http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/3723 Recent articles about Nathan Vasher en-us Do you think the Chicago Bears will trade Ricky Manning Jr? Yes, it sure seems like he is the odd man out. Ricky Manning Jr. signed with the Chicago Bears in 2006, he set a career high, and he tied for the team lead and tied for 10th in the NFL with five INTs In the postseason he had a big INT against the Seahawks in the NFC Divisional Playoff. Became first Bears defensive back since Jerry Azumah (12/30/01) to record 2 sacks in one game (12/17/06 vs. TB Bucs). Last season, Ricky Manning Jr. played in every regular season game, but failed to record an interception. He was the starting nickel back for the whole season. The Chicago Bears are looking to use former first round pick Danieal Manning at nickelback because of the emergence of Brandon McGowan and Mike Brown coming back. Besides the obvious starters Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher, the Bears have two second year pros in Corey Graham and Trumaine McBride. Don't forget this years fifth round pick Zackary Bowman. If they do move Ricky Manning Jr, it might work out like Chris Harris in last years training camp. Chris Harris started 15 games with the Panthers last season, recorded one INT and eight forced fumbles. All the Chicago Bears got in that trade was a fifth round pick. I still am upset at that trade. So, if they move Ricky Manning Jr. it could turn out the same as Chris Harris's last year in training camp. It never hurts to have to many bodies and we all the know the Chicago Bears get alot of injuries. It looks Ricky Manning Jr. who is signed through 2010, might get sent packing sooner than later. Sat, 19 Jul 2008 23:51:43 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292706 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292706 I believe when Charles "Peanut" Tillman and Nathan Vasher are healthy, there's not a better cornerback tandem in the NFL. They are simply the best Their ability to create turnovers is the main reason i chose them. In 2005, Nathan Vasher had 8 Int's and Charles Tillman had 5 Int's tied for the NFC lead with 13 combined interceptions with Carolina's Chris Gamble and Ken Lucas. I think losing Vasher last season was a big loss to the defense, because the games he did play in he made a huge impact. Also, Charles Tillman seems to try hard every single down. Since Vasher and Tillman have played together, which began in 2004. they have combined for 30 int's. WOW! Those are amazing stats. I believe that Tillman is very underrated because of all the other great players on that defense. The only other top cornerback tandems that are almost as good as Tillman and Vasher are: Antonio Cromartie and Quentin Jammer of the San Diego Chargers, Champ Bailey and Dre Bly of the Denver Broncos, and Al Harris and Charles Woodson of the Green Bay Packers. You could even throw in new Eagle Asante Samuel and Sheldon Brown as a good cornerback tandem. In the end, if both stay healthy they are the best corneback tandem in the league and I hope to see that next season when they get on the field. Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:38:52 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292606 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292606 In exclusive interviews with various flies on the wall, The Frozen Tundra was able to piece together additional information to provide a background to determine how this trade developed. I have reconstructed the timeline of events based on those reports. March 1, 2008: Favre calls Ted Thompson to tell him he wants Randy Moss to be signed. "If not, I will know you are not trying to get me the personnel I need, and I'm not sure I want to stay in that situation," he declared. There are no reports out of flies in Green Bay, since at that time of the year it is still too cold and they are dormant. However, it is believed by one fly he could hear Thompson laugh in reply, "Are you serious?! Do you think we would take on that headache long-term just so you will maybe play another year or two? Even the fans wouldn't be on your side with this one–they hate him!" After that, the phone call abruptly March 4, 2008: After Moss re-signs with New England, Favre calls Thompson several times, always hanging up without speaking about ten seconds later. The last time he calls and says, "call me back and let me know what you will do to entice me to come back, or I'll have to retire by the end of the week." He then hangs up the phone. There are no return calls. March 6, 2008: Favre announces his retirement, and everyone publicly expresses sorrow that an era is coming to an end. It is reported by a fly in Kiln that Favre later tells his wife, "I know I heard cork pop in Thompson's office." April 26, 2008: Coach Mike McCarthy tells Thompson, "You better get me somebody else. Aaron is great and all, but he gets hurt at the drop of a feather. I need some insurance if I'm gonna be expected to win a title!" Thompson promptly drafts Brian Brohm. July 1, 2008: Favre contacts McCarthy, saying "Thompson won't return my