By: Tony Meale

The 2012 NFL Draft is just one week away so we’ve pulled together a mock draft featuring the first and second rounds for the NFC East. Do you agree with the picks? Comment below.

NFC North

Bears

Bears fans should be optimistic. Chicago was a playoff team before Jay Cutler broke his thumb, and now he will be reunited with former Broncos teammate Brandon Marshall, who gives the Windy City an elite receiver for the first time in, well, a long time.

For the Bears to be a serious Super Bowl threat, they have to shore up the offensive line. There were times last season when Jay Cutler looked like a tackling dummy in practice drills. Chicago has seven picks – one in each round – and should strongly consider using Pick 19 to address this issue. Georgia’s Cordy Glenn, Stanford’s Jonathan Martin, and even Ohio State’s Mike Adams would be solid investments.

There might be some temptation to draft Kendall Wright, an explosive playmaker out of Baylor, but signing Marshall diminishes Wright’s value somewhat – for the Bears, at least. And hey, Devin Hester is still pretty solid in the return game.

If the Bears don’t draft an offensive lineman with their first pick, expect them to look for help in the defensive trenches. The Bears are still an elite defense, but a handful of stalwarts are getting up there in age. Julius Peppers is still a beast, but another pass-rusher off the edge would do wonders for this team. Illinois’ Whitney Mercilus would fill this need admirably.

Lions

The Lions made the playoffs last year for the first time this century, so that’s encouraging. What wasn’t encouraging, however, was that they started 5-0 before going 5-7 the rest of the way; included in that stretch was a 17-point, opening-round playoff loss to New Orleans.

The temptation for the Lions, which have one pick in each of the first five rounds (including 23rd overall), might be to draft another stud defensive lineman. But with Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley, among others, defensive line isn’t the biggest need in Detroit; no, that would be cornerback. The Lions, at times, looked lost in the secondary last season. If the Bengals don’t take South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore, the Lions should pounce.

Offensively, there are two obvious needs: wide receiver and, to a lesser extent, running back. Calvin Johnson is, at worst, a top-five receiver. But he didn’t get much help last year from Nate Burleson and Co. Detroit has solid tight ends, but imagine if Calvin had a legit No. 2 on the other side of the field to loosen up coverages.

Running back, meanwhile, is a bit of a mess. The Lions’ leading rusher last year was Jahvid Best, who finished with a whopping 390 yards. A big part of this, of course, was Best’s inability – and the inability of Kevin Smith and Maurice Morris – to stay healthy, but using a pick on a durable tailback wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.

The Lions took a major step forward last year in reaching the playoffs. The next step is winning a playoff game. With the right draft moves, they could do just that.

Packers

I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say the offense is fine, but the defense probably needs work. Specifically, the pass rush.

The Packers finished their Super Bowl season second in the league with 47 sacks. Last year, they tied for 27th. And as the New York Giants showed once again, an elite pass rush can put a team over the top in the playoffs, particularly when you can drop guys into coverage against some of the game’s best signal-callers. Green Bay selects 28th overall and should use that pick on someone like Whitney Mercilus or Nick Perry.

As for the secondary, Charles Woodson isn’t getting any younger, so injecting some life in the back four would be good, as would drafting a linebacker to alleviate some pressure on Clay Matthews.

Offensively, the Packers have no weaknesses. The running game isn’t all that imposing – as evidenced by fullback John Kuhn’s team-leading four rushing touchdowns – but Green Bay has bigger fish to fry. The Packers have a dozen picks – including three fourth-rounders and four seventh-rounders – so they’ll have some options and flexibility on draft day. But expect them to go defense early and often.

Vikings

For all the talk about Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, Matt Kalil is one of the most no-doubter third picks in draft history. Part of that is because of his ability, and part of that is because the Vikings desperately need an offensive lineman, particularly after releasing Steve Hutchinson to cut cap space. Minnesota needs to protect Christian Ponder and get some push for Adrian Peterson, who – as perhaps the best tailback in football – sees way too many runs result in zero or negative yards.

