LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP)—The Chicago Bears brought in receiver Roy Williams
hoping he would rediscover his old Pro Bowl form in a familiar system.

It might happen. It hasn’t yet.

Then again, the season doesn’t start for a few weeks.

Williams played only a few snaps in the preseason opener against Buffalo and
was not the target of any passes. He had three thrown his way without a catch
Monday night in a 41-13 loss to the New York Giants, and two probably could have
been completed.

Just don’t tell him he had a drop. Williams didn’t like that.

“I had a drop? I didn’t have a drop,” Williams said Wednesday. “If you
want to count it, you can. I think the DB (Aaron Ross(notes)) made a great play to
knock it out as soon as it got into my hands, so I didn’t drop the ball.”

Williams was referring to a third-down bobble on Chicago’s first possession
that was initially ruled a 16-yard completion. The Giants challenged and the
call got overturned.

On the Bears’ next possession, a high short slant hit off Williams’ fingers
on third down.

About that, Williams said, “Yeah, I got to catch that ball, man. It’s my
fault. I’ll catch it next time, Coach.”

The Bears certainly hope so.

They gave the 6-foot-3 Williams a one-year deal and a chance to redeem
himself after a disappointing run in Dallas, signing him late last month a day
after the Cowboys released him, and made him their No. 1 receiver while
dropping Johnny Knox(notes) to No. 2. The hope is he flashes some of the skills that
made him a Pro Bowl receiver with Detroit when Mike Martz was his offensive
coordinator and that a reunion with receivers coach Darryl Drake provides an
extra kick. The two have strong ties dating back to when Drake was on the staff
at Texas, and under Martz, Williams had 1,310 yards in 2006.

Drake made one thing clear, though. Williams needs to step up his play.

“He’s not where he needs to be, and he knows that,” Drake said. “He and I
have talked about that, and the good thing about it is you’ve got Johnny Knox
who’s fighting and working hard. And believe you me, Roy understands that
Johnny’s there. Johnny’s hungry, and Johnny wants his spot back. If things don’t
start changing, then Johnny’s going to be in there. That’s straight from the
horse’s mouth.”

Drops have been a big issue for Williams the past few years, and every time
a ball hits off his hands, eyebrows are raised. They were up again on Monday,
and Drake wasn’t giving any free passes.

He said the first one should have been caught “for sure.” And while he
praised Ross for knocking the ball out, he blamed Williams for letting him do
that.

Drake initially said the slant was uncatchable and that there should have
been a pass-interference call. Even so, he put some blame on Williams.

“You’ve got to beat that,” Drake said. “What I told him, he’s just got to
be more physical with him, get him off your spot and get in there cleaner. Don’t
allow that guy to get his arm in there and rip you around.”

That also has been one of the knocks on Williams—that he’s not physical,
that he won’t go up and get balls, that he plays small for a receiver who’s
6-foot-3.

While he knows the system, he still is settling in.

Veteran free agents couldn’t practice until Aug. 4, meaning Williams missed
the first week, and he and Cutler are still adjusting to each other. He’s also
getting into shape—football shape, that is.

When he made an off-hand remark recently about his conditioning, he was made
out to be the next William Perry or a guy who was following The Fridge’s
regimen.

“My fault, media,” Williams said. `”I’m a sarcastic guy. I like to smile
a lot. So I won’t do that anymore.”

Cutler said Williams simply needs time and that missing those first few
weeks in training camp hurt. Now, he expects to see more from his receiver.

The Bears practiced at Halas Hall for the first time Wednesday after holding
training camp at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Ill. They’re back at
home, back to a more typical routine, preparing for their third preseason game
against Tennessee on Saturday.

“I think this week is going to be a good stepping stone for him with us
really going through an actual game week—Wednesday, Thursday, Friday—and
getting all of the details to him and exactly what we want to do out there on
Saturday,” Cutler said. “In past weeks, in training camp, you kind of just
skim over some stuff and you go out there and play, and whatever happens,
happens.”

Notes: Coach Lovie Smith said LB Lance Briggs(notes) (bruised knee) and DT Anthony
Adams(notes) (calf) will not play Saturday for precautionary reasons and might also
miss the final preseason game against Cleveland. Briggs played in the preseason
opener but sat out against New York. Adams missed both games. … CB Zackary
Bowman(notes) returned to practice Wednesday after sitting out a game because of a head
injury.

