Chicago Bears: Top 2011 Offseason Needs the Team Must Address

The image of the Bears quarterback standing on the sideline of the NFC Championship game with his over-sized coat and knit cap is one that Bears fans will not forget anytime soon.

The 2010 season was surprisingly good to the Monsters of the Midway, despite the sour taste it left in fans' mouths back in January. Considering that the Bears had a QB who still had a whiff of "new quarterback" smell, a brand new offensive coordinator in Mike Martz, key splurged free agent signings, no go-to No. 1 wide receiver, a porous offensive line and an aging defense, the Bears did just fine with the pieces it had. The squad finished 11-5 on the season, securing the NFC’s No. 2 seed in the playoffs.

Without high expectations whatsoever, the Bears played a fantastic and exciting season of football last season. Now with the bar set even higher, will Chicago be able to live up to the new expectations?

With talks that the current NFL lockout may be coming to an end within days (perhaps hours), it feels appropriate to focus back on the X’s and O’s of football rather than the dollars and cents.

Certain elements of a traditional NFL season have yet to take place. Once the league and the players come to an agreement, all hell will break loose in Virginia McCaskey’s checkbook. On top of free agency, every NFL team still has to sign its draft picks, undrafted players, veterans and practice squads.

With such an incredible rush to get deals and contracts done, teams will more than likely overpay for talent instead of casting their best deals and waiting for a bite. Having said that, don’t expect any team to financially afford multiple key free agents. The early estimated salary cap of $120 million will disappear quickly, so spending every penny wisely will be extra crucial in 2011.

So what do the Bears need to address exactly? Every fan will point out an immediate need like tackle or receiver, but the current roster also requires aid in specific areas.

Here are the top five areas of concern the Bears must address to contend once more in the upcoming campaign...

5. Safety

This is not a time sensitive issue at the moment but soon will be as the Bears move forward.

Currently, Chicago features Danieal Manning and hard-hitting Chris Harris as its last lines of defense. The impressive play of second year Gator Major Wright showed that the 23-year-old can fill in should injuries become an issue. Overall, that’s not a horrible top side to a secondary. Many teams league-wide with defensive back woes would love to have a crew like that.

It has become Jerry Angelo’s annual tradition to take a crapshoot on a safety towards the lower rounds of the NFL draft. In the latest rendition, Angelo chose Chris Conte of California with the team’s third-round selection. Conte, who spent his first three collegiate years as a reserve corner, has good size and speed to play at the free safety position. Perhaps he could be the future going forward, but it would only serve him best to learn from a professional safety.

4. Linebacker

This may come to as a surprise to Bears fans that linebacker would be as high a priority as it is. This is not because Chicago needs to upgrade at the position, rather they simply need to fill some voids.

The Bears have only two linebackers currently under contract—Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs. Both are Pro Bowl-caliber players, but neither one is necessarily young. Urlacher, 33, and Briggs, 30, are ideal role players to a Tampa Two defense. However, they can’t do it by themselves.

Chicago slated J.T. Thomas from West Virginia in the draft this year with its 195th pick. Free agency may be the direction to go to fill the void here. Prospects include Chad Greenway, LaMarr Woodley and Tamba Hali. A nice outside linebacker to compliment Briggs and Urlacher would make this the best unit of the Bears defense.

3. Defensive Tackle

Any NFL fan will tell you that “pressure breaks the pipes” when it comes to defense. The front three or four of a defense have to force pressure. Giving opposing quarterbacks time in the pocket is almost a surefire way to lose.

The defensive tackle position is one the Bears need to upgrade. Julius Peppers, the team’s big free agent last season, played phenomenally. Peppers recorded eight sacks, three forced fumbles, and two interceptions to lead the Bears' defensive pursuit. Israel Idonije emerged as a surprising force to be reckoned with as well, more than likely in large part because of teams paying so much attention to Peppers.

The interior linemen were blah, to say the least. Tommie Harris has been a problem for the team over the last few campaigns, and Anthony Adams did little to help stuff the run and pursue quarterbacks in the pocket.  This is an area where Chicago could again look towards free agents to provide a boost. The big fish on the market are Haloti Ngata and Richard Seymour.