calls. I'm sorry I made him mad by retiring, but I thought he needed to know I was serious when I threatened to quit. I didn't know he'd make me follow through on it. Will you talk to him?" McCarthy replied, "I'll see what I can do, Brett. You know I would like to have you under center, but your return would put us in a difficult place now. We've moved on, and sometimes you can't go back to the way things were." July 3, 2008: Brett has just seen a History Channel program on guerrilla warfare, and knowing ESPN will just die if they can't talk about Favre, he sends his mother and brother out to do his bidding. Both of them attempt to paint Brett as someone who has kept himself ready to help the Packers and the organization as not wanting the legend who won a championship for them anymore. July 4, 2008:After not hearing back from either McCarthy or Thompson, Favre is contacted by Roger Goodell, asking how his quest to return is going. "Ted won't return my calls," Brett says. Goodell says, "since you're the biggest star in the league, it's in our best interests to pay to have the call routed through New York. He'll have to answer it if he thinks it's the league office." Thompson does answer, but merely promises to call Brett back after he is done with his vacation. July 7, 2008: Thompson is done with his vacation. Brett stands by the phone, even saying at 8pm, "he just got back. He's probably got a lot of work to do, so he'll be there late." No call. July 10, 2008: Having still received no call and hearing Packers Vice President in charge of player personnel, Mark Murphy, say that as far as they know Favre is still retired and is not trying to return, he gets on the phone to his agent. "Pull out all the stops," he tells him. "What do you think it's going to look like if I make a public statement that you want to come back and they won't let you? Maybe they won't get all those sell-outs. Maybe no one's gonna buy your jersey anymore." July 11, 2008: Mortensen gets a call from Brett's agent stating that Brett wants the team to release him. I want to thank the flies in Kiln, MS and Green Bay, WI for their contributions. There were also two flies in New York, NY, reporting from the draft and league office. In some cases, it took generations of flies meticulously passing on this information from generation to generation, as it was accumulated over the last four-plus months, which is over 30 fly lifetimes! On Tuesday, July 15, we will have new accounts as this story, originally broken on Bleacher Report, develops. Mon, 14 Jul 2008 07:06:52 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/290084 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/290084 I recently wrote about the biggest draft day blunders by the Chicago Bears so I thought I would take the time to note the best draft day gambles. The players that are drafted in the late rounds that don't get any attention until they suddenly start making a difference on the field. They garnered little more than a passing mention on draft day but a few years later they turn out to be a real find. I didn't give them a rank because I found it too hard to weigh the contributions of the player against the position of the pick. So here are the best bear draft day finds of the last 20 years. Raymont Harris Pick: 114 Harris was never a superstar but for a kid drafted in the 4th round he turned out to be a solid contributor. He was a fan favorite and worked his butt off for the team but was never given respect by an organization that preferred to draft big name running backs that couldn't perform. Harris was the consummate player and never said a word. He just showed and was ready to kick ass when his team called on him. Commentators like John Madden coined the phrase "all-back" as a result of watching Raymont Harris. He would run the ball on play, lead block as a fullback the next play, and go over the middle and catch a pass the next play. He did anything and everything the team asked of him. Over 54 games he gained 2,509 yards and 16 touchdowns, while throwing his body in front of tacklers for the likes of Rashaan Salaam and Curtis Enis. He was respected and feared among the players in the league for his punishing style of running. He would wear down the opposing defense throughout the game and punish them in the fourth quarter to take over the game. He's everything that Cedric Benson wishes he could be, but never will. He was a true class act and should have been treated with more respect by the Bears. Chris Villarrial Pick: 152 The Bears were hoping to get a decent offensive guard in the 5th round of the draft in 1996. They ended up with a 10-year starter on the offensive line that helped anchor 155 games. Anytime you can pick up a key member of your team in a late round and have that player contribute for a decade, you have just done your organization a huge favor. Marcus Robinson Pick: 108 Taken in the 4th round of 1997, Marcus didn't develop right away, but when he did he was amazing. He with the Bears for five seasons, accumulating 187 catches, 2,695 yards, and 20 touchdowns before leaving. His breakout