The other most pressing offensive need is wide receiver. Migraine issues notwithstanding, Percy Harvin is a good wideout, but he’s not a No. 1. He’s a decent No. 2 and ideally a No. 3 working out of the slot.

Defensively, the Vikings finished 26th against the pass and 21st overall. Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith is worthy of being selected 35th, as is Nebraska cornerback Alfonzo Dennard.

Improving the pass defense and adding a couple of weapons for Christian Ponder would go a long way in bolstering the playoff chances for a team that played in the NFC Championship not too long ago.

Tony Meale is a freelance writer for MLB.com, cincinnati.com and ffjungle.com, among others. His fantasy football work has led to guest appearances on several radio outlets, including ESPN Radio and Sirius Radio. He has a Master’s in Journalism from Ohio University and has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists for outstanding work. A Cincinnati native, he is currently writing a book on one of the great sports stories never told. Follow Tony Meale on Twitter @tonymeale.

Adding wide receiver Brandon Marshall to what was a .500 team has made the Chicago Bears popular.

That is evident as they totaled the maximum number of prime-time games – five — when the NFL released the 2012 schedule Tuesday evening. Their first night game will be at Green Bay in Week 2 on Thursday, Sept. 13, as the league has expanded to Thursday games throughout nearly theentire season starting this year.

The Bears open the preseason with Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos on Thursday, Aug. 9, and then start the regular season with his former team. They will host the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 9 at Soldier Field, setting them up for a likely matchup with Andrew Luck, the Stanford quarterbackexpected to be the No. 1 pick in next week’s draft.

Since 1984, the Bears are  16-3 when they open the season at home.

“We started our offseason program yesterday and received our schedule today, so our 2012 season is officially underway,” coach Lovie Smith said in a statement released by the team. “I love starting the season at home in front of our fans. I don’t think there is a better place to kick off the season than playing at Soldier Field on the lakefront. Playing five of our first 10 games in prime time also stands out. Each week brings its own challenge and we are excited to begin our pursuit of a world championship.”

The Colts are the first opponent in a stretch that could help the Bears to a fast start. While it will be difficult facing the defending NFC North champion Packers on a short week in Green Bay, they then return home to host the Rams at noon on Sept. 23 and then go to Dallas on Monday night, Oct. 1, in Week 4 for the second-prime time game. The other three prime-time games are vs. Detroit at home on Monday, Oct. 22; vs. Houston at home on Sunday, Nov. 11; and at San Francisco on Monday, Nov. 19.

In Week 5, the Bears play at Jacksonville at 3:05 p.m., the third opponent of the first five starting with a new coaching staff. The Bears will be off the week of Oct. 14. After hosting the Lions, they will host
Cam Newton and Carolina on Oct. 28. Next up are two games against the AFC South: at Tennessee on Nov. 4 and home vs. Houston.

After visiting San Francisco, the Bears will host Minnesota on Nov. 25 and Seattle on Dec. 2. Then come two games against division rivals: at Minnesota on Dec. 9 and home vs. the Packers on Dec. 16,their final regular-season home game.

The Bears close the season on the road at Arizona on Dec. 23 and Detroit on Dec. 30. While they have three of their final four games on the road, the Vikings and Cardinals both struggled last season.

The Bears have opened at Soldier Field in each of the previous two seasons after starting on the road for five consecutive years. Game times for the final six games are subject to change because of flexscheduling.

Based on the Aug. 9 date for the first preseason game, the Bears will be able to hold their first practice of training camp at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais on July 26. The club has not released
the training camp schedule yet. 

Other Bears schedule notes:

*Last year, the Bears had four prime-time games, appearing twice in NBC’s Sunday night slot and twice on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football.” The team is 1-6 in its last seven appearances on Sunday night. Overall, the Bears are 8-8 in the time slot under Lovie Smith. The team has done well on Mondays in recent history, winning seven of the last nine dating back to the wild 24-23 victory at Arizona during the 2006 Super Bowl season.