Andy Benoit is previewing all 32 N.F.L. teams. He kicks off the N.F.C. North with an analysis of the Bears, who will be playing the Giants tonight in a preseason game.

By virtually all measurements, the Chicago Bears should be better in 2011. They enter the season with fresh playoff experience. Their leader, Lovie Smith, once on the hot seat, is now one of the five highest-paid coaches in the game after signing a contract extension that reportedly pays him in the neighborhood of $6 million annually through 2013. The offense is better acclimated to Mike Martz’s system and has three new key contributors in wide receiver Roy Williams, running back Marion Barber and the first-round rookie right tackle Gabe Carimi. And the defense is the same defense that ranked fourth in points allowed last season.

Yet, if you asked your gut, it’d probably say this team will not be better in 2011…right? When you lose the N.F.C. championship at home, being better the next year basically means reaching the Super Bowl. Is anyone outside the Windy City talking about the Bears and Super Bowl XLVI?

Last time the Bears went 11-5 and reached the playoffs, they did go all the way to the Super Bowl the following year. But that ’06 campaign was followed the next three years by seasons of 7-9, 9-7 and 7-9. That stretch of mediocrity is one source of the doubt some people are feeling about this squad.

Or maybe there’s doubt because Chicago’s quarterback, the neither likeable nor outgoing Jay Cutler, doesn’t fit the profile of a typical star. Even with scores of people embarrassing themselves by questioning the man’s toughness in the N.F.C. championship loss, Cutler isn’t acting as if he he has anything to prove in 2011. After all, having something to prove would require caring about what folks outside the locker room think. Cutler may play the season with a chip on his shoulder, but that chip has actually been there since Denver made him a first-round pick in 2006.

Maybe there’s doubt about this club because no one really believes its systems can work again. Mike Martz’s downfield passing offense on the sloppy Soldier Field track? Behind this terrible offensive line? No way. Lovie Smith’s traditional Tampa 2 defense? In this day of 3-4 blitzing and amoeba looks? Not a chance.

Or maybe the doubt pertains to the sheer magnificence of the rival Packers. Or to the league’s new kickoff rules, which put a serious dent in this team’s greatest strength. Or to  Bears’ fans being ticked off at General Manager Jerry Angelo for not partaking in the free-agent frenzy and for low-balling the now-departed veteran center Olin Kreutz. (Bears fans are off base here in their criticism of Angelo.)

Whatever the reason, the Chicago Bears aren’t being regarded as legitimate Super Bowl contenders in 2011. Is that Football America being prudent, or Football America unwisely overlooking this team again?

Offense

The Bears know they can’t afford to have Jay Cutler sacked 52 times again this season. But there might be little they can do about it. Mike Martz’s offense is built predominantly on downfield routes that develop slowly off seven-step drops. It’s also built on maximizing the number of receiving outlets. Instead of having running backs stay in and pass protect, they often run patterns out of the backfield. In this system, the only eligible receiver who stays in and blocks is usually the tight end, which is why the Bears felt comfortable trading the pass-catching oriented Greg Olsen to Carolina. (The 262-pound Kellen Davis will fill Olsen’s spot, with some help from lanky ex-Steeler Matt Spaeth.)

Whether you like it or not, this is the system. This is what you sign up for when you hire Martz to coordinate your offense. As you might imagine, Martz’s system puts considerable demands on the offensive line in pass protection. And, as it’s plain to see, the Bears don’t have the talent up front to consistently meet these demands. They’re hoping that rookie right tackle Gabe Carimi can ameliorate the issue. Perhaps he can, but his presence won’t make up for lumbering left tackle JaMarcus Webb’s cinderblock feet. It’s stunning that the Bears are having the ’10 seventh-round pick guard Cutler’s blind side. Frank Omiyale wasn’t great in this position last season, but he wasn’t the liability Webb will be.

Inside is almost equally precarious. Left guard Chris Williams is a poor lateral mover whose feet get cemented in pass protection, particularly against bull-rushers. Right guard Roberto Garza is serviceable but lacks elite quickness. There’s a ray of hope with new center Chris Spencer, who’s 29 and a likely upgrade over the rapidly declining Olin Kreutz. Spencer has good size and adequate power; the question is, Can he win the job and stay healthy? (Garza began training camp as the starting center, with Lance Louis at right guard. But Garza has started just one game at center in his 11-year career and isn’t great operating out of position; expect Spencer to eventually get the nod here.)

