The departures of Brian Urlacher (you just may have heard about this) and Nick Roach earlier in the offseason left the Bears needing to fill two starting linebacker voids for 2013. So, Bears general manager Phil Emery went out and signed two potential starters in veteran free-agent linebackers D.J. Williams and James Anderson. Williams is a capable starting middle linebacker, where Urlacher of course played, and Anderson is a capable starter at strong-side linebacker, the position Roach played in the Bears' defense.

But, make no mistake about it: These moves were made by Emery with the short-term in mind only. Plug-in moves. The linebacker market wasn't very friendly this offseason, with no clear long-term answers out there.

Therefore, even after the Williams and Anderson signings, it was assumed that linebacker would be one one of the Bears' top positional focuses in the 2013 NFL Draft. And what was really nice about those signings is it gave Emery the chance to find draft prospects that don't have to start right away; players that have plenty of skill but may need to refine some parts of their game to be comfortably inserted in as a starter. That's not at all to say that the potential draft picks would not compete for starting jobs in training camp, but that you now have the luxury of them developing behind proven veterans in Williams and Anderson.

The linebackers that got the most pre-draft talk about the Bears drafting in rounds one or two were Alec Ogletree, Arthur Brown, Manti Te'o, and Kevin Minter.

Ogletree was the highest-rated linebacker in this draft by most experts, and indeed ended up being the first linebacker selected, going No. 30 overall to the Rams. As I wrote in my Kyle Long draft grade post, Ogletree was by far the player most mock drafts had going to the Bears. However, the Bears were obviously higher on Long, and the way the draft was unfolding, surely felt that they could still find one of the linebackers they were coveting when their second-round pick at No. 50 overall came along. Additionally, there were concerns about Ogletree's ability to play middle linebacker (many think he it's just not going to happen) which would certainly lower his value (it's much easier to find quality strong-side and weak-side linebacker than middle linebackers), and the guy got a DUI just days before the 2013 NFL Combine, something that is just immeasurably stupid.

Brown is a guy I'm personally very high on, but there's concerns about his size and overall skill-set translating well to the NFL level, especially at the middle linebacker position (like Ogletree). The Bears ended up not just passing on him with their first-round pick, but with their second-round pick as well, as Brown slid all the way to No. 56 to the Ravens. The fact Brown slid all the way to No. 56 shows that the Bears were not the only team that had concerns about him.

The stock of Te'o dropped considerably in recent months, with the whole fake girlfriend saga (likely) having little to do with that. The tape of Te'o looking absolutely awful in the National Championship Game against Alabama, and following that up with an unimpressive NFL Combine performance, made him slide down teams' draft boards much more than the Lennay Kekua crap did. Te'o would've been a reach at No. 20, and was selected at No. 38 in the second round by the Chargers, before the Bears would've had a chance to get him.

Minter's measurables didn't impress at the Combine either, and he's widely considered a two-down linebacker. And like Te'o, he would've been a reach at No. 20, and was already gone (No. 45 to the Cardinals) when the Bears' turn to select came in the second round.

Even if Te'o and Minter were still on the board at No. 50, I don't think the Bears would've taken either of them. In Emery's pre-draft press conference, this is what he said in regards to the kind of players he was looking for in the draft:

“(We want) players that are high-end dynamic athletes that can do a lot of things."

It's something Emery has frequently made a point of in terms of the type of players he's looking to acquire. And the point stood true with his selection of highly-athletic (the highest-graded guard in the Bears' athletic index measurements over the last dozen years), versatile offensive lineman Kyle Long in the first round.

With all this in mind, it shouldn't at all be a surprise that Emery chose to use the Bears' second-round pick on Florida linebacker Jon Bostic, whom the Bears ranked as the best athlete among inside linebackers in this year's draft, and whom the Bears feel is a versatile, three-down linebacker:

"We brought him in for a visit and we felt very good about his football aptitude and his ability to line everybody else up on the field," Emery said. It's extremely important at the end of the day because it separated him from some others, and obviously the more football-smart the players we bring in, the better we're going to be.

"That lends him towards flexibility as a football player and being able to say, 'Hey, I've been practicing the 'Mike' 'backer, but I'm a smart individual. I understand the other two positions. 'Sam' goes down for 10 plays, they can plug me right in because I have a very good football aptitude and know how to adjust."

"The reason we like Jon, he's a three-position linebacker," Emery said. "It was very important that if we were going to take a linebacker in the second round that we get somebody who could immediately fill in in all three spots if one of our starters was not available due to injury and we would have a good football player in place."

Source: ChicagoBears.Com


Bostic played four years at Florida, starting there three of those years. Over that time (51 games), he totaled 237 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks, and five interceptions.

The 6'1", 245-pound linebacker ran a 4.61 40-yard dash at the Combine, the third-best linebacker time. He also finished tied for the third-best linebacker time in the three-cone drill (6.99), and the fourth-best linebacker time in the 20-yard shuttle.

