Bears Update Post

Since there was the Ratliff blunder on my part yesterday and since there have been a couple more Bears related moves today, I'll go ahead and do another offseason update post to get everything up to date. Of course, I forgot about Jeremiah Ratliff all together yesterday. I was fact checking on the Bears official website, and they didn't have him on there either, so I blew it. Also, the two moves I made mention of above are the Bears signing away a rival's starter by signing the defense's second Jennings, former Packers safety M.D. Jennings. The other news, not as happy news, is that Josh McCown is now a Buccaneer. I'm no fashion expert, but those new uniforms alone would keep me away from there, but I'm also a bit biased.

I'm going to take a bit of a different approach this time around. I'm going to go position by position (just general positions, such as tackle or end on the defensive line, or just safety (won't worry about strong or free), and I'm going to go over who the Bears now have in their rotation there as well as make mention in places where there's a need for more. I won't bother with anyone I don't see as being in the rotation. Of course, beyond the rotation they'll want to have someone else there as injury insurance as well. Anyway, I'll start in a positive manner with the offense:

QB - Jay Cutler (backup, Jordan Palmer)
RB - Matt Forte, Michael Ford
FB - Tony Fiammetta
TE - Martellus Bennett, Zach Miller
WR - Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, Earl Bennett, Marquess Wilson, Eric Weems
OT - Jordan Mills, Jermon Bushrod, James Brown
G - Matt Slauson, Kyle Long, James Brown
C - Roberto Garza (Taylor Boggs if he gets hurt)

On offense, of course they need some injury insurance on that offensive line, but that's really about it. They're surprisingly deep at WR, considering where they were 2 years ago (1 day shy of the 2 year anniversary of the Marshall trade). Now for the defense:

CB - Tim Jennings, Isaiah Frey, Kelvin Hayden, Derrick Martin
S - Ryan Mundy, MD Jennings, Chris Conte
LB - Lance Briggs, DJ Williams, Khaseem Greene, Jon Bostic, Shea McClellin
DE - Lemarr Houston, Cornelius Washington, David Bass, Cheta Ozougwu
DT - Jeremiah Ratliff, Stepeen Paea, Nate Collins

At corner the Bears could use one more starting quality player. Even getting Bowman back would work, as he filled admirably for Tillman last year. Of course the best case scenario would be Tillman staying home. With the Buccaneers signing Alterraun Verner this raises the chance of the Bears to keep him, but it's still going to be an uphill battle. Hopefully Tillman does remain with the Bears though. As for safety, Jennings was a solid signing. He does well against the run, but in the pass game he doesn't do much to change the game. He won't generate many turnovers, but then again, he hasn't had great defenses to play on so far either (then again, the Bears defense wasn't great last year either, but a lot of that was because of the safety position being horrible and all of the injuries at tackle, so maybe he'll have more of a chance with the Bears after all). Anyway, I'd like to see one more safety, a starting quality safety who can make a few things happen, especially since it would push Conte back as far as possible. At linebacker the Bears are in solid shape. Briggs is a year older, but is also healthy now. DJ Williams is now healthy, and they'll have a couple of options to take James Anderson's spot with the newly moved over McClellin or Khaseem Greene, who I don't think will quite be ready, but you never know. Greene eventually should be moving over to the weak side once Briggs decides to hang it up.

The defensive line was another spot that saw the Bears in trouble last year. They suffered an insane rash of injuries to Melton, Paea, and Collins. Even when they did sign Ratliff he was still hurt and getting back into game shape. Corey Wootton also had to move over to tackle to make up for all of the losses, severely damaging the pass rush. To make things worse, Julius Peppers had a down season (don't forget, he started the season playing injured as well). Anyway, the Bears should be healthy to start the season. At the end they have Lamarr Houston on one side. On the other side right now is a host of unproven players with Washington, Bass, and Ozougwu. The two who don't get that spot will likely be rotating in on each side as backups to Houston and whoever the other starter is. On the inside the Bears have a solid rotation with Ratliff, Paea, and Collins. After last year they'll want to make sure they have some sort of injury insurance there. At very least, someone who can just stand there and be big to jam up the line.

So the Bears are that much closer to being ready for the start of the season, but there are still moves that need to be made. A more impact type of safety along with a good corner can at least give the Bears solid rotations. Of course I'd like to see another proven defensive end on the roster too. Past that their main issues will be making sure there is enough insurance in case of injury on the roster. Of course after last year fate owes the Bears an injury free season.