season was his second with the Bears when he caught 84 passes for 1,400 yards and 9 touchdowns. He was a great find and good team player that was always greatful for his success. He returned to Chicago this summer to retire with the team where he had the most success and happiness in his career. He played a season in Baltimore and three in Minnesota but never experience the explosive success he had in Chicago. Patrick Mannelly Pick: 189 Never heard of Patrick Mannelly? That's because most fans don't pay much attention to the long-snapper. You heard me right. Mannelly was drafted in the 6th round of 1998 and is still the starting long-snapper for the team. He has played in 157 NFL games and has never started and pretty much doesn't have any NFL statistic to associate with his name. However, he has hung around with the Bears and collected a professional football player paycheck for 10 years because he can snap the ball to the kicker and punter. You really want to teach your kids the secret to success in the NFL without the risk of injury? Teach them to long-snap. Jerry Azumah Pick: 147 Jerry's career was cut short by injuries but despite being drafted in the 5th round and 10th player drafted by the Bears in 1999, he contributed. The athletic corner back started for three years and was named to one Pro Bowl and 10 career interceptions. He played seven seasons and later in his career he really started to shine as a major player in the defense. He finished 2002 with 82 tackles, 2003 with 82 tackles and 4 interceptions, and in 2004 he played 12 games and finished with 51 tackles and 4 interceptions. After that he was plagued by chronic injuries that forced him to retire from the game. Rosevelt Colvin Pick: 111 Colvin was taken ahead of Azumah in the 1999 draft in the 5th round and had much of the same success. He was paired with a young Brian Urlacher at linebacker and the pair would become a fierce duo for offenses to manage. He only stayed with the Bears four seasons and didn't do much his first two seasons, but once given the starting game he flourished. He finished 2001 with 69 tackles and 10.5 sacks and 2002 with 64 tackles and 10.5 sacks. Starting quarterbacks learned to keep an eye on Colvin or suffer the consequences. He left for New England and played a key role in their great linebacker unit and is now headed to the Houston Texans. Michael Green Pick: 254 Mr. Irrelevant of 2000 taken in the 7th round turned out to be anything but for the Bears. The cornerback ended up playing strong safety for the Bears and was named the starter in his third season. He finished 2002 with 100 tackles and remained the starter for three seasons. It's quick amazing to think a kid taken so late in the draft could end up playing such a major role on a great defensive unit. However, he is another example of how injuries can cut a player short and he was out of the league by 2007. But for a few years he was able to climb from the basement of obscurity in football to a top safety in the league. Alex Brown Pick: 104 Taken in the 4th round of 2002, Brown has been relied upon as a developing star at defensive end. Coaches didn't have a lot of confidence in him originally but he has a very strong work ethic and has become an outstanding student of stopping the run. He was replaced last season by Mark Anderson but Anderson had trouble stopping the run and Brown was quickly put back to work. The Bears recognized their need for the big run stopper and signed him to a long-term deal this past year. He's been a starter for five seasons, and even though he prides himself on getting after running backs, he has accumulated 31.5 career sacks along with his 283 career tackles. Bobby Wade Pick: 139 Taken in the 5th round of 2003, Wade had a tough time in Chicago. He had trouble getting involved on the offense and coaches decided to try his talent on punt and kick returns. The result was disasterous as Wade constantly battled fumble issues and coughed up several punts in key game situations, often letting the ball bounce off his chest and right between his hands. Fans started to boo when he ran out for a punt and probably made matters worse for Wade as his fumble troubles got worse. Coaches got frustrated and Wade was allowed to go to leave to Tennessee and now Minnesota where he is enjoying some success. Justin Gage Pick: 143 Taken four picks after Wade, their careers have mirrored one another. In four seasons with the Bears he never broke out but now with Tennessee he enjoyed a career year last year and established himself as a real threat. Too bad neither player found their stride before leaving Chicago for a new destination. Nathan Vasher Pick: 110 Taken in the fourth round, "The Interceptor" has developed into a starting cornerback was locked up last season with a long term contract. In four seasons with the Bears he has 130 career tackles and 17 career interceptions. He has earned a reputation as a shut down corner and when he spent most of the last season injured the defense appeared to play differently without him. He offers a security for the other players on defense that he can