Along with being a tremendous athlete for the linebacker positon, Bostic is known as a bone-crushing hitter, as evidenced by his hit on Louisville star quarterback (and potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft) Teddy Bridgewater (picture of that hit above, video below).

Here's NFL.Com's "overview" of Bostic on his draft profile page:

Bostic played well enough as a junior to test the NFL draft waters, but he returned in 2012 as part of a very talented Gators defense. That same unit is loaded with junior talent, but Bostic was one of the true veteran leaders and saw a 7-6 2011 campaign transform into an 11-1 senior season. Bostic is an aggression setter, delivering big hits against opposing ball carriers in the lane or on receivers asked to run shallow crosses.

As one of the top inside linebacker prospects in the nation out of high school, Bostic had his choice of destinations. He arrived in Gainesville a semester early, and the extra work paid off with significant time on the field on special teams and the occasional spot at linebacker (he had 18 tackles on the year). He played every game of his sophomore year, starting the teams' first five games plus the Florida State matchup later on; Bostic intercepted three passes that year in addition to making 57 tackles, 2.5 for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Finally given the reins to the defense as a junior, Bostic led the team with 94 tackles, 10 of which went for loss, and three sacks. As a senior, he tallied 62 total tackles, including 6.5 for loss and three sacks.

And here's their "bottom line" summary of Bostic as an NFL prospect:

Bostic is an absolute hammer in the middle of the Gators defense, especially against the run. He fights to take out blockers and to accomplish his assignment, but when he attacks with his shoulder Bostic fails to make a play on the football.. Even though he’s not as tall as some coaches would like, his production (he led the Gators with 94 tackles as a junior), onfield attitude and instincts for the ball make him a potential mid-round pick and gives him a chance to eventually earn a starting job at the next level.

My Grade: B

After taking Long with the first pick, I really thought the Bears had to address linebacker in the second round, especially with "the run of linebackers" taking place before their pick (Ogletree, Te'o, and Minter off the board). And the Bears didn't have a third-round pick. If you wanted to get one of the better linebacker prospects, a guy that you could legitimately envision starting and being an impact player soon, this was seemingly the spot to do it.

Now, I'm very much against reaching for a need; I'm a "Best Player Available" guy for the most part. But as the Bears' pick approached, Brown and Bostic were notable guys still there, and that's the direction I found myself leaning in regards to my hopeful selection.

However, like the first round, I was hoping the Bears would trade down and acquire another pick or two, unless the player was a talent just too good to pass up. Clearly, the Bears felt Long was that good, even though many thought he would still be around in the late first, early second round. And they apparently felt Bostic was that good. Emery said that there were a couple of trade offers out there, but not any where they felt the value was good enough to pass up on the opportunity to select Bostic.

As I already said, I preferred Brown over Bostic, but I had my concerns about him, with his size and ability to handle middle linebacker in the NFL. And I'll always trust the knowledge of front offices and scouting that spend hour and hour studying these players, much over my own knowledge (and I'd hope you would too). And again, every other team was passing on Brown until the Ravens and their No. 56 pick came along.

I really like this pick, and really think Bostic has a chance to excel in the Bears' defense. He's extremely athletic, has impressive range, and is going to keep the tradition of hard-hitting linebackers going in Chicago. He should be a fan-favorite. He also has proven veteran linebackers such as Williams, Anderson, and some guy named Lance Briggs to learn from. This is a terrific situation for him and his skill-set.

Many considered this pick a reach from Emery, but in a few years, I really doubt that we look at it that way.



Let's go to the links for more on the Bostic selection...


Florida LB Bostic edges out field- Jeff Dickerson takes a look at the Bostic pick with some quotes from Emery. (ESPN Chicago)


Second-round pick pick Jonathan Bostic not worried about filling Brian Urlacher's shoes-

“It’s not pressure at all to me,” Bostic said Friday. “It’s more of a guy that I can pretty much watch and learn a lot of things from on film. [The Bears defense is] going to keep a lot of the scheme and the terminology the same. So I’m just really excited to get out there.” 

“I know [the Bears] have a great tradition at linebacker, especially with the two that actually just left his past year and especially the one that played [in the middle],” Bostic said. “I know it’s going to take a lot of work, a lot studying to do to be able to catch up to the speed of the game.” 
(Chicago Sun-Times)


Bostic brings lot to Bears table- Dan Pompei with a look at the Bostic pick. (Chicago Tribune)


Rapid-reaction: 2nd-round pick Bostic- Michael Wright reacts to the Bostic selection. (ESPN Chicago)


Jon Bostic Video Highlights:






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Before the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft on Thursday, the Chicago Sun-Times' Mark Potash took a look at 200 NFL mock drafts to see what players the draftniks had the Bears taking with the No. 20 overall pick in the first round:

(Alec) Ogletree was the choice of 56 of the 200 mocks (28 percent), followed by Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert (29, 15.5 percent), Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o (26, 13 percent), Kansas State linebacker Arthur Brown (19, 9.5 percent) and Alabama offensive tackle D.J. Fluker (14, 7 percent).