*The Bears will play at Jacksonville and Tennessee for the first time since 2004. It marks quarterback Jay Cutler’s first trip to Nashville in the regular season as a member of the Bears. It will only be the second regular-season game the Bears have played in the city.

*The week off falls in Week 6. The Bears have been fortunate to have their week off near the middle of the season in the recent past. In three of the last four seasons, the Bears’ bye came in Week 8 and in2007 it was in Week 9.

*The Bears will play the Seahawks for the fourth consecutive year and the eighth time total since 2006, counting playoff games in 2006 and 2010. All but two of the games have been played at Soldier Field. The Seahawks are not the only NFC West foe frequently on the docket. The trip to San Francisco marks the fifth time the teams have met under Smith and the sixth time since 2003.
 
*In five of the previous eight seasons, the Bears’ final regular-season game was vs. Green Bay or Minnesota. The league has placed a premium on having division games played late in the season in an effort to ensure as many games as possible have significance in the closing weeks. In the final three weeks over the previous eight years, the Bears played 15 NFC North games (out of a possible total of 24).

*It used to be the Bears tangled with the Lions regularly on Thanksgiving. But Detroit hosts Houston this season in its annual holiday appearance. The Lions and Cowboys rotate between hosting an AFC team and an NFC team for television purposes with the Fox and CBS contracts. The Bears have not played at Detroit on Thanksgiving since 1999. That’s a 13-year stretch. From 1977 to 1999, the Bears had seven meetings with the Lions on Thanksgiving at the old Pontiac Silverdome. The previous longest stretch without a Thanksgiving meeting between the clubs was from 1965 to 1976. It used to be the Bears and Chicago Cardinals did battle in Thanksgiving annually. They played annually from 1922 to 1933.

*Counting preseason, the schedule adds up to 14,256 air miles for the Bears. That is less than the 20,118 they logged last season thanks to the London game against the Buccaneers. It’s the fifth-most for the franchise since 1998.

bmbiggs@tribune.com

Twitter @BradBiggs

David Terrell, the former wide receiver for the Chicago Bears, is making headlines in Chicago once again. He has been arrested for battery after allegedly grabbing his ex-girlfriend and threatening to throw her off of a balcony. It is a sad chapter in the life of a player who once held so much promise.

Terrell played for the University of Michigan, and joined the Chicago Bears in 2001 as their first-round pick; he was the eighth pick overall. Though there was much hype and hope surrounding the rookie, he is widely thought of as one of the biggest draft busts in the NFL.

He did little to live up to his potential while with the Bears. He only had nine touchdowns in his four seasons with the team, and caught the ball just 128 times. The Bears eventually got rid of Terrell, and he joined the Denver Broncos for one season. He only played one game while in Denver. That would be his last season in the NFL.

Terrell was also known for stirring up trouble. Even after his one-game season in Denver, he was quoted as saying, “Terrell Owens is not better than me. Keyshawn Johnson is not better than me. Randy Moss is not better than me. The only person better than me is me.” No one was impressed by such wild statements. A poll of Bears fans showed that 65 percent approved of the team’s decision to release him.

Off the field, he was known for his trouble behind the wheel. He was cited by police numerous times for speeding, driving without insurance, driving on a suspended license, and negligent driving. He was also arrested for failure to appear in court in connection with his driving citations.

Now David Terrell has found himself in more hot water than any of his minor scrapes with the law. He was held on $10,000 bond, and has been charged with misdemeanor battery. The charge may not sound serious, but what his ex-girlfriend has accused him of is. According to her, Terrell grabbed her, saying “I’ll throw you off the balcony and say you jumped.”

Terrell went from having a promising career in the NFL to having his mugshot plastered across the internet. It is a hard fall for the former first-round draft pick, hopefully this time he will clean up his act.

