Chicago (Defense / Chi)

Latest News:

02.24.12

Jay Cutler's fractured thumb on his throwing hand is "fine" according to head coach Lovie Smith, ESPNChicago.com reports.

Impact:
Cutler is now completely healthy and will be a full go for the team's April conditioning program in anticipation of the new year.

02.24.12

The Bears will restart contract negotiations with Matt Forte this weekend at the NFL Combine, ESPNChicago.com reports.

Impact:
With former Bears GM Jerry Angelo out the door, Forte and new GM Phil Emery should be able to start with a clean slate this offseason when talking numbers. Despite the encouraging news that both sides would like to sign a long-term deal, the franchise tag is still looking like the larger possibility for Forte heading into 2012.

02.09.12

Johnny Knox's timeline for recovery after vertebral fusion procedure could extend beyond six months, multiple sources tell Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.cocm reports.

Impact:
Knox will have to wear a back brace until mid-March, and his availability for 2012 is starting to be questioned after a horrific back injury in December. If the signs weren't already pointing towards an upgrade at receiver in Chicago during the offseason, this may be the clearest yet.

02.02.12

Matt Forte said that being placed with the franchise tag would be OK with him, as long as it led to a long-term contract, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Impact:
"It depends on the motive of (the franchise tag)," Forte said Thursday. If they are doing the franchise tag just to get more time in order to negotiate a long-term deal, then I would be OK with it. But, if it's just to hold me another year and just, 'Let's throw some money at him right now to keep him quiet,' that's not going to solve anything." Forte also believes that the presence of a new GM [Phil Emery] will affect talks positively, which only reconfirms the tension between the running back and former Bears GM Jerry Angelo the past year or so.

02.01.12

Bears president and CEO Ted Phillips said that the team will not let Matt Forte reach free agency this offseason, ESPNChicago.com reports.

Impact:
Phillips said, "We'd like to [work out a long-term deal with Forte]. But as Phil [Emery] pointed out we obviously will at least consider placing the franchise tag on him. We don't have any intention of letting Matt hit the open market. We'll sit down with him privately, Phil will, and discuss what the plans are prior to the Feb. 20 franchise tag date." During the regular season, Forte routinely displayed anger over a lack of a long-term deal, and even hinted at holding out in the event of being hit with the franchise tag this offseason, so the matter is far from over at this point.

01.19.12

Matt Forte (knee) has been cleared to play in the Pro Bowl, Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune reports.

Impact:
The most important thing to note here is that Forte, who missed the Bears' final four games with a sprained MCL, heads into the offseason with a clean bill of health.

01.16.12

Head coach Lovie Smith believes that Kellen Davis "can do anything the good tight ends in this league can do," ESPNChicago.com reports.

Impact:
Smith said, "As a catcher if we focus in on him, we can make him more of a guy that people are talking about just based on throwing him the ball more. So I think we have an excellent tight end with good speed, size. I think we had a combination of as good a tight end, the makings of, as anyone around in Kellen." Davis had just 18 catches for 206 yards but did have five touchdowns during 2011 in Mike Martz's unfriendly tight end system, but it seems more could be on the horizon. The Bears are still desperate for big time pass catcher, and it sounds as if they have intriguing plans for the tight end's future, however, the first order of business will be re-signing the unrestricted free agent.

01.03.12

Earl Bennett finished 2011 with 24 catches for 381 yards and a touchdown.

Impact:
After missing much of the first half of the season with a chest injury, Bennett came back in full force until Jay Cutler went down with a thumb injury. After that bad break, Bennett was completely invisible. Thankfully, a four-year contract extension, and a healthy Cutler ensure that Bennett will remain a big part of the Bears' passing game in 2012 and behind. He'll be a sneaky late round pick come fantasy drafts in next season.

01.03.12

Johnny Knox finished 2011 with 37 catches for 727 yards and two touchdowns.

Impact:
Knox led the Bears in receiving yards for the second year in a row, but suffered a scary back injury during Week 16 that will require three-to-four months of recovery. The prognosis for Knox is good and he is expected to recovery fully, but don't be surprised if the Bears bring in an added presence at receiver in the offseason as insurance.

01.03.12

Roy Williams caught 37 passes for 507 yards and two touchdowns in 2011.

Impact:
Williams was obviously not the answer to the Bears' receiving woes, and is not expected to return to Chicago in 2012. Another one of Mike Martz's "brillant" free agent signings, Williams' recent history suggests that the free agent market for the 30 year-old will be luke-warm at best.

