Bears Add Depth at Safety

Safety Josh Bullocks has reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with the Bears.

The New Orleans Saints never made any attempt to re-sign Bullocks, their second-round pick in 2005.

Although he started 51 games in four years, including the playoffs, his best season was his rookie year in 2005 and after that he fell off.

According to The Times-Picayune Bullocks was inconsistent, especially in deep pass coverage.

Bullocks is (6-1, 207) and is said to still be a gifted athlete.

The Times-Picayune also says that Bullocks might fit better in the Bears' Cover 2 system, where defensive backs aren't as often exposed in one-on-one matchups.

A cool thing from this signing is that Josh will get to face his twin brother Daniel, who plays for Detroit, twice a year.

Josh Bullocks lost his starting job at free safety to veteran Kevin Kaesviharn prior to the 2008 season, but filled in over the last month after Kaesviharn went down with an injury.


What I think?

All that I have read about veteran safety Josh Bullocks, is that he isn't a very good player.

He only started six games last season, after starting every game his first three seasons.

If he was bad with the one of the worst pass defenses in the Saints, why will he be better with the Bears?

I sure hope they still add depth at this position, either through the draft or free agency.

The Bears having Craig Steltz and Josh Bullocks as there only free safeties is pretty weak.

The only good thing about this signing is Bullocks only gets $525,000 guaranteed.

Hopefully the Bears add more depth at this struggling defensive position.




Josh Bullocks Video

Report: Tillman Won't Move to Safety

Brad Biggs of the Chicago Sun-Times said this in his Wait a secondary: Tillman to stay at CB:

"With all the talk of the Bears experimenting in the secondary, you can cross one possibility off the list.

Left cornerback Charles Tillman won't move to free safety in 2009. Tillman -- who former Bears defensive coordinator Greg Blache said on draft day in 2003 would be a ''Pro Bowl safety'' if he ever moved from cornerback -- had been rumored to be changing positions."

What do I think?

I think this is the right move considering Tillman had reconstructive surgery on his right shoulder Jan. 15 and won't be cleared to participate in the three-day veteran mini-camp next month.

The other cornerbacks on the Bears roster are Nathan Vasher (played eight games last season, could be released), Corey Graham (started nine games last season, recording 91 tackles and one interception), Trumaine McBride (played in 16 games last season, recording 11 tackles and one interception), and Zackary Bowman (played in one game last season, recording one interception and a special teams touchdown before going on injured reserve).

It would be risky to move Tillman to safety because it might not be an easy transition.

The safeties on the roster are Kevin Payne (started all 16 games in 2008), Danieal Manning (played nickel back for most of the 2008 season), Craig Steltz (struggled as a rookie), Brandon McGowan and Cameron Worrell. McGowan and Worrell will both be free agents.

I don't know who will start at the safety positions next season, but what I do know is Charles "Peanut" Tillman won't be making the switch to safety this offseason.

Mike Brown Probably Not in Bears Plans for 09'

Jerry Angelo had this to say about Mike Brown:

"I don't see that right now, given how it affects Danieal [Manning], allocation of money comes into play, too, in what we want to do at other positions.

"There could be a case where we want Mike back, but we can't afford to do it given what we want to do in other areas."

Mike Brown, a second-round pick in the 2000 draft, took a cut in pay to play this past season after suffering a season-ending ACL tear at the start of the 2007 campaign.

Brown returned to play 15 games in ’08 before a hamstring injury put him on injured reserve two days before the season finale at Houston.

A series of injuries kept Brown from playing a full 16 games in each of the last five seasons.

Brown is due to become a free-agent in February.

Brian Urlacher said this about Mike Brown after the season came to an end for the Bears:

"I really hope he’s back next year, I can’t say much because I don’t make the personnel decisions. But he started 15 games for us this season. I don’t see that being an injury problem. He probably could have played the last game.

"If Mike Brown is healthy, I see him coming back. And I see no reason for him not to be healthy."

Video of Mike Brown

What do I think?

I think this would be a bad move, because what I saw out of Danieal Manning at nickelback was pretty good, but safety not so good.