Whitney Levon is a Chicago native whose dedication to the Bears goes back to her first football memory; the Bears’ 1985 Super Bowl victory. She has been covering the Chicago Bears and other Chicago teams since 2010.

The Chicago Bears have seen their fair share of controversy over the years, but in the last decade they have seen many players arrested for guns, drugs, and alcohol issues. These problems are not unique to the Bears, in fact, they are a problem throughout the NFL. Unfortunately for the Bears, two players have been embroiled in legal battles at the same time this off-season. Here is a run-down of some of the team’s most notable player arrests.

Sam Hurd

Sam Hurd shocked everyone in Chicago after his arrest for attempting to purchase more than a pound of cocaine from an undercover officer back in December. He is accused of supplying numerous NFL players with drugs, and is believed to be one of the biggest drug dealers in Chicago. Hurd was cut by the Bears after his arrest. His absence from the team’s roster is just one of the problems that GM Phil Emery will need to address when scouting for talent to fill in gaps in the offense.

JT Thomas

Fresh off of the heels of the Sam Hurd arrest, JT Thomas found himself on the wrong side of the law this month in Virginia. Originally pulled over for going the wrong way on a one way street and speeding, Thomas was found to be in possession of a small amount of marijuana; less than 15 grams. Compared to Sam Hurd’s arrest, this seems like a small problem for the Bears, but it did make for bad timing and even worse publicity for the team.

John Capel

John Capel was known throughout the sports world as an Olympic athlete, and as a wide receiver for the University of Florida. He also made headlines back in 2001 after he tested positive for marijuana at the NFL combine . The Chicago Bears drafted Capel after this, and he was later arrested for possession. The Bears cut him from the team before he was ever able to report to training camp, and Capel went on to banned from track and field for two years after testing positive two more times.

Cedric Benson

Cedric Benson and his arrests in Chicago seem like old news, but he has continued to run into trouble with the law after leaving Chicago and joining the Cincinatti Bengals. In 2008 he was charged with operating a boat while intoxicated in Austin Texas. He was arrested just five weeks later for driving while intoxicated. Recent arrests for the former Bear have been for a bar fight two years ago, and a domestic abuse charge just last summer .

Tank Johnson

Tank Johnson is another former Bears player that was arrested multiples times. Originally arrested for possession of a firearm in 2005 after a nightclub employee saw him stashing a gun in his car, he was placed on probation. A year later, six unregistered firearms were found on his property during a raid of his Gurnee home . Johnson’s body guard who was also arrested as part of the raid was shot and killed at a nightclub two days later. Johnson was present at the time of the shooting. The Bears suspended him for one game for being at the club. Tank was later sentenced to 120 days in jail and 84 days of house arrest for the charges in the gun raid. The Bears did allow him to play in the Super Bowl that season.

Whitney Levon is a Chicago native whose dedication to the Bears goes back to her first football memory; the Bears’ 1985 Super Bowl victory.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

• WHO: Chicago Bears (7-8) at Minnesota Vikings (3-12).

• WHEN: Sunday, noon, Fox.

• OPENING LINE: Bears by 1.

• RECORD VS. SPREAD: Chicago 7-8; Minnesota 6-8-1.

• SERIES RECORD: Vikings lead 52-47-2. Last meeting, Bears beat
Vikings 39-10, Oct. 16.

• NFL RANKINGS: Bears’ offense, overall (20), rushing (8), passing
(26); Bears’ defense, overall (18), rushing (6), passing (28);
Vikings’ offense, overall (18), rushing (4), passing (28); Vikings’
defense, overall (25), rushing (12), passing (29).