And maybe—just maybe—we could see the Bears show interest in former Viking Pat Williams. Williams, who in 2008 was suspended for taking an unapproved weight-loss drug, could be a very cheap pickup for a veteran Bears defense. Williams is more veteran than anyone else he would play with, as he is the oldest defensive player in the league at 38.

2. No. 1 Wide Receiver

Okay Bears fans, here you go—the moment you've all been waiting for. To the typical average Joe, this has been the team's biggest hole on offense for years now. Chicago hasn't signed a free agent go-to wideout since Muhsin Muhammad in 2005. 

Perhaps this is the golden opportunity Chicago needs to grab a tall, fast, physical receiver who can climb the ladder and snatch 50/50 balls if Cutler is either inaccurate or forced to throw the ball early.

The Bears passed up on receivers in the draft, though some speculated they could trade up to get a talent like Julio Jones or A.J. Green. Instead, it appears the Bears are content with the secondary receivers already under contract. While names like Devin Hester, Johnny Knox and Earl Bennett may be reliable players, they don’t necessarily strike fear in the hearts of defenses.

Little is known of Andy Fantuz, who the Bears signed from the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders in February. He will more than likely land a spot on the practice squad and could move himself up the depth chart pending injuries or trades.

Free agency is loaded with great receivers the Bears could pursue. This year’s class is comprised of Vincent Jackson, Sidney Rice, Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards, Malcolm Floyd, Steve Smith (NYG), Terrell Owens, Randy Moss, Mike Williams (SEA), James Jones and Steve Breaston.

Oh, and who could forget the name dropping that Plaxico Burress has caused across the city? Again, he may not be the ideal solution, but he could certainly come at a reduced price having served two years in prison for an illegal weapons charge.

1. Offensive Line

It’s hard to lead an aerial assault when you’re constantly being planted in the ground, but somehow quarterback Jay Cutler has managed to do just that since he became a Bear in 2009. Last season, Cutler won the league’s “David Carr Award” for being sacked the most of any signal caller—57 times to be exact, including playoffs.

Not only has the passing game been streaky and inconsistent, the rushing attack has been hard to watch, too. During Matt Forte’s three-year career in the Windy City, he has compiled 3,236 yards—roughly 1,000 yards a season. His versatility in the offense is very well noted. He has also caught 171 balls for 1,495 over his time as a Bear as well. Chicago has a fantastic weapon in Forte, but needs to give him a chance to break plays for bigger gains by opening holes in the defense.

What do both of these offensive problems have in common? The offensive line.

Angelo did address this problem with the team’s first draft pick by selecting Gabe Carimi 29th overall. Carimi, who played his college ball at Wisconsin, was a valued tackle who fell in the Bears' lap near the end of the first round. The team even stated it would trade up to get him if another team showed serious interest. Carimi is well experienced in run-blocking, as that is the Badger’s primary method of offensive game planning.

There are three candidates for the starting tackle positions: Carimi, J’Marcus Webb and Chris Williams. Webb is a young stud who is building a reputation as a dedicated role player on Mike Tice’s offensive line. Williams, who the Bears took in the 2008 draft, has been ineffective and often times injured. He missed most of his rookie season with a back injury.

The guards are, frankly, less than desirable. Frank Omiyale is the most seasoned of the team’s offensive guards. Competition could arise between Johan Asista, Herman Johnson and Lance Louis for the other starting position. This is an area of concern that the Bears will most likely fix via the draft in future years. An immediate band-aid could be Logan Mankins from the Patriots. If the money is right, a short-term deal could provide some interior relief.

And here’s the most important element to the offensive line, center Olin Kreutz. Kreutz, 34, is a warrior in the trenches who not only anchors the O-line but provides experience. Re-signing him is on the team’s top priority list because of all the different hats he wears. Don’t be surprised to see the franchise draft a center next season, as his body has surely seen better days. Even for a one-year deal, Kreutz must return to Chicago should the Bears have any chance of contending.

Thoughts? Comments? Follow Brett Lyons on Twitter @BrettLyons670