To Martz’s credit, he’s lately shown a willingness to tweak his scheme with more running plays. This uncharacteristic play-calling balance is effective not because it keeps the defense honest or sets up play-action (these axioms are more myth than truth in today’s N.F.L.) but because it gives Chicago’s unathletic front five more opportunities to fire off the ball as run-blockers, and thus, be the aggressors. That’s important for the O-line’s rhythm; this group isn’t athletic enough to survive 60 minutes playing with the reactive approach that dropping back in pass protection requires.

Martz has a more powerful run game to rely on this season. Matt Forte, with his smooth but overly languid running motion, is still the starter. But new backup, ex-Cowboy Marion Barber, figures to contribute prominently. (So prominently that quick, space-oriented veteran Chester Taylor could be cut.) Barber has the one trait any runner needs when working behind Chicago’s offensive line: the tenacity to break tackles.

Though balanced (or close to balanced), Martz’s offense is still distinctly pass-heavy. And rightfully so. An arm as strong as Jay Cutler’s isn’t found often. Best to take advantage of it. Because of unyielding trust in his arm strength, interceptions will always be an issue with Cutler (just as they were always an issue with Brett Favre). Not wanting to compromise his style of play, the best way for Cutler to continue cutting down on turnovers is to sharpen his presnap diagnostic skills. He’s never been very good in this realm.

Fortunately, Martz does a terrific job of helping his quarterback in this department. He doesn’t give Cutler audibling powers (you think Martz would be crazy enough to let someone change his play call!?) but he employs a panoply of presnap movements and shifts, which often compel a defense to settle into a predictable coverage.

You need predictable coverages when Devin Hester is one of your starters. Though a sensational creator on special teams, Hester’s mediocre 0-60 acceleration in traffic and his still-primitive route running make him an ordinary wide receiver. It makes no sense to start Hester ahead of speedy Johnny Knox (who exploits zones well and is clearly a guy Cutler trusts).

The Bears’ No. 1 wideout is Roy Williams. Don’t laugh. The 29-year-old veteran has become a whipping boy because of his disappointing tenure in Dallas, but he was never a good fit for that system (he’s a big straight-line target with enormous feet that make changing direction difficult). We know Williams is a good fit in Martz’s system – he had 2,148 yards receiving when the two were together for 28 games in Detroit.

Another underachieving ex-Cowboy, Sam Hurd, rounds out the receiving corps, though he’ll probably be behind No. 4 receiver Earl Bennett, a steady but not explosive underneath possession target.

Defense

Lovie Smith is one of the ripest apples from the Tony Dungy tree. Consequently, the Bears are pretty much the only team left still running a full-time Tampa Two. The vanilla zone scheme is like a tube television or flip phone: a relic of an era just gone by but still a serviceable tool for those fully committed to preserving their status quo.

The Bears can only pull this off because their status quo has always been superior to everyone else’s. For most defenses, Tampa Two is now a form of prevent defensel; it’s a soft zone that’s naturally vulnerable to swing passes in the backfield, passes in the 15-20-yard range outside the numbers and anything down the seams. But most defenses don’t have two star linebackers or a deep rotation of initially explosive defensive linemen.

At this point, Chicago’s stud linebackers, Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, both of whom are on the wrong side of 30, are more super cogs than superstars. This is to say that their experience and judiciousness in this scheme masks most of their mild-but-relevant physical decline. Both can still run, which is vital. In fact, Urlacher is probably the only zone-playing middle linebacker in football whose first step after the snap does not have to be backwards as respect to the possibility of a pass; he’s fast enough to initially attack downhill and retreat into coverage if need be.

Briggs eats up ground in space but is actually most effective in traffic. He’d make more sense at the less glamorous strongside linebacker position, but three Pro Bowls as a weakside ‘backer nullify any thoughts of a position change. Hence, the vastly underrated Nick Roach, who plays fast all-around, starts on the weak side. It’s a fervid linebacking unit, over all, though its customary depth is nonexistent this season; special teamer Brian Iwuh is the only experienced backup.