• FACTS & FIGURES: Bears have won four straight in series,
their longest since six in a row from 1983-86 and longest overall
in this rivalry since Vikings won four straight over 1997 and 1998
seasons. … Bears have only won at Metrodome once since 2002,
19-16 in 2006. These teams didn’t play at site, now known as Mall
of America Field, last season because of roof collapse that forced
game outside to TCF Bank Stadium on University of Minnesota campus.
… Home team has won 16 of last 19 meetings. … Bears averaging
35.5 points in Past four games against Vikings. … In 10 games
against Vikings, WR/KR/PR Devin Hester has nine of his 30 career
TDs, five receiving and four returning. He scored twice in last
meeting. … RB Kahlil Bell, filling in for injured Matt Forte
(sprained right knee), had career-high 121 yards rushing last week.
Vikings have given up 302 yards rushing in Past two games. …
Bears have lost five straight since starting 7-3. … Vikings QB
Christian Ponder expected to play after being knocked out of last
game with concussion; RB Adrian Peterson is having surgery to
repair tears in ACL and MCL in left knee. … Vikings trying to
avoid matching worst finish in their 51-year history, 3-13 in 1984.
… Jared Allen has 18 1/2 sacks, four off NFL single-season record
and 2 1/2 short of team single-season record. … TE Jim
Kleinsasser will play in his last game, ending 13-year career. He
has played in more games than any TE in Vikings history.

- By The AP.

Sam Hurd, the former Chicago Bears
wide receiver accused by the U.S. of a drug-trafficking
conspiracy, was freed on $100,000 bail by a federal magistrate.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Young Kim in Chicago today agreed to
a bail terms proposed by Hurd’s lawyer, Brett Greenfield of Los
Angeles, and federal prosecutors. The National Football League
player, who has been in custody since Dec. 14, appeared in court
wearing an orange jumpsuit with his ankles shackled.

Hurd, 26, was arrested with one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of
cocaine in his possession as he exited a Chicago-area restaurant
where he had been negotiating with an undercover federal agent
for a weekly supply of $700,000 in cocaine and marijuana,
prosecutors said.

The charge of conspiracy to possess 500 or more grams of a
cocaine mixture with intent to distribute it carries a maximum
term of 40 years in prison. Hurd hasn’t been arraigned or
entered a plea.

The Bears cut Hurd from the team today. He spent his first
five seasons with the Dallas Cowboys before joining the Bears as
a free agent in July. The San Antonio native, who played at
Northern Illinois University, has eight catches for 109 yards
this season, and 77 receptions for 739 yards for his career.

The criminal complaint against him was filed by prosecutors
in Dallas, where he’s required to appear to answer the charges.
As a condition of his bail, Hurd must also find a job.

The case is U.S. v. Hurd, 11-cr-875, U.S. District Court,
Northern District of Illinois (Chicago).

To contact the reporter on this story:
Andrew Harris in Chicago at
aharris16@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Michael Hytha at mhytha@bloomberg.net

Caleb Hanie, left, with Jay Cutler at training camp this year, is a former CSU quarterback awaiting his first NFL start with the Bears. Cutler has a broken thumb, so Hanie will be a starter Sunday against the Raiders.
(Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images
)

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Bears are confident quarterback Jay Cutler will return this season from a broken thumb on his right (throwing) hand, so there was a glimmer of hope to go with the big chill that just blew through Chicago.

Even so, this is a major blow for the red-hot Bears.

Cutler needs surgery and will be out “for an extended time,” coach Lovie Smith said Monday. He would not say when the operation will take place, just “hopefully fairly quick,” and provided few details about the specific nature of the injury.

Smith did make one thing clear, though.

“Is it a season-ending injury? No,” he said. “From what I’ve been told right now, we can expect him back at the end of the regular season.”

The regular-season finale is Jan. 1 at Minnesota.

With Cutler out, the Bears will turn to backup and former Colorado State standout Caleb Hanie against Oakland this weekend. They also will look to bring in a veteran quarterback.

Hanie has thrown just 14 regular-season passes in four years. He made some plays in the NFC championship game against Green Bay last season after Cutler was injured and Todd Collins struggled, helping keep the Bears in it, but Chicago ultimately lost to the Packers.

