DABEARSDABOMB

Here is the article from ChicagoSports.com First the Bears announce that Jones will start Friday's preseason game and now the Trib is reporting that Mushin and Berrian will be the starting wideouts. Mushin has been banged up most of the preseason with an injury while Berrian and Bradley have both been banged up as well. Bradley also is said to be in better shape after suffering some pain in his surgery repaired knee (my assumption is its the type of stuff that is bound to happen as he gets back to 100%). Even Airese Currie was able to practice (he won't play in the game though) as he is coming back from yet another injury (this time arthoscopic surgery). I'm definately excited to see how our legit first team unit looks out on offense since this will be the first time all preseason we see most of our regulars in there playing together. Obviously the Bears will be careful with these guys and I assume we'll see some of there snaps limited (even if the first team unit plays for most of the first half, if not the entire first half) but its still nice knowing that the unit can maybe begin to finally gel and get ready for the regular season.

ESPN Cold Pizza had Dan Pompei on this moring and he was talking about the Bears QB controversy. From what he is hearing Rex could post zero's the rest of the way and as long as he's healthy he will be the opening day starter. The teammates love him and play hard for him. He's well respected and we've put a lot of time and money into Rex. He's going to get the chance and he's already made a lot of strides between game 1 of the preseason and game 2. Griese has looked very smooth out there and he gives me a lot of faith if Rex gets hurt or struggles, but barring injury Griese will not be playing much this season. However, if Rex is stinking 3 or 4 weeks into the season, at that point I think you'll see Brian get the call and Rex's career go down the drain in Chicago. My take is that it won't happen and that Brian will probably play (injuries are bound to happen) he will not be our starter. But if he was our starter, I'd be 100% confident in him and for the first time in a long time, we really do have a legit backup QB.

In the first two pre-season games, our offense didn't look quite as planned. The QB play has improved in each game but the running game has been less than impressive. Part of the blame may fall on a line that missed Olin Kreutz in week 1, but another part was probably (or hopefully) do to the absence of Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson (our #1 and #2 Rb's). Jones will be back on Friday and will start and while he may not get a ton of carries, having him back should make us a lot better. It means Peterson goes abck to a more reserve role and if we learned anything this preseason it may be that Peterson isn't capable of being an everyday back (its hard to learn things in the preseason but he was far from impressive). Peterson is a very good backup and an oustanding 3rd string RB though. I know I'll be excited to see how TJ does and how our QB's perform in a little more balanced offense (or what I hope will be a more balanced offense).

If I had to guess, it was no one. Maybe two players told someone who than told the media or something along those lines, but I dont' buy into the fact that it came from in-house. I've read a few places that you can't know for sure. However, with 55 people on teh roster or so (I think thats what an NFL roster is) its much harder to keep control of what all your guys say (as opposed to mlb where you have half of that) or the NBA where its even less.

This article is Benson's side of the story and I must admit that it makes me feel a lot better. Benson seemed to say more of the right things and it appears that maybe some of the press had been spinning things a little bit more harshly. Hopefully this is the type of situation where Benson learns from the mistake and that it quickly dissapears. I know I'm looking forward to Jones getting back to action this week (if all goes as planned he will play) and than Benson maybe getting back the following week. IT would be nice for each of our backs to get some action with the first team units and just take a few shots against legit NFL defenses before the regular season starts. This is even more true for a guy like Benson who still lacks experience.

I realize the Bears are a bit mad about the leak and this is understandable. Players shouldn't be leaking out this sort of info. It would be one thing if someone working in the clubhouse mentioned it and it came out, but its another when a player is ratting out another player. That said, it happened, it was a major mistake and Benson has absolutely no excuse and the bottom line is he's going to have to really stop blaming other people. He had such an impressive off-season (sans the injury) and than it all seems to have gone for not by making one stupid mistake. Heck I don't even consider it a mistake, since its pretty much obvious that you don't leave the game/sidelines before its over unless you are getting treatment on something and the coaches approved.

Ya, our offensive line will need a talent influx. We have some depth now but most of our guys are getting up there in age and now would be as good a time as any to add some quality lineman who we can develop into starters over the next couple years.

