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2007 NFL Training Camp Preview: Chicago Bears

Brian Griese

The defending NFC Champions will have an up-hill battle when the 2007 season begins. The Bears, who dominated their way to Super Bowl XLI, were dismantled during the off-season. Linebacker Lance Briggs is currently in a contract dispute with the team and has threatened to sit out until week 10. He has recently agreed to terms and now the Bears can finally take a deep breath. Thomas Jones was traded to the New York Jets and Tank Johnson was released from the team because of off-field incidents.

Training Camp will be very interesting for Chicago this season. Rex Grossman will be under more scrutiny than ever by the media while head coach Lovie Smith will be expected to lead the Bears back to the Super Bowl. Does Chicago have enough arsenals to repeat as NFC Champions and possibly win a NFL title? Let’s take a look at the 2007 Chicago Bear roster.

Quarterback
Last season was a roller coaster year for Rex Grossman. At times he would look like an amazing all-pro quarterback. Other times he be so bad, I found myself wondering who’s in charge of scouting players to play in the NFL. However, I gave him the benefit of the doubt because it was his first full season as the starting quarterback since being drafted in 2003. The Bears organization and their loyal fan base are hoping that Grossman develops into a much more seasoned QB and can avoid throwing 20 interceptions. If Grossman cannot keep the ball out of the hands of opposing defenses, Lovie Smith will not hesitate to put in veteran quarterback Brian Griese. Another option at QB is Kyle Orton, who played most of the 2005 season, but did not take a snap last year.
Rating 3.5

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Running Back
With the departure of Thomas Jones to the Jets, Cedric Benson will now be the key to the Bears’ running game. In the two years he’s been in the league, Benson was been plagued with injuries and forced to sit on the bench due to the success of Jones. The Bears are confident that Benson can produce big yards on the ground and take some heat off of Rex Grossman.
Rating 3.5

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
Last season, Bernard Berrian made a case for the number one receiver spot. He will be alongside Munsin Muhammad who is still a dangerous wide receiver. Tight end Desmond Clark scored six times in 2006 and hopes to build on that success this season. The Bears also drafted tight end Greg Olsen from Miami in the first round of this years draft and the hope is to have Olsen and Clark compete for playing time. Either way, the Bears should have nothing to worry about regarding the receivers.
Rating 4.0

Offensive Line
Rex Grossman will be relying on a seasoned offensive line to protect him this season. Tackles John Tait and Fred Miller have a combined 19 years of NFL experience. That could be good or bad thing either way you look at it. In the middle Roberto Garza (the youngest of the O-line), Rueben Brown, and Olin Kreutz are a solid group that can keep the QB relatively clean as well as opening gaping holes for the ground game.
Rating 4.0

Defensive Line
It will be interesting to see how the defensive line performs now that Tank Johnson, perhaps their best player, was cut due to off-season incidents. There is still a lot of talent on the D-line. Adewale Ogunleye is a solid end, but will need to step up and make more plays in the 2007 season. Mark Anderson, a fifth round pick a year ago, had 12 sacks in 2006. The Bears are counting on him to duplicate his success from last season.
Rating 3.5

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Linebackers
Lance Briggs has finally agreed to terms with the Bears on a long term deal and will be ready for the start of training camp. Brian Urlacher will be happy to see Briggs on the field with him as the defense tries to dominate once again. Hunter Hillenmeyer is a solid player that has the tools to make plays on a consistent basis.
Rating 5.0

Secondary
The Bears defensive backfield should be much more dominant in 2007. Nathan Vasher, Charles Tillman, and Ricky Manning Jr. are outstanding corners who have a keen nose for the ball. Adam Archuletta was traded to the team after having an abysmal 2006 campaign with the Redskins. He is still a big hitter that and great at stopping the run.
Rating 4.5

Special Teams
Devin Hester is an explosive KR/PR and perhaps the best I’ve seen. The Bears are hoping that Hester can have a repeat performance this season. Kicker Robbie Gould made a name for himself last season as well.
Rating 4.5

The Bears still have a team that can compete for the NFL Championship in 2007. It will be interesting to see whether the key losses to both the offense and defense will affect the team in the long run.