hold is own and create plays and turnovers. That kind of confidence from your teammates cannot be easily replaced and he will play a big role in the defense being able to dominate this season. Chris Harris Pick: 181 The Bears made a huge mistake with 6th round pick Harris when they traded him in his third season to Carolina for a draft pick. The Bears assumed they had extra talent at safety, the position Harris played, after signing Adam Archuleta last off season. Archuleta is no longer with the Bears after a disappointing season and Harris had a career year in Carolina. He finished last season with 97 tackles and 8 forced fumbles and only has more potential to grow. The Bears may be sorry they let this talented late round safety go for so little. Honorable Mentions: (recent picks that could go either way) Mark Anderson - Taken with the 159th pick in the 5th round he had a break out rookie year with 12 sacks, but last year he only had 5 sacks and looked like he still had a lot to learn. When he started last season he looked worse and appears to be better just coming in on third downs. It remains to be seen if he will return to form his third season or continue to decline. Trumaine McBride - Taken in the 7th round with the 221 pick in last year's draft, he was heavily relied upon last season in an injury plagued defense. He ended up a starter and playing in all 16 games at cornerback last season, starting in 9 and accumulating 35 tackles. It may not be amazing numbers but for a rookie thrown in the mix taken in a round where he should have been on the practice squad, that's a pretty good find. Coaches are keeping on eye on how he is able to develop as a player as a result of his vast playing experience last season. He may be able to build upon that experience and become a key player on the defense. Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:18:48 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283093 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283093 The Chicago Bears accounced this morning that they have given defensive tackle Tommie Harris a 4-year extension.  Although the organization declined to comment on the amount of the contract, the deal is speculated to be worth about $40 million with $18 million guaranteed.  The deal would make Harris the highest paid defensive tackle in franchise history and in league history.  Harris is considered one of the most dominant young defensive tackles in the game and in the last year of his rookie contract.  If allowed on the free agent market, he would have landed a huge deal in a new city.  With that type of leverage the Bears didn't have much of a choice other than to award him with their biggest contract ever.  The Bears will probably have to do the same in the coming weeks as they try to sign an extension with already legendary returner Devin Hester.  The deal also allows Harris to still test the free agent market when he will have a high demand.  When this extension runs out he will still be 29 years old and may command a contract even more lucrative than the one he just signed.  Harris has already been to 3 straight Pro Bowls in his 4 years in the league and has established himself as a force in the middle of the field.  Offensive lines usually have to devote a double team to Harris, leaving linebackers free to roam the field, a key to success for Brian Urlacher.  Harris has also had some issues with injuries but always bounces back at full strength or is willing to play injured to help his team.  In the week 3 matchup last year against the Cowboys, Harris injured his knee and opted to play out the remainder of the season on a bad knee rather than take time off.  The move also ensures the Bears have a strong core on their defense that will be around for at least the next few years.  Tommie Harris joins Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, Charles Tillman, Nathan Vasher, and Alex Brown in the list of long-term players.  For more NFL news please visit:  FanSided Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:57:56 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/280410 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/280410 With Training Camp fast approaching I wanted to put the spotlight on the Bears that will have to step up or prove themselves in their respective position. QB:  Rex Grossman This one goes without saying.  The Bears brought him back with a 1-year deal to try to once-and-for-all slay his demons and show that he can compete in the NFL consistently and not just show flashes of greatness followed by a game-ending interception. RB:  Matt Forte Isn't this what every rookie dreams of when they are drafted?  The starting spot has basically been handed to Forte, now he has to step it up and show that he deserves it.  Coaches have been raving about his skills during OTA's but things are different with the pads on.  The organization is holding its breath for the first few weeks of training camp to see how the youngster runs routes when he's being chased down by Urlacher and Co. in full contact drills.  