01.03.12

Dane Sanzenbacher finished 2011 with 27 catches for 276 yards with three touchdowns.

Impact:
Sanzenbacher displayed brief flashes in 2011, but needed injuries ahead of him to be any part of the passing game. Earl Bennett, Johnny Knox, Devin Hester, and possibly an offseason addition all project to be ahead of the former Buckeye come 2012.

01.03.12

Kellen Davis finished 2011 with 18 catches for 206 yards with five touchdowns.

Impact:
Davis was never utilized as a pass catcher in Mike Martz' offense and was mostly a blocker this season. He is expected to test the waters as a free agent at year's end, but Martz' departure could open the door for a return to Chicago in 2012.

01.03.12

Caleb Hanie completed 51-of-102 passes for 613 yards, three touchdowns, and nine interceptions and also had 13 rushes for 98 yards during the 2011 season.

Impact:
Hanie started four games in relief of Jay Cutler and the Bears lost all four, much in part to Hanie's nine interceptions in that same time. Hanie was effectively benched in favor of Josh McCown for the last two games, and though McCown was not highly impressive, he was much better than Hanie. An unrestricted free agent at year's end, don't expect Hanie to return to Chicago for the 2012 season.

01.03.12

Kahlil Bell finished 2011 with 79 rushes for 337 yards and caught 19 passes for 133 yards and one touchdown.

Impact:
Bell filled in admirably with Matt Forte on the shelf and Marion Barber pretty much benched late in the year. Though he did have some problems hanging on to the ball, Bell, a restricted free agent, likely earned a solid backup role behind Matt Forte with Barber expected to be on his way out.

01.03.12

Matt Forte (knee) finished 2011 with 203 rushes for 997 yards and three touchdowns and also had 52 catches for 490 yards and one touchdown.

Impact:
Like his teammate Jay Cutler, Forte was also playing at a high level before missing the final four games with a sprained MCL. Forte's touchdown rate still leave a lot to be desired for a top fantasy back, but he was on pace to lead the league in yards from scrimmage before his season-ending injury. Though backup Kahlil Bell showed some flashes late in the year, Forte will continue to be the focal point of the Bears' offense in 2012, especially considering a pass-happy Mike Martz will no longer be calling the shots. However, there are questions surrounding Forte and his quest for a long-term extension. He will most likely be franchised in the offseason, but it is something to keep an eye on in the coming months.

01.03.12

Jay Cutler (thumb) finished 2011 with 182-of-314 completed passes for 2,319 yards,13 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Impact:
Before going down with a broken thumb and missing the final six games of the regular season, Cutler was playing at high level despite the mediocre looking stats. His thumb will be fully healed and ready to go by the time the offseason starts, so Cutler is in no danger of missing time entering 2012. However, with the departure of offensive coordinator Mike Martz surely cutting into his pass attempts next season, along with a limited group of receivers currently at his disposal, Cutler's fantasy ceiling continues to be capped.

01.03.12

Marion Barber finished the 2011 season with 114 rushes for 422 yards with six touchdowns and five catches for 50 yards.

Impact:
When healthy Barber was effective near the goal-line and in short yardage this year, but late season mistakes could be his undoing in Chicago. The Denver game where he failed to get out of bounds and also later lost a fumble have led to decreased confidence in the veteran, along with nagging injuries to both begin and end the season. With the emergence of Kahlil Bell as Matt Forte's backup, don't be surprised if Barber is looking for a new home when the new season rolls around.

01.02.12

Brian Urlacher's MRI revealed damage to the medial collateral and posterior cruciate ligaments of his left knee, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Impact:
The report notes Urlacher will not need surgery, but rather 10 weeks of rehab work. But on the plus side, he did not suffer an ACL tear, as initially feared.

01.02.12

Brian Urlacher will have an MRI on his left knee Monday, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Impact:
Coach Lovie Smith described Urlacher's injury Sunday as a sprained MCL. If that is indeed the case, that would actually represent good news, given initial fears that the linebacker's injury was much worse.

01.01.12

Kahlil Bell ran for 54 yards on 17 rushes and caught five passes for 28 yards in Sunday's win at Minnesota.

Impact:
Bell didn't produce as much as he did in Week 16, although he rewarded PPR owners with five receptions Sunday. Despite the so-so performance, Bell proved himself to be an every-down runner, and should be a key backup in Chicago next season.

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