A total of 26 players were listed as the Bears' pick. Ten of the mock drafts had the Bears trading down to make their first pick: to No. 22, 23, 25 and 31. 

And when the Bears' time to pick presented itself on Thursday night, Alec Ogletree, Tyler Eifert, Manti Te'o, and Arthur Brown were surprisingly all still on the board (D.J. Fluker was drafted 10th overall by the Chargers). So, it seemed that if the Bears didn't trade down (something I personally thought was the most likely scenario), they'd be picking one of the aforementioned prospects.

However, the Bears didn't pick any of those players, and didn't even take a player listed on any of the 200 mock drafts Potash studied.

The Bears instead stunned the draftniks and Bears fans alike by selecting Oregon offensive lineman Kyle Long at No. 20. The response from many people was immediately, "Who"?

Long, 24, is one of Howie Long's sons (you likely know Chris Long, the Rams' defensive end), and measured in at the NFL Combine at 6'6", 313 pounds. The Bears plan to use Long at guard (which in my opinion was the biggest positional need for the Bears entering the draft) for the immediate future, but he could eventually move outside on the line to a tackle position.

NFL Network's draft guru Mike Mayock had this to say about Long after the Bears' selection:

"He's one of my favorite players in the draft. He's immediately a starting guard that down the road is a starting tackle."

Long was considered a second-round prospect by most, but many think he wouldn't have been there when the Bears are set to pick at No. 50. And Phil Emery made it clear in his press conference (more on that below) late Thursday night that they targeted Long for the last two weeks and weren't going to let him (potentially) get away.

Here's the overview on Long from his NFL.Com draft profile page:

Long looked to be on the road to professional success as a two-sport high school star in Charlottesville, Va. The son of Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long (84 sacks in 13 seasons) and brother of Chris Long (the No. 2 overall pick of the St. Louis Rams in 2008), had the freakish size and athleticism to excel as an all-state baseball pitcher and first baseman, as well as an offensive and defensive lineman for back-to-back state champions at St. Anne's-Belfield High School. 

The lefty pitcher decided to accept a scholarship to Florida State to play baseball after spurning the advances of the Chicago White Sox, who selected him in the 23rd round of the 2008 draft. He lasted only one semester in Tallahassee, however, failing to make grades and eventually being cited for a DUI. He enrolled at Saddleback Junior College in 2010, played defensive end in his first year there (16 tackles, two for loss, sack) and then moved to the offensive line as a sophomore. He chose Oregon over several other FBS suitors coming out of Saddleback, and started 10 of 12 games for the Ducks on the offensive line. Both Howie and Chris Long have referred to Kyle as the best athlete of the family.

And here's their "bottom line" on Long as an NFL prospect:

The son of Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long and current St. Louis Rams defensive end Chris Long made his name on the offensive line for the Ducks. The two-sport star in high school enrolled at Florida State to play baseball (he was a 23rd round pick of the White Sox in 2008), but struggles there caused him to regroup at home for a while before attending Saddleback Junior College. Even as a one-and-done contributor for the Ducks on the line, Long's combination of size and athleticism wasn't ignored by NFL scouts, who saw his great potential as a starting guard or tackle.  

My Grade: C+

At first, I had this grade as a "C" in my head, as I was hoping to land Eifert, Ogletree, or Brown at No. 20, and ideally preferred trading down to acquire more picks, as the team was already without a third round selection. In a trade-down scenario, I would've loved the Long pick.

But the pick looked a bit better to me once the Bears selected exciting linebacker prospects in the second and fourth rounds. It made things much more understandable that the Bears passed on Alec Ogletree, Arthur Brown (they actually took LB Jon Bostic over Brown even in the second round), and Manti Te'o in favor of Long.

As I said earlier, pre-draft I considered guard to be the Bears' biggest positional need, and if they think Long's the answer there (which they clearly do), consider me very much on board with the pick. Long's athleticism should be a great fit for Marc Trestman's offense, and Long's versatility is obviously something that shouldn't be overlooked.

Right now, I'd predict Long's starting at right or left guard in 2013 (and Emery has said as much himself), with Matt Slauson playing the other guard spot... and Gabe Carimi on the bench. Carimi's future is now looking pretty bleak in Chicago. And remember, he was a draft selection under Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith, so Emery and Trestman will handle that situation as they wish, without giving Carimi chance after chance to prove himself as may have been the case with the previous regime.

