back in the first round of the draft.
Jonathan Stewart from Oregon or Illinois' own Rashard Mendenhall, two
physical and speedy backs that should be big-time players, have to be
on the radar. Mendenhall would be perfect.

Investigating Shaun Alexander is also a worthy option.

But while thinking running back, Chicago also needs to also replenish
its offensive line and could be in the tackle business in the first
round.

This is what happens when you have major problems on offense.

Could Grossman actually represent stability?

Scary.

It's seems like the 2006 Super Bowl run was ages ago. Minnesota is
vastly improved with Berrian and Madieu Williams. Green Bay, even sans
Favre, is rock solid. And hey, let's give Matt Millen some credit for
picking up cornerbacks Leigh Bodden and Brian Kelly.

Unless the Bears suddenly join the off-season party, 2008 already has
the makings of another frustrating season.



Schein's 9 Nuggets...

1. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis tells us that he anticipates
that cornerback Mike McKenzie can be healthy enough for training camp
in the hot Jackson, Miss. sun. That's major news after McKenzie's ACL
surgery. McKenzie was having an outstanding season before his suffered
the injury and would look great teamed with free-agent addition
Randall Gay.

And write this one down - Jonathan Vilma is going to be a great player
in New Orleans this year back in the 4-3. That was a brilliant trade
for the Saints. It instantly improves the Saints defense. And Vilma
reports he should be 100 percent physically for training camp.

2. Niners general manager Scot McCloughan says the quarterback
competition will be "fair and open" between Alex Smith and Shaun Hill.
Look for the Niners to draft at wide receiver in the first round, with
the tall, athletic, and sure-handed James Hardy out of Indiana a
distinct possibility.

I really like what McCloughan has done in free agency, bringing in an
energizer bunny and a three-down defensive end in Justin Smith. Isaac
Bruce makes sense at receiver since he knows Mike Martz's offense.

 And I firmly believe Darrell Jackson will bounce back and have a
really good 2008 season.

3. One of the great, subtle moves made this off-season was Miami's
pickup of guard Justin Smiley. He's an old school, tough-as-nails
throwback who instantly starts for Tony Sparano at right guard. Smiley
defines "Parcells guy." Catching up with the guard after he signed, he
told us he couldn't wait to play for Sparano and be with Parcells.

Miami's off-season hasn't been sexy, but pickups of Smiley, Josh
McCown (a top 32 quarterback who can start and teach John Beck) and
Ernest Wilford are very solid.

4. I'm concerned about all three signings involving the players with
concussion risks, Dan Morgan to New Orleans, Zach Thomas to Dallas,
and the Rams picking up Trent Green. Color me skeptical on all three
guys. I hope I am wrong, but you simply cannot bank on them staying
healthy.

And the Rams pickup of Green was a bit goofy at three years and $8.9
million. Green, at age 37, could make up to $4 million dollars this
year. For that money, wouldn't it have made more sense signing Al
Saunders favorite Todd Collins?

5. Jevon Kearse goes home to Tennessee to the tune of two years and $6
million bucks. The best thing about this deal is he is reunited with
line coach Jim Washburn. I'm not sure if Kearse is an every-down
defensive end any more but I think he can get back to a really strong
level rushing the quarterback under Washburn.

6. Denver needed help at linebacker, no question. But I am not
convinced Boss Bailey, signed to a seemingly high 5-year, $17.5
million deal will solidify the Denver run defense.

7. I'm not sure what Bryant Johnson is waiting for. Sign the deal
Buffalo offered you. Johnson is a perfect compliment to Lee Evans.

8. It's wonderful that Arizona gave Larry Fitzgerald his extension. It
would've been even more wonderful if the two sides agreed to it in
February so Alan Faneca would be starting at left guard.

9. Last week, Andre Davis echoed the sentiments of teammate DeMeco
Ryans when we caught up with the Pro Bowler in Hawaii. They both think
competition at the quarterback position would aid the Texans. They say
competition never hurts and makes players stronger.

I'm not so sure here.

While Sage Rosenfels did a good job filling in for Matt Schaub, this
is Schaub's team. He needs to be the No. 1 guy. Schaub gives Houston
the best chance for its first winning season.

Houston also needs to consider a running back in round one.

And how about the Texans as a potential landing spot for Shaun
Alexander once he's cut by Seattle? He'd rush for 1,000 yards behind
an Alex Gibbs coached line.

Interviews with Berrian, Loomis, Davis, Ryans, Smiley, Vilma, and
McCloughan were conducted on Sirius NFL Radio.



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North-foes
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