Everything I heard said he's quite the hitter and I thought the team was actually moving him to the LB position (from safety where he played in college). Not sure how his progress is going, but I'm guessing with Odom not looking like an option Slay's chances are better.

Grossman made a lot of progress. He was throwing an accurate ball and suffered a few drops and his decision making was much better, but it was definately far from perfect. Fact of the matter is he made a ton of strides in game 2 (from the first game) and I expect that to continue in game 3 (where he should get a good deal of minutes).

It was nice to see the Bears pick up a run. Grossman played better, although he made two horrid passes (one was picked and another was a near pick). The defense looked sharped but our WR core and running game still looks awful.

Davies dropped a few routine catches that Grossman threw in the pre-season game against the Chargers. While I like his progress if we are using Davies as a 2 or 3 at this stage of the game the Bears are absolutely screwed and will need a miraculous type of defensive performance (much like last season). There is no excuse if Angelo doesn't make a move to bolster this WR core.

I've backed Benson, but he really seems to have a "poor me" type of attitude where its everyone's fault but his own. Those type of guys do not succeed in this league unless they are incredibly talented. Benson may be very talented, but he's not incredibly talented and running backs need to have heart (not matter how good you are). Its not like WR where you can rely a bit more on pure talent and athletism.

With Mike Browns injury, it appears that Chris Harris is going to be the SS for the remaining preseason games with Manning being our FS. You'd have to guess that when Brown comes back, Harris will move back to FS, but thats a big iff considering Brown's injury riddled past. Long term I think this will be our secondary, especially since I think Harris is a bit more suited to play SS, while Manning (the better athlete, although not the better hitter) will be able to do his thing playing a little more away from the line as the FS.

It was two years ago, but last year he had more problems with it. However, I heard it was his other achilles this time around so maybe thats a good thing (as in this is just a different injury that isn't serious) or it could be a bad thing since it would mean both of them are possibly bum.

Great read. I think it was brave of him to go out and say the things he did and I'm hoping him being open and confronting it will help him take the necessary steps to bring him to the next level (that super star DT level). The guy has been nothing but impressive since joining us and I hope he'll remain healthy and make himself a legendary defensive tackle on one of the most legendary defensive teams in NFL history (I'm speaking of the Bears franchise, not this team persay).

This is tremendous news. He's not expected to play in the pre-season game but he'll still have 3 games to work his way into shape if all goes well. Hopefully Benson will be rejoining him on the field soon enough. I'll say one thing, if we are going to move Jones, the Jets have to be bloody desperate. Maybe we could get Coles for him at this point.

I can't think this is true. Benson has done a lot of things and I don't think some of the guys like him yet, but if he starts to run and starts to back things up on the field (and he's worked very hard this year) that will change.

Great stuff. I've been on a few sites and everyone is going nuts saying Grossman sucks, he's a bum, yada yada yada. Its 4 series with a backup center, no running back and a giddy Rex at the helm. Shit happens and the Bears will improve each and every week, I have no doubt about that. The big key to me is we left the game relatively heatlhy.

Will do. I think it may go up today. The DNS has kicked over, just a matter of getting the DB set up.

YEp, in fact our pre-release could be done today. However, my goal is to have it done before I head out of town for a week on Wednesday night.

For those out of the area like me, the game will be on at 3 AM Eastern time on NFL Network. I love my DVR

I can't wait. Anyone know what time this will be on NFL Network. Got to record this thing.

I realize a few people on here love him, but good riddance is what I say. If after all this time you've yet to even be healthy enough to play in a pre-season or regular season game, I say you cut your ties.

Here is a nice list that sums up the guys that are banged up right now and the amount of time they are expected to miss: It appears that Bryan Johnson and Airese Currie are both worthless since neither can stay on the field. Johnson would be one of the best FB's in the league while Currie could be one of the fastest WR's in the league. I didn't realize that Johnson would be done for the season, but we should have just expected that to happen and in Currie's case, he'll never be able to stay healthy enough to make any sort of impact.

Apparently this is heating up. Haynes missed practice yesterday and people are speculating its because the two sides are close to an agreement. However, a source close to Haynes has insisted that he was told not to practice so he could rest his sore back. Obviously any deal would be pending a physical, but I think the two sides match up well and at this point the Bronco's just want to be done with Lelie.