Something very astute that Urlacher and Briggs often do is crowd the A-gaps right before the ball is snapped. Almost always they retreat back into normal linebacking position immediately after the snap, but by simply lining up right over the ball and presenting the remote possibility of a blitz, they force the opposing center to account for them. This prevents the center from helping either guard, which prevents offensive lines from double-teaming Chicago’s defensive linemen without sacrificing a running back or tight end. This is a key for a defense predicated on generating pressure with a classic four-man rush.

Obviously, with Julius Peppers around, offenses are still going to sacrifice their backs or tight ends to help double-team the end. That’s the value of Peppers, and Bears defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli has created some great designs to take advantage of the attention he attracts (the best probably being a delay blitz from the secondary, which exploits running backs who have abandoned the backfield to go help on Peppers).

Israel Idonije matched Peppers’s sack total last season (eight) and employed his terrific movement skills on stunts and bull-rushes both inside and out. The versatile Idonije can line up as a defensive tackle in nickel, if need be, and make room for second-year pro Corey Wootton (barring recurring knee problems) or disappointing ex-Jet Vernon Gholston on the edge.

Second-round rookie Stephen Paea is expected to be a force both as a two-gap occupier at nose tackle and one-gap penetrator as a three-technique. He’ll probably start at some point, although hardworking and flexible Henry Melton and low-leveraged plugger Anthony Adams could get the first looks inside. Matt Toeaina moves well and has power to warrant significant snaps as well. And, just as a shot in the dark, the Bears brought in former Texans first-round bust Amobi Okoye, who isn’t better than anyone mentioned thus far but is still only 24. Lovie Smith is a big proponent of rotating fresh defensive linemen, so expect Chicago to dedicate as many roster spots to this area as possible.

For offenses facing a Tampa Two, aligning wide receivers in minus-split formations (i.e. close to the formation) almost always ensures a wide receiver being matched up on a safety.  In Tampa Two, the cornerbacks do not flip sides or even stray far from their outside posts. Because of this, it’s important that strong safety Chris Harris and new starting free safety Major Wright (who is about the 87th different player the Bears have tried at this position) be able to cover. They don’t have to be stars – they’re playing a simple zone, after all – but if they’re stiff, they’re sure to get exploited.

Harris’d movement is O.K. and he has great physicality – he should be fine. Wright, a third-round pick a year ago, is a tossup, which his why Jerry Angelo spent this year’s third-round pick on another free safety, Chris Conte.

Right cornerback Charles Tillman is a turnover-creating machine when comfortable (which is more often than not). Left cornerback Tim Jennings requires a little more safety help but clearly has the hip swivel that Zackary Bowman was lacking in this spot. D.J. Moore’s tendency to stare in the backfield probably led to Corey Graham getting the nickel job. The Bears aren’t all that comfortable with Graham either. If they were, they wouldn’t have had unsigned ex-Colt Kelvin Hayden in for a visit.

Special Teams

Robbie Gould is as fine a place-kicker as the league has to offer. His sterling accuracy numbers are often protected by Lovie Smith’s reluctance to attempt long field goals. New punter Adam Podlesh ranked fifth in the league in net average as a Jaguar last season. Devin Hester is the best punt returner in N.F.L. history. And, with Danieal Manning gone, he’ll now get even more kick returns…or would have before the league implemented new kickoff rules that this team abhors.

Bottom Line

Pro football is partly about deciphering patterns and probability. Years of patterns and probability suggest that the offensive line limitations will catch up to the Bears sooner than later. The defense is staunch, though an injury to Urlacher or Briggs could prove fatal.

Predicted Finish: 3rd N.F.C. North

Andy Benoit is the founder of NFLTouchdown.com and covers the N.F.L. for CBSsports.com. He can be reached at andy.benoit@NFLtouchdown.com.

BOURBONNAIS — Wide receiver Roy Williams practiced with his new team for the first time Thursday night, and though he admitted to having to knock some of the “rust” off, he insisted he couldn’t be more comfortable with an offense than the one he’s in now.

“It felt so good. It’s fun. This is the best offense I’ve ever been a part of,” said Williams, who had his best years in Detroit when he played in Mike Martz’s offense. “This is real football here. A lot of conversions, a lot of reading the defense. It’s what the NFL is all about.”