If things don't turn out well, the Bears may become big players on the running back market. WR:  Brandon Lloyd There is a lot of attention being paid to Devin Hester but all Hester really needs is the ball in his hands and he can create his own plays.  It appears the real score for the Bears on the free agent market was landing Lloyd out of Washington.  Word from the Bears is he looks great in drills so far this summer and he appears to be distancing himself from the pack as the number 1 receiver.  If he has a strong training camp Lloyd may be able to resurrect his career as a top wide out. TE:  Greg Olsen Olsen has put together some flashy plays and has an incredible ability to go up and get after the ball.  Bears quarterbacks need to look to him more often and hopefully will rely on him now that he has more experience.  The Bears resigned Desmond Clark so Olsen will platoon for playing time.  Both players are known for their good hands and ability to spread the field, but Olsen has blazing speed and incredible height to go along with it.  Olsen has done everything right so far, he just needs to get more familiar with his quarterbacks and make sure they don't forget to look for him. OT:  Chris Williams Ok rook, time to show us what you got.  Chicago is not known for their great first round draft picks so Williams will have a lot of pressure on him to perform and perform well.  Reporters and fans will be on his every step to see if maybe, just maybe, a first round draft pick will come through.  He'll have a lot of veteran mentors on the line and hopefully he'll be up to the task. OG: Terrence Metcalf Entering into his seventh season in the league he has seen some short stints as a starter but the team has never had full faith in him.  Now that Rueben Brown has departed, the job is his to lose.  He will have to show coaches that he is ready to be a part of the offensive line and hold his own.  Given his contribution in the past I think he's ready to be in the spotlight full time.  C:  Olin Kreutz Kreutz has long been considered the cog holding the Bears offensive line together and their undeniable leader.  However, last year there was a sudden drop off in his productivity and he didn't look like his normal self.  As a result the entire offensive line looked unprepared and confused all season.  The success of the O-line starts and ends with Kreutz.  He needs to get back into his old form if this offense is going to have a chance to move the ball. DE:  Mark Anderson After a flashy rookie season, Anderson was given the opportunity to start at end over veteran Alex Brown and he folded under the pressure.  His inability to handle the run distracted him from focusing his energy on being a great pass rusher.  The Bears decided to resign Brown to a longer deal and put him back on the starting line for his experience to contain running backs.  Anderson will return to his 3rd down role as a pass rushing threat on the edge.  If Anderson can't find his rookie spark, he may find himself replacable down the line. DT:  Matt Toeaina I had a hard time with this one because the real attention will be paid to Israel Idonije, who has put his time in as a special teamer and is trying to win a job as starting DT.  However, I'll be particularly interested in watching the development of Toeaina.  When the Bears were thin at the position towards the end of last season, they signed Toeaina and he burst into the backfield making plays against the Minnesota Vikings on Adrian Peterson.  Any kid that can shed a block and chase down Peterson in the backfield is someone I want to keep an eye on.  It may have been a fluke burst of adrenaline so he could make the team, but if not……you never know. LB:  Brian Urlacher Urlacher may be the face of the defense but he also is admittedly playing with an arthritic lower back and coming off surgery on his neck this offseason.  Eyes will be on Urlacher the first time he participates in contract drills to see how that back neck and back are going to hold up.  It appears the neck is healed, but he will likely have to play the rest of his career dealing with an aching lower back. CB:  Nathan Vasher There is a reason why they call him "The Interceptor."  Vasher was injured most of last season and you could see how his absense had an effect on the team.  When he returned to play a couple games the defense had a different swagger and more confidence in their play.  Vasher also turned up with an interception.  He's got a nose for the ball and when healthy and paired up with Charles Tillman, they can shut down opposing receivers.  He needs to be healthy and get back to form for this defense to return to dominance. S:  Mike Brown If you have never seen Mike Brown play I cannot even begin to describe him to you.  He is to the Bears what Mark Prior was to the Chicago Cubs.  He is not only Pro Bowl caliber, he is possibly a Hall Of Fame caliber player that has been sidelined by injuries his entire career.  When he is on the field the Bears defense looks almost unstoppable.  He will stop the run(101 tackles his rookie year), cover wide receivers, and has a knack for coming up with interceptions(14) and returning them for touchdowns (He is the franchise leader with 7 defensive TD's).  