The 10 Best Chicago Bears Players Right Now

The Bears have struggled with consistent play this year, but recall that in 2010, they also started out slowly before exploding after the bye week, when they finished 7-2 in their last nine games.

Hoping for the same thing this year, the Bears will need improved play in a number of key areas.

But for the team to win, their individual stars must be stars. Players like Julius Peppers and Brian Urlacher need to play up to their reputations, and neither have done that on a steady basis so far.

Ranking the best players on the current Chicago Bears can mean two different things. One, they can be ranked based on their career achievements, or they can be critiqued on how they've played this year.

Let's rank them based on what they've done thus far in their careers, similar to an all-time list of greatest Bears.

Without further ado, let the debate begin! 

10. Chris Harris

I know that Chris Harris has been hurt this year and when he returned he was not good. But hey, he may have come back too soon or was rusty.

Still, you cannot take away the fact that he was the Bears best safety last year, and was good with Chicago and Carolina prior to that.

He seemingly never has gotten along well with head coach Lovie Smith, but the Bears thought enough of Harris to bring him back prior to 2010.

For his career, "hitman," as he is known, has delivered hard hits to opposing offenses and provides consistent play.

Harris has 413 tackles in 87 games and 15 interceptions.

9. Charles Tillman

Charles Tillman may not be a star on this league, but he has been the Bears best cornerback in recent memory.

He is a solid, if unspectacular corner who knows the system and plays disciplined within it, despite his short stature.

Tillman continues to play well this year, leading the team in tackles last Sunday against the Vikings.

He is in his ninth season with Chicago. Tillman has 665 tackles in 120 games, with 27 interceptions.

But perhaps the best thing Tillman is known for are his strips.

No, not the kind you find in seedy clubs, I'm talking about how he is one of the best at chopping the ball away from receivers.

In Lovie Smith's cover-2, turnovers are especially critical, and Tillman does it about as well as anyone in football.

8. Robbie Gould

Robbie Gould is "good as gold" and that's no exaggeration. Sure, he's "just" a kicker, but what a steady kicker he has been.

Playing in his seventh season with Chicago, Gould has been successful on 86.4 of his field goal attempts in his career.

Now, he has been as sure as they come on short kicks, but then again, so are a lot of kickers.

But on kicks of 40 yards or more, Gould has hit on 50-of-68 attempts.

And on attempts of 50 yards or greater, Gould has made 6-of-10, including his long, a 54-yarder.

All this while kicking on bad grass in a windy stadium in Chicago and in bad weather.

7. Jay Cutler

Jay Cutler certainly attracts his share of criticism, but he is already one the best Bears QBs of all-time.

That said, the Bears haven't had many good ones, and only one is in the Hall of Fame (Sid Luckman).

Still, many overlook the fact that Cutler, for all of his detractors, has played in a system unsuited for him in Chicago, and lacks good receivers and a solid offensive line.

Despite being sacked more than a bag of groceries, and hit more than any QB in the NFL since 2009, Cutler has completed more than 60 percent of his passes, for 8,416 yards in 37 games as a Bear.

During this time, he has amassed 58 TDs vs. 46 interceptions. Not a stellar ratio, but considering all he's had to go through in Chicago, not bad.

In Denver, Cutler threw for 4,526 yards in just his second full season in the NFL.

6. Matt Forte

Matt Forte will eventually move up on this list, and I'm sure than many of you will think I'm crazy for listing Mannelly ahead of him now.

But while Mannelly is the best at his position, and has played 12 seasons with the Bears, Forte is a good, but not yet an elite running back in his fourth season.

The argument may be that a back is much more valuable tot his team than a snapper, but the point is that both are very valuable to this team.

Forte is the Bears best offensive player and had a good rookie season, an excellent 2010 and a terrific 2011. He disappointed in 2009, though a knee injury may have been to blame.

Meanwhile, Forte is such a huge part of the current Bears offense, and is the pivotal player on this team.

For his career, he has averaged 4.1 yards per carry, with 3,763 yards rushing and 19 TDs. But his value extends beyond running the ball.

He is a capable receiver coming out of the backfield as well. He typically leads the Bears in receptions, and for his career has 1,876 receiving yards on 207 catches and eight TDs.

5. Patrick Mannelly

I know what you're probably thinking, a long snapper on a list of current Bears greats? Ah, but Mannelly transcends the usual long snapper reputation.

Who else has a website called www.longsnapper.com?

Mannelly has played in more games than any other Bears player, and is plying in his 12th season with Chicago.

Look, just by knowing who this guy is tells you a lot about how good he is at his craft. He is one of the unsung heroes of the game and I am not going to apologize for including him on this list.

4. Lance Briggs

Lance Briggs may play in the shadow of Brian Urlacher, but he is a terrific player in his own right.

He is a six-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time All Pro. He has accumulated 896 tackles, 10.5 sacks and 12 interceptions through Week 4 of this season.

From 2004 through 2009, Briggs made 100 or more tackles in each season. He has twice gone over 100 solo tackles.

He leads the Bears in tackles this season.

Briggs has scored three TDs in his career.

3. Devin Hester

As a wide receiver, Devin Hester is one heck of a return man.

Yet it's his historic results as a kick and punt returned that has the man ranked so highly on this list. And deservedly so, in my opinion, due to the sheer impact he has on each game.

Even when he's not setting all-time records for return TDs, Hester completely alters the opposing team's game plans.

He forces teams to try and kick away from him, often resulting in good field position.

Oh, and did I mention that Hester holds the NFL record for most all-time kick and punt return touchdowns?

In fact, people are even starting to bring up the question of whether Hester could someday make the Hall of Fame.

He is a game changer and a great return man.

2. Julius Peppers

Peppers made an immediate impact to the Bears following his arrival as a free agent prior to the 2010 season.

He may not have racked up the double-digit sacks that Bears fans expected, but he consistently provided pressure on the opposing quarterback all season.

But this year has been disappointing for Peppers. Except for the Atlanta game, Peppers hadn't really made much of an impact until his two sacks against the Vikings.

The ironic part of it was that Peppers was playing with an injury and yet he had his best game of the year.

Meanwhile, Peppers is a stud and deserves to be high on this list. In fact, there is an outside chance that he could eventually get consideration for the Hall of Fame.

Peppers has had 10 or more sacks in six of his 10 seasons. In all, he has accumulated 93 sacks, 451 tackles, eight interceptions and two TDs in 144 games with Carolina and Chicago.

1. Brian Urlacher

Longtime Chicago Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher has struggled to make an impact consistently this season. He has played three solid games, and three so-so games.

But overall, he remains the face of the franchise and a future Hall of Fame candidate.

Urlacher has played with a a heavy heart this season, losing his mother unexpectedly in September. Lavoyda Lenard was only 51 years old.

That he played in the game the week of her death says everything you need to know about this man.

Urlacher may not be the best interview, or even the best person, but he understands and respects the game of football.

And he continues the Bears impressive line of great middle linebackers.

Joining Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary, Bill George and George Connor, Urlacher has had a stellar career, and deserves to be at the top of this list.