Long is still very raw with only a year of legitimate college football under his belt, but I wouldn't at all be surprised if he becomes a very, very good offensive lineman down the road (and potentially at tackle), as the Bears certainly think he will be. It's hard to get too excited about this pick as a fan just yet given Long's limited amount of high-level football experience, but the upside is certainly there, and at a position the Bears greatly needed to address.



Let's go to the links for more on the Long selection...


Bears choose Kyle Long with first-round pick- The official ChicagoBears.Com write-up on the Long pick. It includes good quotes from Phil Emery, including Emery making comments about how Long graded on the Bears' "athletic index score", a system they've used for the last 12 years to grade players:

"He's the No. 1 guard in the last 12 draft classes, and that's as far back as we go. He rates as rare. That's his rating. In our scale, nine is rare and he rates as rare." 

Some other notable quotes from Emery in the article:

"Obviously he's got to earn his way, just like all players do. But we see a player that's going to contribute right away. Despite his limited time at Oregon, he was a starter at the end of the season. He did very well. His Senior Bowl was excellent. I thought he was the best offensive lineman on the field at the Senior Bowl, so we expect him to contribute right away." 

"That's part of the reason we're extremely excited about having him here is his versatility. He's going to start out at guard. We feel like he can be a starting right tackle. We feel like that he can be a good left tackle in this league. So that's part of what attracted us to Kyle."

"We had some people call us, but nothing that would take us off that pick. Kyle was the player that we targeted. We've targeted him for the last couple of weeks. He had to be gone for us to move back. We were not going to move off that spot if Kyle Long was still there."


"We want to win championships. We felt like this was the best player. Like I said the other day, draft with urgency of a player that we see can come in the quickest, contribute the fastest to helping us win, and that's where the urgency is. At the end of the day, what matters is our team; how we see him fitting for us and do we have the type of dynamic athlete and leader that we need that can help us win championships, and that's this guy." 

So, clearly, Emery and the Bears really, really wanted Long. (ChicagoBears.Com)


Kyle Long elated to be drafted by Bears- Read many Kyle Long quotes on how excited he is to be a Chicago Bear, and how he was surprised to be drafted so early. (ChicagoBears.Com)


Bears may have hit a home run by going Long- David Kaplan's take on the Kyle Long pick. Here's an excerpt from the post: It will take time to evaluate this pick but while many are criticizing the selection I like the pick as it gives the Bears a chance at an elite athlete on their offensive line for many years to come. Patience will be needed as Long learns the NFL game and both the guard and tackle spots. If he is as talented as some experts believe then Emery may have hit a home run in the first-round. (CSN Chicago)


Like it or not, Bears did what was necessary in selecting Long- Adam Oestmann with a great post defending the Bears' decision to take Long. Here's an excerpt:

For years, fans have clamored that “it all starts up front” and that that the offensive line is the “number one priority.” So why last night did I hear some of those same fans calling Phil Emery clueless? Your leader up at Halas Hall has taken pains, it would seem, to rebuild the Bears’ front in a single offseason, signing Jermon Bushrod and Matt Slauson, and now drafting Kyle Long.

Make sure to click over and give the whole post a read.  (Chicago Bears Huddle)


Three reasons Da Bears Blog loves the Kyle Long pick- Jeff Hughes at Da Bears Blog with a great look at why he loves Phil Emery's decision to take Long at No. 20.  (Da Bears Blog)


Phil Emery does it again with Long shot pick- Adam Hoge writes about Emery making a risky, highly questioned pick in the first round for the second year in a row. (670 The Score)


Veteran O-Line Coach: Guys like Kyle Long don't come along very often- Veteran offensive line coach (including six years with the Bears in the 90s) Tony Wise joined 670 The Score to talk about the Long pick. He even believes that Long has the same ability that Eric Fisher and Luke Joeckel, the top two picks in the drafts, do:

“I don’t want to insult anybody, but guards are a dime-a-dozen. Guys with Kyle’s height and his reach and his ability to change directions and run, those guys don’t come along very often. I’ve seen film on some of these guys, and people are going to call me crazy, but I’d stack him up against (Luke Joeckel of Texas A&M and Eric Fisher of Central Michigan). The only thing they did, is they played left tackle their entire career.”

You can hear audio of the interview by clicking over. (670 The Score)


Long, Emery put top pick's character issues in past- Phil Emery:

“I am not concerned. All of us have fallen in life at one point or another and the important thing is do we get up and do we move forward? Do we try to get ourselves better and not only get ourselves better but get those around us better. That is what this young man has done."  (Chicago Tribune)


Kyle Long made most of his chances- (ESPN Chicago)


Howie Long ecstatic his song landed with Bears- (Chicago Tribune)



Kyle Long Video Highlights: 





Stay tuned for our grades, video highlights, and links in regards to the Bears' second, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh round draft picks from the 2013 NFL Draft.