He is the total package.  When he plays the Tampa Cover-2 defense is running at it's best and will give an opposing quarterback nightmares.  Last season he played in only one game and had to be taken off the field with an injury.  After the game he broke down in tears in frustration over his career.  He wasn't sure if he would return but he agreed with the Bears to give it one more shot.  Every Bear fan and player prays that Brown can stay healthy and make a huge difference on this defense.   Oh, and please be sure to visit our new Fan-Sided Main Page!:  FanSided Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:11:36 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/279702 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/279702 The Bears offense is going to be horrible and consequentially, no fun to play with in this year's Madden. But who knew Adrian Peterson (94) was such a fantastic third-down back? The defense looks solid. Despite injury-riddled seasons, the makers of Madden still like Mike Brown and Nathan Vasher. Tue, 10 Jun 2008 01:15:47 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/276332 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/276332 Remember way back when? The Bears were in the Super Bowl and their elite defense carried them there. It seems almost as long ago as the Cubs' last World Series win. Fortunately for us, it wasn't 1908 — it was 2006. Safety Chris Harris and any defensive tackle that bothered to line up next to Tommie Harris (Boonie, Ian Scott, Tank) are the most notable defensive absentees from our Super Bowl run. Sure, you could throw Todd Johnson and Cameron Worrell in for giggles, but the last three drafts and free agent signings have produced enough quality special teams players to keep that unit among the league's best for years to come. Barring injury, the Bears will have the best defense in the National Football League in 2008. Notice, I didn't say, "among the best" or "top 10". I'm talking about the absolute, hands-down, top defense in the entire mother-effin' NFL. On a side note, I apologize if the point was, in any way, diluted by use of the word "effin'." Left End Dan Bazuin has fully-recovered from the knee injury that kept him out of play in 2007. He is the type of high-motor, try-hard player that the Bears like. Draft pick Ervin Baldwin has drawn comparisons to Mark Anderson for his pass-rushing ability. Wale Ogunleye starts. Back-ups: Dan Bazuin, Ervin Baldwin. Right End Last year, Mark Anderson was given the starting job but a sprained knee put him on injured reserve as the regular season came to an end. Alex Brown was impressive in all the opportunities he received in the Bears' regular-rotation scheme. The Bears rewarded him with a new contract through 2011. Regardless of who starts, both men will see plenty of playing time. Brown starts. Back-up: Anderson. Tackle Tommie Harris is about to be uber-rich, son. The perennial Pro Bowler will be a mainstay in Chicago and if he can walk, he will start. Dusty Dvoracek has played in one of the 32 games since he's been a Chicago Bear. Now, my math ain't too good but dat must be somethin' like 3 %. The good news is he's healthy now. Izzy Idonije has made the permanent switch to tackle and third-rounder Marcus Harrison could make an immediate impact. Anthony Adams and Matt "Catch a tiger by its" Toeaina played relatively well last season. Harris and Harrison start. Back-ups: Dusty, Toeaina, Izzy and Adams. Weak-side Linebacker The biggest surprise of the offseason had to be the re-signing of Lance Briggs. I had emotionally detached myself from him in preparation for his departure. Had he gone, I might have crashed my 1997 Geo Prizm into a pole and left the scene. Luckily, no other team was biting and now Briggs is all ours once again. Jamar Williams played admirably in Briggs' absence last year. Briggs starts. Back-up: Williams and Okwo. Middle Linebacker Is he or isn't he hurt? This will be the big question about Urlacher's health going into the season. He underwent "minor" neck surgery and battled an arthritic back but says he's fine. I believe him, I think. Either way, he's the man. Urlacher starts. Back-up: I don't even know. Strong-side Linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer has been solid, if not somewhat spectacular, over the course of the last few years. He's often lost in the shuffle with Briggs and Urlacher receiving the glory, but Hillenmeyer does a great job in doing what he's asked; taking on blocks, shedding blocks and redirecting the play to his more celebrated counterparts. Hillenmeyer starts. Back-ups: Williams and Okwo. Cornerback Ricky Manning, Jr. has less of a chance than the poor chap he pummeled in the Denny's parking lot of making it to the regular season. If his sub-par performance last year wasn't enough, the emergence of Trumaine McBride and drafting of Zack Bowman should be reason enough to say "don't let the door hit you in your ass on the way out." Corey Graham impressed enough as a special-teamer last