Williams has compiled 5,208 yards receiving and 42 touchdown catches in eight seasons, but he really shined in the Martz offense in 2006 when he racked up 1,310 yards and seven TDs. He followed that up by compiling 838 yards and five TDs in his last season under Martz, and he’s ready for some more.

He’s talked openly about the excitement he feels about getting back into his mentor’s system.

Martz, the Bears’ second-year coordinator, is excited as well.

“I just know how competitive and tough Roy is. Roy excels when you put it on his plate and say, ‘OK, you’ve got to win the game with this play.’ He’s that kind of player,” Martz said. “We wouldn’t have brought him here if we didn’t feel like he could be that guy; and should be that guy.”

On Thursday, he rotated in with his former Dallas teammate Sam Hurd and the rest of the Bears wide receiver group. Despite an early drop and a couple of botched routes, they are just as anxious to work him into the offense as their coach is.

“He’s real big; real big. I can see how he can help us out already,” fellow receiver Johnny Knox said.

“He can block you, he can hurt you in the red zone. He can do a lot of the dirty work down there for you.”

Though he and quarterback Jay Cutler were on different pages more than once in their first practice together, they did connect twice on deep routes during the 11-on-11 drill at the end of practice. They both figure they can bring it all together quickly. They had better, with opening day just five weeks away.

“I know he’s going to be dynamic for us. He’s going to be good,” Cutler said. “He’s very steady, very consistent in his routes. You know where he’s going to be. He knows the offense and I’m excited.”

Even those who covered him in the past, and covered him again in practice Thursday, believe he can be a big-time contributor for the Bears.
“I think Roy is the prototype receiver,” Bears cornerback Charles Tillman said. “I think we got a steal by getting him here.”

It may not take long to answer the question of whether he’s a steal, or a bust.

Reach staff reporter Jay Taft at 815-987-1384 or jtaft@rrstar.com.

Marion Barber.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears added to their backfield and defensive line, agreeing to a two-year contract with running back Marion Barber and a one-year deal with nose tackle Amobi Okoye on Saturday.

The also re-signed cornerback and special teams contributor Corey Graham to a one-year deal.

Barber spent the last six seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, running for 4,358 yards and 47 touchdowns — sixth in the NFL during that span. He added 1,280 yards receiving.

He was officially released by the Cowboys this week along with former Pro Bowl receiver Roy Williams, who joined the Bears on Friday.

Okoye wasn’t out of work for long, either, after being cut by Houston on Saturday.

The youngest first-round draft pick in NFL history when he was taken 10th overall in 2007 at age 19, he had a career-high 44 tackles in 2010, including three sacks. But the Texans’ defence ranked among the league’s worst in most categories. Houston used six of its eight draft picks on defensive players, and new defensive co-ordinator Wade Phillips plans to use Shaun Cody and Earl Mitchell at nose tackle, leaving Okoye out of the mix.

In four seasons with Houston, he had 138 tackles, 11 sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Graham has appeared in 61 games over four seasons with the Bears and has 111 tackles, one interception and nine pass breakups. His 82 special teams stops rank second to Adrian Peterson’s 110 on the club’s list since the statistic was first recorded in 1995.

Graham led Chicago with 25 special teams tackles last season.

The Bears also waived guard Herman Johnson on Saturday.

BOURBONNAIS — Quarterback Jay Cutler estimated there were about 40 new players that he didn’t recognize as the Chicago Bears reported to training camp Friday on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University.

Defensive back Chris Harris suggested the team get them all name tags so they could start to learn who all the new faces were.

Yet they all will be together as one when camp really opens today with the first practice session of the new season. And with the free-agency frenzy that followed the end of the lockout still in high gear, there are a lot of questions left to be answered.

“We were sitting in the room this morning and there was like 40 faces we’ve never seen before. There’s a lot of new guys, a lot of guys we’ve got to get familiar with,” Cutler said. “And we’re already running out of time. We’ve got a limited amount of time and a limited amount of practices to get ready now … A lot has changed.”

What was known by the end of the day Friday was that tight end Greg Olsen (one of Cutler’s best friends on the team), punter Brad Maynard and defensive back and return man Danieal Manning — among others — signed with other teams, while the Bears brought in wideouts Roy Williams and Sam Hurd from Dallas and tight end Matt Spaeth from Pittsburgh.