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New Bears defensive end Kyle Moore

Bears sign 3 free agents: Defensive End Kyle Moore, Defensive Tackle Andre Fluellen, & Center Taylor Boggs - It had been quiet on the free agency front for the Bears over the last few weeks, and that's very understandable, given their activity early in the offseason and given their small amount of cap space to work with.

But on Tuesday, the Bears made not one, not two, but three free agent signings. The most notable of the moves was the signing of defensive end Kyle Moore.

Moore, 26, played in 12 games for the Buffalo Bills in 2012, starting seven of those games. He finished the season with 24 tackles and three sacks. The 6'6", 263-pounder played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2009 and 2010, before joining the Bills in 2011. He was a fourth-round pick in 2009.

The Bears signed another veteran to their defensive line in Andre Fluellen.

Fluellen, a third-round pick out of Florida State in 2008,  spent 2008-2012 with the Lions, and finished 2012 with the Miami Dolphins. The 6'2", 302-pounder has started six games over his career, and has two career sacks.

The Moore and Fluellen signings would appear to lower the chances that free agent Israel Idonije returns to the Bears, but I still wouldn't completely rule it out. If he can be had at a relatively cheap price, it would really be nice to bring him back as he's a capable starter at defensive end, can swing inside on passing downs, and has always been a solid player on special teams.

The Bears also signed center Taylor Boggs on Tuesday. Boggs, 26, was an undrafted free agent signed by the Jets in 2011, and hasn't played in an NFl regular season game yet. I consider center a position of need or the Bears, as Roberto Garza has been pretty bad the last couple years and isn't going to get any better in his mid-30s. But Boggs is still a long shot to make it past the first round of cuts or so. (ChicagoBears.Com)

Center transition on Bears' horizon- Kevin Seiftert of ESPN agrees with me in regards to the Bears and the center position. Seifert adds that the Bears are bringing in California guard/center Brian Schwenke for a visit today. (ESPN Chicago)

Bears interested in JaMarcus Russell? - Matt Eurich examines the rumor that the Bears are interested in signing former No. 1 overall draft pick JaMarcus Russell to complete for a backup quarterback spot.

Many people will react quite angrily to that, but I think it's an intriguing idea. If Trestman (a quarterback guru) thinks there's something he can work with to get JaMarcus playing anything like the quarterback people thought he'd be out of college, I'm very much on board with taking a flier. (Chicago Bears Huddle)

Brandon Marshall, Bears 'embracing the change' - Sean Jensen with a very nice article on how the Bears are reacting to the coaching and player changes this offseason. (Chicago Sun-Times)

Devin Hester: Can the swagger return? - Boomer at Bear Goggles On with a great look at Devin Hester's return to the, well, returner's role solely. (Bear Goggles On)

Will the Bears extend anyone this offseason? - T.J. Shouse of Windy City Gridiron examines some potential extension candidates for the Bears... but wonders if -any- of them will get a deal done this offseason. (Windy City Gridiron)

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Guard was one of the main positional needs for the Bears coming into the 2013 offseason, and the need really came into focus in the last few days when Lance Louis chose to sign with the Dolphins in free agency.

I really expected Louis to re-sign the Bears, as I didn't think he'd get much interest (or at least a decent offer) as he's coming off a torn ACL. And the Bears were known to want their most consistent offensive lineman from last season back. But, Louis indeed felt he got a better offer/opportunity than he'd get with the Bears (who don't have much cap space to work with), and chose to take his talents to South Beach.

Well, it didn't take Phil Emery long to find a replacement for Louis. The Bears and free agent guard Matt Slauson agreed to terms on a one-year deal on Friday:

LM: #Bears have agreed to terms with former Jets guard Matt Slauson on one-year contract.
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) March 29, 2013

Slauson, 27, was the Jets' starting left guard for each of the last three seasons. The 2009 sixth round pick out of Nebraska got a +2.5  from Pro Football Focus in 2013, and they ranked him their ninth-best guard on the free agent market. They liked Slauson much more in pass blocking than run blocking, and that's something I can live with given the Bears' awful pass protection over the last few years.

The 6'5", 315-pound guard turned down offers from the Jets and Raiders according to Brad Biggs.

Here's more on Slauson, including quotes from Emery:

He did not allow a sack in 2012 and helped the Jets rush for 2,374, 1,692 and 1,896 yards in his three years as a starter.
"We are excited that Matt will be a Bear," said general manager Phil Emery. "He brings physical play and smarts to the offensive guard position and to the offensive line as an overall unit. His size, strength and power will allow him to challenge for either of the starting guard positions."

Source: ChicagoBears.Com

If the season were to start today, the Bears' starting offensive line would likely look like this:

Left tackle- Jermon Bushrod
Left guard- Matt Slauson
Center- Roberto Garza
Right guard- Gabe Carimi
Right tackle - J'Marcus Webb

Backups include tackle Jonathan Scott (although I think he will challenge for the starting right tackle job in camp) and promising second-year guard James Brown.