Cutler was injured trying to help tackle Antoine Cason on an interception return in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 31-20 victory over the San Diego Chargers, and Smith was unaware of the extent of the injury until after the game.

Cutler stayed in and finished with 286 yards passing. He threw for two touchdowns and ran for another TD while leading the Bears (7-3) to their fifth straight win, but his injury is a hit for a team that made a big leap into contention in the NFC.

“It’s devastating,” linebacker Brian Urlacher said. “It’s horrible, and I felt worse for him than I did for us. It stinks for us because he’s having such a great year. He’s our leader. He’s the guy we turn to for pretty much everything.”

The Bears travel to play the Broncos on Dec. 11.

By Tim Sieck

– Editor

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Sep 1, 2011 – The fourth game of the pre-season is nothing more than a glorified practice. Most of the Bears and Browns regulars didn’t even see the field on Thursday evening. This is a game for those on the bubble to show they belong on the final 53 man roster which will be announced on Saturday afternoon.

There were a few Bears that played well on Thursday evening. Caleb Hanie started the game and was 7 of 10 for 83 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown pass was an absolute perfect throw in between two Browns defensive backs to Johnny Knox. Hanie seemed to solidify his spot as Jay Cutler’s backup.

The defensive line continued to show just how deep it is. None of the regulars saw action, but whoever the Bears put out there pressured the quarterback and also slowed down any type of running game. Mario Addison and Nick Reed were two of the Bears reserves who made several great plays on defense. I’m sure teams from throughout the league will check the waiver wire on Saturday to see who the Bears cut from the defensive line and there is a good chance they might land on another team.

Chester Taylor started the game at running back and continued to struggle this time against the Browns reserves. Taylor, who it was reported this week had been released but in fact hadn’t been, still looks like he won’t be in the Bears plans. Khalil Bell has outplayed him in each preseason game and on Thursday Robert Hughes had a huge game for the Bears which included a pair of touchdowns.

The best part of this game is that the preseason is now over and things start for real next week. The Bears finished the preseason with a 2-2 record, but more importantly avoided any major injuries. Now it’s time to get ready to face the Falcons on the 11th.

Read More: Jay Cutler (QB – CHI), Chester Taylor (RB – CHI), Caleb Hanie (QB – CHI), Nick Reed (DE – CHI), Johnny Knox (WR – CHI), Mario Addison (DE – CHI), Robert Hughes (RB – CHI), Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns

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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) 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 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. 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 (bruised knee) and DT Anthony Adams (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 returned to practice Wednesday after sitting out a game because of a head injury.

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.

The last time he appeared at Soldier Field, Jay Cutler had a rough day.

He left the biggest game of his career with a knee injury, then came under heavy criticism as the Chicago Bears lost to Green Bay in the NFC championship game.

This time, the stakes aren’t so high.

The Bears open the preseason against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday, and Cutler is itching to get out there even if he figures to see only limited action.

“I’m excited, with the lockout and not really being able to play football until training camp, it’s been a long time, so the guys are ready to go, I’m ready to go,” Cutler said. “We’re in the second year in the offense so expectations are going to be a little bit bigger, so we have to go out there and be on top of it.”

The team that takes the field Saturday will have a different look.

Six-time Pro Bowl center Olin Kreutz is gone after a messy breakdown in contract negotiations, as is longtime punter Brad Maynard. Tight end Greg Olsen was traded to Carolina as part of a makeover at that position, and whether running back Matt Forte will play remains to be seen.

He considered holding out of training camp because he wants a new contract, and he’s thought about sitting out preseason games. Under the new collective bargaining agreement, players can be fined $30,000 for holding out.

Besides the familiar faces that will — or might — be missing, there will also be some new ones in Bears uniforms.

Chicago brought in Roy Williams, hoping he could rediscover the form that made him a Pro Bowl receiver under offensive coordinator under Mike Martz in Detroit, and he’s now No. 1 on the depth chart ahead of Johnny Knox. The Bears also added Marion Barber to the mix at running back, with Forte and Chester Taylor.