What is also known is that each and every guy who has already signed a contract and passed a physical will be on the field at 2:30 p.m. for the team’s first practice. They will go without pads both today and Sunday, and will suit up with shoulder pads and helmets for Monday’s 7 p.m. session.

And they already have a long-term goal in mind.

“Being in Coach (Mike) Martz’s offense for the second year in a row, and getting to the NFC championship game last year,” running back Matt Forte said, “I think in this offense, we can go even farther than that now.”

They will have to do it with some new faces, however. The Bears got all five of their rookie draft picks signed before the end of Friday, and were still busy trying to lure free agents when the day concluded. The rookies and free agents will have the toughest time adjusting to the post-lockout life.

“I think we run the same defense we ran at Oregon State, just a lot more advanced. I’ve got to just take it day to day and practice as hard as I can,” rookie defensive lineman Stephen Paea said. “I’m a little bit nervous, but probably even more excited.”

All of the Bears should be excited. Though the season didn’t end the way they wanted — a 21-14 loss to Green Bay left them one step shy of the Super Bowl, and left them “with a sour taste in our mouths,” Cutler said — they got farther than most expected, and did a bit better than most fans predicted following an 0-4 preseason of 2010.

But the Bears are not sitting on their laurels. Instead, they’re shooting even higher for this year.

“Of course we’re not satisfied. We were close, but. ,” Chicago’s head coach Lovie Smith said. “We have a lot of work to do, but we’re excited to start getting after it.

“It’s a new year, and it’s time to kick it off.”

Reach staff reporter Jay Taft at 815-987-1384 or jtaft@rrstar.com.

CHICAGO — Wide receiver Roy Williams and defensive lineman Vernon Gholston have agreed to deals with the Chicago Bears.

Williams receives a one-year contract one day after he was officially cut by the Dallas Cowboys. Williams flourished in offensive coordinator Mike Martz’s system in Detroit, finishing with 1,310 yards receiving in 2006, and has strong ties to Bears receivers coach Darryl Drake from their days at Texas.

Gholston was selected by the New York Jets with the sixth overall pick in the 2008 draft but was released in March after three disappointing seasons.

Chicago also announced Friday that it had signed first-round draft pick Gabe Carimi. Taken with the 29th pick, the 6-foot-7, 314-pound offensive tackle started 49 games for Wisconsin over four years.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

CHICAGO (AP) – The Chicago Bears agreed to a four-year deal with first-round draft pick Gabe Carimi on Friday.

Taken with the 29th pick, the 6-foot-7, 314-pound offensive tackle started 49 games for Wisconsin over four years. He will be counted on to help a Bears offensive line that allowed a league-high 56 sacks last season.

Carimi and the rest of the Wisconsin line paved the way for a running attack that came up just 4 yards short of producing three 1,000-yard rushers last season.

The Bears announced the move on their website. With Carimi signed, Chicago now has all five draft picks under contract.

The Bears still had key issues to address as they reported to camp Friday, including the status of veteran free-agent center Olin Kreutz and starting running back Matt Forte. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Forte has said he wants a new deal and it was not clear if he would report on time. His agent Adisa Bakari declined comment.

Meanwhile, Dallas Cowboys receiver Sam Hurd told WMVP-AM in Chicago that he has agreed to a contract with the Bears.

“I’m a Bear,” he told the radio station.

The 6-foot-3 Hurd played at Northern Illinois and spent five seasons in Dallas, catching 45 passes for 630 yards. He is also a special teams contributor and could fill the void created by the losses of Rashied Davis and Danieal Manning.

The Bears announced that they have locked in two draft picks, agreeing to four-year deals with defensive tackle Stephen Paea and safety Chris Conte.

A second-round pick out of Oregon State, Paea was the 2010 Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. He had 129 tackles (60 solo) and 14 sacks while setting a school record with nine forced fumbles.

Conte, a third-rounder from California, finished with 157 tackles (100 solo), two interceptions and 11 pass breakups for the Golden Bears. He was first-team, all Pac-10 as a senior.

The Bears had already reached agreements with fifth-round pick Nathan Enderle and sixth-rounder J.T. Thomas.

CHICAGO – The Chicago Bears agreed to a four-year deal with first-round draft pick Gabe Carimi on Friday.

Taken with the 29th pick, the six-foot-seven, 314-pound offensive tackle started 49 games for Wisconsin over four years. He will be counted on to help a Bears offensive line that allowed a league-high 56 sacks last season.