Carimi looked solid at right guard late in 2012, but I think there's a very good chance the Bears' first or second round pick could still be a guard and challenge Carimi for the job. If Chance Warmack or Jonathan Cooper is sitting there at No. 20, I'd have to think Emery would have a difficult time passing them up.

But, with the Slauson signing, the D.J. Williams and James Anderson signings at linebacker, and the Kelvin Hayden signing at cornerback/nickel back, Emery now has the flexibility he was hoping for entering the draft.   Emery can feel pretty comfortable taking the best player on the Bears' draft board at No. 20.

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The Bears have agreed to terms with veteran cornerback Kelvin Hayden on a one-year contract:

LM: #Bears have agreed to terms with CB Kelvin Hayden on one-year deal.
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) March 27, 2013

ESPN Chicago's Michael Wright reports that Hayden will officially sign the contract on Wednesday, and that Hayden was also in talks with the Philadelphia Eagles:

Bears agree to terms on 1-yr deal w/Kelvin Hayden. He was also talking w/the Eagles.
— Michael C. Wright (@mikecwright) March 26, 2013

Kelvin Hayden will officially sign the deal mañana.
— Michael C. Wright (@mikecwright) March 27, 2013

Earlier Tuesday on our Facebook page and Twitter account, we shared the information that the Bears were expected to re-sign Hayden (as first reported by the Chicago Tribune's Vaughn McClure). So, this news that Hayden has officially agreed to terms is not at all a surprise.

Hayden, who turns 30 in July, will serve as the Bears' nickel back, but is fully capable of starting on the outside if 2012 Pro Bowl cornerbacks Charles Tillman or Tim Jennings were to get hurt. Hayden hoped to land a starting job in free agency, but didn't get much interest in an extremely deep cornerback market (players like Antoine Winfield getting cut only made the cornerback market deeper).

The Bears have wanted Hayden back all along to be their nickel back and to add some nice depth at cornerback, so they were fortunate with how everything played out. There's no details on the financial numbers in this contract, but I'd imagine the Bears will end up paying Hayden a little bit less than they anticipated they'd have to coming into free agency.

In 2012, Hayden took over the nickel job from D.J. Moore midway through the season, and finished the year with 37 tackles, one interception, four fumble recoveries, and five pass deflections.

Hayden spent the first six years of his career with the Indianapolis Colts, and was a starter at cornerback for them from 2007-2010, intercepting nine passes and scoring three touchdowns over that time. In 2011, he played eight games for the Atlanta Falcons and had two interceptions.

The former Illinois college football player is a physical corner at 6'0", 195, that is solid both against the pass and the run. Additionally, he was a contributor on special teams in 2012. So, with his ability to play the nickel, replace Tillman or Jennings in the event of injury, and play special teams, the veteran really brings a lot to the table.

This marks the seventh free-agent signing (well, "agreement", anyway) Phil Emery and the Bears have made in the last seven days.

Related DBN posts: 

While you've been watching March Madness, the Bears have been making moves

Bears sign free-agent defensive end Turk McBride

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Like most of you, I've been caught up in March Madness over the last few days, and over that time, there's been a lot of news in the land of Da Bears. And I want to make sure that news doesn't get lost in the fold.

So in this post, I'm going to recap the five free agents the Bears have signed in the last five days (and it's six days in a row they've signed a free agent; we already wrote about Turk McBride), and provide my thoughts on the signings.

Bears sign linebacker D.J. Williams

Without question, the most eye-opening move the Bears made over the last five days was signing long-time Denver Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams. And it was particularly eye-opening to me, because Williams lives (or maybe now, lived) within walking distance of me, and is a regular at the same bars (also walking distance) I frequent here in the Denver suburbs. That wouldn't be something I'd care about... if the guy didn't get two DUIs over the last few years. I've heard many stories about Williams around here, and his off the field issues have been well documented. The 30-year-old linebacker was even suspended for nine games in 2012 (six games for violating the league's PED policy, three games for the second DUI arrest).

But, if Williams can stay out of trouble, the Bears have a very nice player on their hands and at a cheap price: $900,000 base salary over one year, with none of the money guaranteed. He can earn up to $1.75 million in incentives, but if he meets those incentives, it means he's staying out of trouble and getting it done on the field. So it would still be a bargain.

I've lived in Colorado for the entire time over Williams' nine-year career, so I've seen most every game he's played. He doesn't have quite the speed he did when he came into the league as a first-round pick out of Miami, but he's still fast enough. And he hits hard. He will rack up tackles.

One of the nicest things about Williams' football play is that he's versatile, capable of playing all three linebacker positions. The Bears intend for him to play middle linebacker, replacing Brian Urlacher there. But this is strictly a short-term move (perhaps he'll be around for a few years, but he's not the long-term answer there), so ignore the talk about Williams being Urlacher's "successor". I still think that guy will be drafted in April, and will get a chance to develop behind a solid veteran in Williams.