The Bills made some moves, too, hoping to build on the modest success they showed toward the end of last season, when they went 4-12 after dropping their first eight games.

“We’re looking to get out there a few series and at least (put) some sort of points on the board and limit the mental mistakes,” quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said. “And that’ll be the big thing, and we’ll call that a success if we can do that.”

The Bills have a new dimension on offense with Brad Smith, who has practiced in the wildcat formation and lined up at receiver.

They also spent much of the offseason trying to improve a defense that struggled to make the switch to the 3-4, got hit hard by injuries and ranked last against the run. Buffalo used seven of its nine draft picks on defensive players, starting with Alabama defensive lineman Marcell Dareus at No. 3, and although they lost inside linebacker Paul Posluszny in free agency, they replaced him with former Packer Nick Barnett.

They’re also counting on a return to form by three-time Pro Bowler Shawne Merriman, who lasted about 15 minutes in his first practice with the Bills last November after being waived by San Diego. He came up hobbling with a sore right Achilles tendon that led to him being placed on injured reserve.

“It’s been a while, man,” he said. “I can’t wait. Just the competitiveness to get back on the field and compete, you know go out there and go against somebody else.”

For all the changes the Bears made, core players like Cutler, Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Julius Peppers are back, hoping to build on last year’s surprising run — a run that came crashing to a halt with an 21-14 loss to their old rivals.

Cutler sprained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee late in the first half against the Packers and played the first series in the second half before heading to the sideline, then took more shots from current and former players.

Maurice Jones-Drew and Darnell Dockett criticized him on Twitter, as did Deion Sanders and ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth. Cutler said recently that he wasn’t sure how to react to it all, that his toughness had never been questioned. That episode seemed to run its course, but another drama continues to play out.

That would involve the oft-maligned surface at Soldier Field.

Chicago Park District officials failed to put enough water on sod that was 3½ weeks old, causing the seams to buckle and forcing the Bears to cancel their “Family Fest” practice at the stadium last Friday.

As if that weren’t enough, they also had to stop practice after 80 minutes Monday afternoon because of lightning and rain, and a blackout Wednesday night forced them to move it from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Ill., to a nearby high school.

Those issues aside, Martz said the Bears should “continue to improve from where we left off” last season and even make a “quantum leap” in some areas.

BOURBONNAIS — While a few of the Bears starting players said they figure to get the normal 10-15 snaps in Saturday’s preseason opener in Soldier Field against the Bills, head coach Lovie Smith would not tip his hand Thursday.

“We haven’t told them yet. … It will be pretty much along the lines that we normally do,” Smith said. “We’re not going to do too much — it’s the first game. We’ll work our way up to that third game.”

Linebacker Lance Briggs wasn’t sure how much work he’d get Saturday, but he did know that it’s not how many, but how good.

“I don’t know about that. I don’t know about more,” Briggs said when asked whether he expected to play longer than usual Saturday night. “It’s about quality reps. Quality reps, all right.”

Knox does not want out
Wide receiver Johnny Knox refuted reports that he was seeking a trade from the Bears after being demoted to the fourth wideout on Chicago’s first depth chart of the year, released Wednesday.

“No, not at all. I’m a Bear and I want to stay a Bear. I didn’t say nothing about wanting to be traded,” Knox said. “I want to finish here, and I do not want to be traded.”

A report came out Wednesday that Knox was frustrated and wanted out of Chicago after learning he had moved down the chart. He’s listed behind Roy Williams, Devin Hester and Earl Bennett.

WR coach shows frustration
Wide receiver’s coach Darryl Drake was upset over a story about Knox, and he went on a bit of a tirade outside the Olivet Nazarene University dining hall in front of several reporters Thursday.

“If you guys keep making this stuff up and bringing this stuff up,” Drake said. “You’re going to have to deal with me.”