Carimi and the rest of the Wisconsin line paved the way for a running attack that came up just 4 yards short of producing three 1,000-yard rushers last season.

The Bears announced the move on their website. With Carimi signed, Chicago now has all five draft picks under contract.

The Bears still had key issues to address as they reported to camp Friday, including the status of veteran free-agent centre Olin Kreutz and starting running back Matt Forte. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Forte has said he wants a new deal and it was not clear if he would report on time. His agent Adisa Bakari declined comment.

Meanwhile, Dallas Cowboys receiver Sam Hurd told WMVP-AM in Chicago that he has agreed to a contract with the Bears.

“I’m a Bear,” he told the radio station.

The 6-foot-3 Hurd played at Northern Illinois and spent five seasons in Dallas, catching 45 passes for 630 yards. He is also a special teams contributor and could fill the void created by the losses of Rashied Davis and Danieal Manning.

The Bears announced that they have locked in two draft picks, agreeing to four-year deals with defensive tackle Stephen Paea and safety Chris Conte.

A second-round pick out of Oregon State, Paea was the 2010 Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. He had 129 tackles (60 solo) and 14 sacks while setting a school record with nine forced fumbles.

Conte, a third-rounder from California, finished with 157 tackles (100 solo), two interceptions and 11 pass breakups for the Golden Bears. He was first-team, all Pac-10 as a senior.

The Bears had already reached agreements with fifth-round pick Nathan Enderle and sixth-rounder J.T. Thomas.

The Dallas Cowboys released wide receiver Roy Williams Thursday and the Chicago Bears promptly snatched him up. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that the Bears are expected to sign Williams.

The 6-3, 215-pound Williams had 37 catches for 530 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games for the disappointing Cowboys last season.

Williams worked with Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz when they were both with the Detroit Lions, the Chicago Tribune points out. The paper also notes that the best season Williams has ever had came under Martz in 2006 when Williams pulled in 82 catches for 1,310 yards and seven TDs.

Let the rumors come to you. Follow Scoop du Jour on Twitter or Facebook.

Source: Chicago Sun-TimesChicago Tribune

Related: Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions

CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears were a busy bunch on Thursday.

They gave themselves a makeover at tight end, trading Greg Olsen to Carolina, and lured punter Adam Podlesh from Jacksonville with a five-year contract. Even so, there still is plenty of work to do.

Veteran center Olin Kreutz remained unsigned. The same goes for defensive tackle Anthony Adams and linebacker Nick Roach, and with questions on offense and defense, it would be a stretch to say the picture is in focus.

It is a little less blurry, though.

Trading Olsen to Carolina for an undisclosed 2012 draft pick capped a wild day in which the Bears gave themselves a completely different look at that position, and it might have cleared the way to go after a big wide receiver such as Roy Williams.

The Bears could use some size to go with Johnny Knox, Earl Bennett and Devin Hester, particularly now that Olsen is gone. The 6-foot-3 Williams, who was released by Dallas, fits that description.

He also flourished in offensive coordinator Mike Martz’s system in Detroit, finishing with 1,310 yards receiving in 2006, and has strong ties to Bears receivers coach Darryl Drake from their days at Texas.

Bears defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli was also the head coach when Williams was in Detroit.

As for Olsen, he had been rumored to be available in the past because of the perception that pass-catching tight ends don’t fit in Martz’s scheme. Last year, he had his lowest totals in receptions (41) and yards (404) since he was a rookie in 2007, but he tied for the team lead with five touchdown catches.

The trade came on the same day the NFL Network reported that Chicago agreed to a contract with Pittsburgh Steelers free agent tight end Matt Spaeth. He would replace Brandon Manumaleuna, who was released after he failed his physical.

The 6-foot-7, 270-pound Spaeth is cut from a similar mold as Manumaleuna. He’s known more for his blocking, an area where the Bears could use help.

Spaeth has never caught more than 17 passes in a season and had nine receptions for 80 yards in 14 games last year, his fourth with the Steelers.

Podlesh, meanwhile, became one of the highest paid punters. Agent Richard Rosa would not reveal the financial terms but said the deal puts him in the top five at his position.

Podlesh, who turns 28 next month, spent four years in Jacksonville and will replace Brad Maynard, whose contract expired after a 10-year run in Chicago.