Bears sign linebacker James Anderson

It appears the Bears have filled their middle linebacker void with Williams, and it appears they've filled their strong-side linebacker void for 2013 (again, not long-term) with the signing of James Anderson on Sunday.

Anderson, 29, has spent every NFL season with the Carolina Panthers, who selected him in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft. 

The 6'2", 235-pounder played in 12 games in 2012 (missed the final four games due to shoulder and back injuries), and had 73 tackles. In 2011, Anderson finished sixth in the NFL with 145 tackles, and added 1.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and nine pass deflections. In 2010, he had 130 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, one interception, and five pass deflections. Anderson had been a starter for the Panthers since midway through the 2009 season, and in total, started 53 games for the Panthers, with 44 of those starts coming at strong-side linebacker.

Anderson told the Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs that he feels he's his in his prime and that his body feels great:

"I am just reaching my peak right now," Anderson said. "I am definitely still in my prime. This is the best I have felt at this point in the offseason in years. I feel like I am on my way up."

So, the Bears now have a linebacking corp featuring Lance Briggs at the weak side, Williams in the middle, and Anderson on the strong side. Three veterans that are all 29+, so, again, the Bears' long-term need at linebacker hasn't changed. But, I really, really like these short-term, low-cost fixes at the position.

Bears sign safety Tom Zbikowski

A week or so ago on Twitter, I talked about the Indianapolis Colts releasing safety Tom Zbikowski and how everybody linked him to the Bears leading up to the 2008 NFL Draft. And most of that talk was probably because he went to Buffalo Grove High School in Illinois and played college football at Notre Dame. But, he was instead drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round, and after three years there, played in 2012 for the Colts.

Well, he finally found his way to the Bears on Saturday, agreeing to a one-year contract with the team. Major Wright and Chris Conte are locked in as starters at safety for the Bears, but Zbikowski adds some nice depth. And the position overall really has some nice depth now, with Craig Steltz, Brandon Hardin (third round pick last year that was on injured reserve due to a neck injury), Anthony Walters, and recently signed Tom Nelson also in the mix. It should really make for a nice camp battle and get the most out of these players in training camp and the preseason.

Zbikowski started all 11 games he played in for the Colts in 2012, making 38 tackles, getting one sack, one interception, and five pass deflections.

But Zbikowski's biggest impact will likely come on special teams. The 5'11", 200-pounder has 59 career special teams tackles, and he's also returned 20 kicks and 16 punts. So, if the team were to cut or trade Devin Hester (which seems unlikely after Trestman's recent comments), the Bears have capable guys in Eric Weems, Earl Bennett (on punts), and Zbikowski as returners.

Oh, and Zbikowski is also a professional boxer with a 4-0 career record.

Bears sign tight end Steve Maneri

The Bears found their pass-catching tight end on day one of free agency with the signing of Martellus Bennett, and after losing blocking specialist Matt Spaeth in free agency to the Steelers, the team found Spaeth's replacement on Thursday by signing free agent Steve Maneri.

Maneri, 25, played 13 games (starting eight) for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2012. He caught five passes for 51 yards. But again, he's a blocking specialist. And not only that, but he didn't even come into the league as a tight end. The Houston Texans signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Temple, to be an offensive lineman. The Chiefs moved him to tight end prior to the 2012 season. He has experience playing tight end though, as he played the position in college for Temple... where Bears second-year tight end/fullback Evan Rodriguez was his teammate.

And, speaking of Rodriguez, you've probably heard by now that he was arrested early Thursday in Miami for resisting an officer without violence and disorderly intoxication. I doubt there's much to worry about with E-Rod in regards to NFL discipline, and he's quite likely to make the Bears' roster, but not a good look for a player that dealt with off-the-field issues in college.

Bears re-sign Jonathan Scott

When Phil Emery made the following comments during Lovie Smith's press conference, I knew the Bears would  make an effort to re-sign free agent offensive tackle Jonathan Scott:

[The] UFA market, offensive tackles: How do I look at that objectively? No. 1, did we go after some free agent offensive tackles? Absolutely. The three best didn’t play ball this year [in 2012]. They all retired. Two of them were medical and one decided not to play.

"Was I disappointed in that? Yes, I was disappointed but I wasn't disappointed in who we ended up with, with Jonathan Scott, who started six games for us, who gave zero sacks for the year. I felt very good that, when I looked at the UFA market and I took all the guys that played, had starts, played at least 33 percent of the reps, a third of the reps, out of the UFA market that did not sign back with their original team.

"It’s very difficult for team to give up on an offensive lineman if they’ve got one. And really in this past market, franchise left tackles that were in the market didn’t exist. So I looked at the ones that were out there. Again, we had three that go out of football. Where did Jonathan Scott rate? He was the second best. Zero sacks. Sean Locklear from the Giants, who ended the season on IR, ended up the best in that respect for those stats. He was one; Jonathan was two. So do I feel like Jon added to our team? Yes, I do. That was the UFA market [in 2012]."