He finished with a brief, but profanity-laden, statement that showed his disapproval in the recent story, he said was written by Chicago Tribune reporter Brad Biggs.
Hester has Cutler’s back

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler had two more interceptions during offense-vs.-defense drills in Thursday’s training camp practice, and he’s had a sporadic (at best) stretch the past four days of practice. Still, Devin Hester, who’s been his best wide receiver in camp this year, had his back.

“It’s a unit thing; when one guy messes up his assignment it throws the whole play off,” Hester said. “If everybody does what they’re supposed to do, there will be guys open and it will be easier for Jay to get it to them.”

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

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. (AP) — The Chicago Bears have been through a lot the last seven days. One thing they hope they don’t have to endure is a holdout by their star running back.

In a week when three practices have been stopped and moved or canceled, the stoppage the Bears hope they don’t have is a work stoppage from running back Matt Forte on Saturday when they open the preseason at home against the Buffalo Bills.

“I expect all the guys to be ready to play if we tell them,” coach Lovie Smith said. “Again, we’ll make those decisions a little bit later, but you just look at what Matt is doing. You love everything he’s done and why wouldn’t he be ready to go?”

In the final year of his contract Forte has a promise from general manager Jerry Angelo to negotiate an extension. It hasn’t been done yet.

As a result of that, and out of injury concerns in a meaningless exhibition, Forte hinted on Monday he would consider the possibility of sitting out preseason games.

“I’ve considered not playing in the preseason games,” Forte told the Chicago Tribune. “But just to make that a fact, and say ‘I’m not going to,’ I haven’t gotten there yet.”

On Thursday he told the Associated Press the situation remains much the same.

“I said it’s possible I would consider it,” Forte said. “Nothing has changed.”

Under the new collective bargaining agreement, players can be fined $30,000 a day for holding out.

“That’s the way it is,” Forte said of the fines. “You’ve got to deal with it if you decide to do it.”

Nor has Forte’s contract status changed, but he said he understands the situation considering the Bears had so many contracts to negotiate once the NFL lockout ended.

“I figured it would take a little while to get a contract,” Forte said. “The lockout kind of messed everything up and pushed it all back.”

Many backs dislike preseason games because of the injury risk, but Forte said he sees benefits to getting on the field against Buffalo even if it includes only a few snaps. Last year Forte had only 12 preseason carries and one reception.

“You can get back to full speed football, hitting different people than the same people in camp, and getting used to being tackled as a running back,” he said.

Forte’s situation is not the only one Smith and coaches had to address Thursday. Wide receiver Johnny Knox had reportedly pondered asking the team for a trade after being demoted to second string behind newly acquired Roy Williams. However, Knox and coaches strongly denied he felt this way.

“I’m a Bear and I want to stay a Bear,” Knox said. “I didn’t say anything about wanting to be traded.”

Smith said he had just posted the first depth chart, and nothing was etched in stone at this point about starters.

“We’re a little early to start running somebody out of town or putting someone up top or anything like that,” he said. “We’re not there yet. This is just a part of the evaluation process.”

Knox led the Bears in receiving yards (1,487) and touchdown catches (10) over the last two seasons, but

Williams brings a taller presence at 6-foot-3, a type the Bears have lacked for years at wide receiver.

The general discontent came a day after the team had to practice for the second time until 10:30 p.m. A blackout in Bourbonnais deprived 1,600 homes of electricity and shut down the Olivet Nazarene University practice lights Wednesday night, so the team loaded into buses and drove several blocks to the Bradley-Bourbonnais High School field to complete practice late.

On Monday their afternoon practice had been stopped for good after 80 minutes due to lightning and strong rain. And on Friday, they had a practice at Soldier Field canceled due to poorly groomed sod – it forced them to return to Bourbonnais by bus and practice until 10:30 p.m.

“Yeah, it’s been a weird series of events here, you know,” quarterback Jay Cutler said. “Nothing we can really do about it. We just have to work through and try to get our work in.

“I mean, who knows what’s going to happen tomorrow now?”

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