Bears' Offseason Notes

by Chris Bearman

Blogger, Chicago Tribune

The Chicago Bears were one of the busier teams in the offseason, making a slew of changes to a roster with little to no talent on it. Here is a breakdown of the comings and goings in Chicago:

Incoming New Bears

Newcomers to the roster include guys like quarterback Drew Brees; running backs Ryan Mathews and Damien Williams; receivers Julian Edelman, Leonard Hankerson, Josh Huff, and Brody Roberson; tight end/fullback Virgil Green; defensive linemen Leonard Williams and Tyeler Davison; linebackers Dont'a Hightower, Adarius Glanton, Lorenzo Maudlin IV, Chris Smith, Manti Te'o, Justin Tuggle, Alani Fua, J.T. Thomas III, and Jonathan Casillas; secondary members Joe Haden, Dwayne Gratz, Walter Thurmond III, Demetri Goodson, Louis Delmas, Antone Exum, Jr., and Jordan Poyer, as well as kicker Caleb Sturgis and punter Nash Fulton.

The biggest names on the list - Haden, Hightower, Brees, and Te'o - all come in with something to prove. Haden, 29, needs to show he can still be a legitimate #1 cornerback in the GFML. Hightower, 28, needs to carry the linebacking load and be a dominant, all-around force in the front seven. Brees, 39, has to prove he still has life in his arm after bouncing around the GFML the last two years. Te'o, 27, has to show he can take on the reins of Bears' legends like Urlacher and Singletary at the middle linebacker spot.

Another key issue - with so much turnover on the defense, can the Bears maintain their streak dating back to last season of games under 21 points? That will be key to get all these different faces on the same page quickly, as the Bears start with divisional foe Green Bay in week 1.

Outgoing Bears' players

The organization had to say goodbye to a few good players - namely Andy Dalton and Alshon Jeffery - to get some pieces on the current Bears' roster. Also, middle linebacker Jon Bostic and cornerback Ben Williams are in new places - the Packers and Browns respectively. Will the loss of those players affect what goes on this year?

"Those guys - I wish them well, but they aren't in Chicago anymore. So I don't care what they do as long as it isn't good against us," Coach Winuvas said of the roster movement.

Drafted players

Defensive tackle Deandre Fender will provide solid, if raw, depth on the defensive line. Tyler Cates, a quarterback taken in round six, will bridge the gap potentially going forward once Brees retires. 7th round selection Gordon Griffin impressed the coaching staff enough to stick around despite some athletic issues, but there is no doubting his tenacity.

"Kid's a tough ass runner," Coach Winuvas said. "Reminds me a bit of Reynaldo (Ball)."

Outlook

With games against the AFC East and the NFC West looming, the former coach of the Bills and 49ers knows his future opponents better than most. Combined with the NFC North, this could be a tough year for the coach going forward. I personally think, while the personnel is improved, the defense will take a step back as they get to know how to operate as a team. The team's talent is better, and will win some games later in the year as they gel, but early on will be a struggle.

Record Projection: 6-10, 3rd in NFC North