year to stick. Peanut Tillman and Nate Vasher start. Back-up: McBride, Bowman and Graham. Free Safety If Mike Brown stays healthy he will (fill in the blank). Reasonable options that cross my mind include: have a Pro Bowl season, be all over the field, decimate receivers coming through the middle and my personal favorite; carry the Bears to the Super Bowl. Mike Brown starts. Back-up: Danieal Manning. Strong Safety I love Craig Steltz and we will be a much better team because of him. Will he start right away? He could. But he'll have to beat out Kevin Payne first. Payne played well in limited time and can contribute as a special-teamer, too. It's a coin toss but I gotta go with my gut. Steltz starts. Back-ups: Payne and Brandon McGowan. Gosh, did you really just sit through all of this bull? You deserve some kind of prize. Really, you do. Tell you what: I'm going to promise that "Blog Down, Chicago Bears" will continue to offer you the mother-effin' (second reference) best in Chicago Bears rumors, news, analysis and opinion as long as you leave a comment or two. Special Teams up next. Nah, fuck it: Gould, Maynard and Hester start. Sun, 11 May 2008 17:40:27 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265792 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265792 Six reasons why the Chicago Bears are struggling in 2007. Thu, 01 Nov 2007 03:44:16 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/33904 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/33904 Recap of the week four matchup between the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions. Who's better? Rex Grossman or Brian Griese? Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:12:50 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/29115 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/29115 The Chicago Bears had an abundance of defensive starters on this week's injury report, and this morning got both good and bad news as some will play, and some will not. Among the players that are inactive for today's game are Lance Briggs, Nathan Vasher and Charles Tillman. With this, they got a little good news as Tommie Harris will play along with offensive linemen Ruben Brown and Fred Miller. Some other good news for the Bears is that while both of the Bears corners are out, the Lions will be without rookie WR Calvin Johnson. Sun, 30 Sep 2007 16:02:59 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/29066 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/29066 According to multiple reports, the Chicago Bears have finally made the move to start quarterback Brian Griese, and bench previous starter Rex Grossman. The Bears play the Lions this week. Some bad news is that Tommie Harris could miss a month with his knee sprain, and there is no word on Vasher or Briggs. Tue, 25 Sep 2007 23:45:59 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/28532 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/28532 The Chicago Bears have two problems, Rex Grossman and injuries. Grossman, they can control. They are expected to announce on Wednesday (via who gets work with first team), who will be the starting quarterback. But, aside from Grossman, the part the team can control, the Bears have been plagued by injuries very early on. In the first game of the season, they lost two starters to season ending injuries. One of those starters was former Pro Bowler Mike Brown. And with their second loss of the season yesterday, they again lost more than just the game. With the loss, the Bears loss linebacker Lance Briggs, cornerback Nathan Vasher and defensive tackle Tommie Harris. All three of these players are Pro Bowlers, and the injuries range from a knee sprain to a groin injury. If these injuries keep these guys out for an extended period of time, the Bears will have more to worry about than just their quarterback situation. Tue, 25 Sep 2007 01:26:29 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/28426 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/28426 Week 3 matchup between the Chicago Bears and the Dallas Cowboys. Fri, 21 Sep 2007 05:06:10 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/28012 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/28012 The defensive back position in Individual Defensive Player (IDP) fantasy football leagues is about as unpredictable as they come. Since DBs usually don't rack up many tackles, points scored rely heavily upon turnovers- interceptions to be more specific. Compounding the problem with DBs is the fact that quarterbacks often avoid throwing risky passes when they know a quality DB is lurking in the area. So unless you are able to land a top DB like Champ Bailey or Adrian Wilson, your best bet is to go with a DB that accumulates plenty of tackles. Often times it is the defensive scheme that allows DBs to get tackles or a weak linebacking corps so it important to keep surfing the waiver wire to see who will emerge as a solid fantasy DB ala Antoine Winfield. Thu, 16 Aug 2007 18:13:13 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/23861 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/23861