Source: Adam Jahns on Sulia

And on Monday, the Bears indeed re-signed the 6'6", 318-pound Scott to a one-year deal.

After the Bears signed Jermon Bushrod to be the starting left tackle, many immediately penciled in J'Marcus Webb to the starting right tackle spot, but I really think it will be a battle in camp between Webb and Scott. I especially think that after how glowingly Emery went out of his way to talk up Scott with the above comments. Additionally, competition would be a nice way to push Webb in camp.

If nothing else, the 30-year-old provides the Bears a very nice swing tackle, and some nice depth at offensive tackle, a position the Bears' struggles over recent years have been very well-documented. Coming into the offseason, it was assumed the Bears would be drafting an offensive tackle in the first round, but now I'd honestly be surprised if they did that, unless it was a player that had the versatility to swing inside too. Guard and center are the much bigger areas of need now for the Bears on the offensive line.

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In news that is hardly surprising, but is still just sad to think of as a Chicago Bears fan, the Bears announced on Wednesday that they were not able to reach agreement on a contract with free-agent middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, and that the two sides will part ways, ending Urlacher's career as a Bear:

LM: #Bears unable to reach agreement with Brian Urlacher for 2013; both sides will move forward.
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) March 20, 2013

This news broke just minutes after I wrote a post about head coach Marc Trestman saying the Bears would still like Urlacher back, as a first and second down linebacker. And Urlacher has confirmed that the Bears made a contract offer to him, of 1-year, $2 million. But he added, "It was an ultimatum, not a negotiation":

Just got off the phone with Brian Urlacher.Said Bears gave him a take it or leave it offer of one-year, $2 million.
— vaughn mcclure (@vxmcclure23) March 20, 2013

``It was a ultimatum, not a negotiation,'' Urlacher said. ``I wanted to be in Chicago. I wanted to finish here.''
— vaughn mcclure (@vxmcclure23) March 20, 2013

Urlacher, ``I wanted to be here. I wanted to be in Chicago. ... Now, that's not possible.''
— vaughn mcclure (@vxmcclure23) March 20, 2013

I've made it known on the blog and Twitter that I'd be just fine with Urlacher returning, but at a price similar to what the Bears apparently offered him. Certainly no more than $2.5 million or so. It's upsetting to hear that he's clearly unhappy by the Bears' "ultimatum" offer. I know he doesn't want to hear it, but the Bears' offer was quite fair and it's quite unlikely he gets an offer similar to that from another team. In fact, I'm not sure if he'll get another offer at all and that there's a very good chance he retires before the 2013 season begins.

But you would definitely like the Bears and their face of the franchise over the last dozen-ish years to end things on good terms as he heads into his post-Bears (and potentially football) career. Because what a football career he's had.

Urlacher was drafted by the Bears with the ninth overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft, and when drafted, people weren't sure if he could play linebacker at the NFL level. In college at New Mexico, Urlacher played safety, some tight end, and even was the team's kick returner. He was considered an athletic, physical freak, but potentially without a pure position (a hybrid type) entering the NFL. The Bears started Urlacher at strong-side linebacker to begin his rookie season, but eventually moved him to the middle linebacker position when veteran Barry Minter went down with an injury. Urlacher would stay at the middle linebacker position, and dominate there over the next decade for the Bears.

Here's some of the most notable things Urlacher has accomplished in his career:

• 2000 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. 
• 2005 NFL Defensive Player of the Year
• 5-time All-Pro (2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2010)
• 8-time Pro Bowler (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011)
• NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
• Bears single-season tackles record (153 in 2002)
• Bears career tackles record (1,192)

And he of course was the heart and soul of the 2006 Bears defense that went to the Super Bowl.

In 2011, Brian Urlacher was still playing at a high level and appeared to have three or four more quality NFL seasons left. That was until week 17 came along against the Vikings in Minnesota, and Urlacher suffered an MCL injury. Urlacher was able to play to begin the 2012 season, but never looked anything like the stud 4-3 middle linebacker that we were so used to see running down players all over the field. He was probably running at 70% of what he was running at before the knee injury, and even revealed that the knee would never quite be the same.

With Urlacher's knee unlikely to get any better, and father time getting up with the soon-to-be 35-year-old's body overall, the Bears understandably weren't going to offer Urlacher very much money to return. But man, it's still going to tough to imagine a Bears defense without Urlacher roaming the middle.

Urlacher will go down as one of the most iconic players in Bears history, and that's saying something when you consider the Bears have more Hall of Fame enshrinees than any franchise in the NFL.

Always a class act, consummate pro, and an incredible, revolutionary middle linebacker. Thanks for everything you've done as a Chicago Bear, No. 54.

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