Danieal really screwed up in Super Bowl XLI.

Letting Danieal take over for a proven guy like Mike Brown is dumb, Brown played 15 games last season and still has a lot of games ahead of him.

If you commit to Mike Brown, you still have to bring in help at Safety either through the draft or free agency.

Craig Steltz and Brandon McGowan (if he comes back) is not enough help.

Don't even get me started on Kevin Payne.

Mike Brown: Done for the Year

I thought Mike Brown was going to play this Sunday.

I guess I thought wrong, because today it was announced that, Mike Brown will miss the rest of the season due to a calf injury.

Mike Brown played 15 game this season, which is a lot for a guy, who has been banged up for most of his career.

Many think this will be Brown's last season in Chicago, since he is a free agent this off-season.

But, I see this guy returning to the team, unless Craig Steltz plays out of this world on Sunday.

Mike Brown recorded 101 tackles, one sack and two interceptions this season.

Recently signed Cameron Worrell, will backup rookie Steltz this Sunday.

Steltz filled in for the injured Brown on Monday night against the Packers.


Lovie Smith had this to say about the loss of Mike Brown:

“Very disappointing for our football team and for Mike, too, injuries are a part of it, and Mike’s been in this situation before. He made it through this time about as long as he had in awhile.”

“Losing Mike Brown for the rest of the season is big.”

He has not played in all 16 games since 2003 and with an expiring contract, his future is in doubt.

For now, Lovie Smith said any conversations about that are “definitely premature.”

“Right now, he’s not going to play this week. That’s about all I can talk about,” Smith said, when asked if he would like to re-sign Brown.


Lovie on Craig Steltz's first career start:

“Craig’s a good player, he’s played well on special teams, and when we’ve given him an opportunity to play a regular down, he’s come through.”


Cameron Worrell on his chance to play:

“I’ve been through the system, I know what I’m doing. I picked it up fairly quickly when I came back. I’m just here to add some depth and do whatever they ask me to do.”

Three Stars from Sunday's Game

My three stars from Sunday's game are as follows:

1) Matt Forte- everyone said he wasn't an effective runner anymore, but he went wild in the second half with a game high 126 yards on the ground and looked unstoppable.

2) Craig Steltz- he was clutch, filling in for the injured Mike Brown and made the most of his opportunities with a huge interception.

3) Rex Grossman- he came in for the injured Kyle Orton was 9-19 and threw a touchdown in the red zone to Rashied Davis and ran for a clutch touchdown in the 4th quarter.

Steltz on his first career NFL interception:

"I think [Orlovsky] kind of pump-faked to my right, and I don't know how much I took the pump fake, he tried to come back to hit Johnson in the seam. Just happened to make a good break on it and make a play."

Mike Brown said this about his injury:

"Everything is good, man, you'll see me back out there shortly."

Grossman on Forte's play:

"Beyond his physical ability, he's extremely smart, one of the smartest guys on the team, he knows the offense like the back of his hand, and he's a rookie. … He just has a demeanor about him that reassures everybody, 'Hey, I got this.' "

Forte on the game and the QB Situation:

"We just have to hope he'll be back, we have to look forward and get Rex ready." "Rex knows the game plan too, they both go over it. That didn't slow us down a bit." "We were beating ourselves in the first half, so we had to come out in the second half and start eliminating the mistakes."
"Running the ball is going to be huge, especially when the weather changes, I mean, we won't always have ample opportunity to throw the ball when the weather changes.

To be noted:

Kyle Orton wasn't the only QB to suffer an injury in Sunday's game.

Lions QB Dan Orlovsky, who really looked decent, hurt his thumb and will be out a few weeks.

"Sexy Rexy":

Can he get it done against Tennessee?

Will just have to wait and see.

Breaking News: Orton's ankle is not broken

Kyle Orton's ankle is not broken, hopefully he will be okay for next week, if not we got Rex Grossman, who wasn't awful today.

Also, Mike Brown walk off the field under his own power and is fine as long as I know.

Craig Steltz replaced him and had a huge interception late in the 4th quarter.