[CaliforniaRaisin]

What the heck?

 

Robbie Gould is actually kicking field goals left-footed right now, and believe it or not, he’s connecting on about half of them from 30 yards or so ....

[Banedon]

Guys, if you haven't, go to Chicagobears.com and look at the video from Sat's practice. The last play they show is of Benson absolutely trucking Chris Harris. He knocks him back about 5 feet through the air. Awesome.

 

That's pretty awesome...too bad they use realplayer for the video, cuz it's totally crappy video...:x

[Soul]

Guys, if you haven't, go to Chicagobears.com and look at the video from Sat's practice. The last play they show is of Benson absolutely trucking Chris Harris. He knocks him back about 5 feet through the air. Awesome.

 

That's pretty awesome...too bad they use realplayer for the video, cuz it's totally crappy video...:x

 

That was payback. Benson was getting hit hard before that. It was an interesting practice :)

[Banedon]

Holy crap. The HoF game is this weekend, and the Bears first preseason game is a week from Friday?? Wow. I'm so ready for football.

[ctcf]

I noticed the front of ESPN's NFL Rumor Central is about Jones possibly going to the Broncos. Anyone know what it says?

[YearofDaCubs]

I noticed the front of ESPN's NFL Rumor Central is about Jones possibly going to the Broncos. Anyone know what it says?

The Broncos offered Lelie to us for Jones but we weren't interested.

[Butterscup1679666578]

I noticed the front of ESPN's NFL Rumor Central is about Jones possibly going to the Broncos. Anyone know what it says?

The Broncos offered Lelie to us for Jones but we weren't interested.

 

I hope our front office changes their mind. I love TJ, but I think Benson is going to be a complete stud. We have a very good backup in Peterson, and Benson should be our starter. Move TJ for a true #1 receiver and watch this offense become very, very good.

[Jon]

Ugh:

ChicagoSports.com[/url]"]BOURBONNAIS -- The Bears were without both of their top tailbacks Tuesday night as Cedric Benson was held out of practice after experiencing soreness and swelling in his right knee. Benson joined Thomas Jones on the sidelines as Jones continues to undergo three-a-day treatments for his ailing hamstring.

 

"I just had a little soreness in my right knee and [trainer Tim] Bream diagnosed it," Benson said. "We figured the best thng to do was take the day off."

...........

"After practice [Monday] I was feeling it, went in to Bream and he said to come in [Tuesday] morning. I came in and there was a little soreness and swelling. Figured the best thing to do was take the day off."

[MidoreX]

I hope our front office changes their mind. I love TJ, but I think Benson is going to be a complete stud. We have a very good backup in Peterson, and Benson should be our starter. Move TJ for a true #1 receiver and watch this offense become very, very good.

 

I partially agree with you, but IF they were to trade TJ i'd rather they go after a TE than a WR. Moosh, Bradley, and Berrian at least have somewhat of a chance to be an above average WR group, but Desmond Clark and his pothead backup are one of the worst TE duos in the NFL. I hoped they'd address it in the draft, they didn't. I hoped they'd address it in FA, they didn't. IF they were to make a trade I still hope that is what they would address, but i doubt TJ is actually goin anywhere.

[Butterscup1679666578]

I hope our front office changes their mind. I love TJ, but I think Benson is going to be a complete stud. We have a very good backup in Peterson, and Benson should be our starter. Move TJ for a true #1 receiver and watch this offense become very, very good.

 

I partially agree with you, but IF they were to trade TJ i'd rather they go after a TE than a WR. Moosh, Bradley, and Berrian at least have somewhat of a chance to be an above average WR group, but Desmond Clark and his pothead backup are one of the worst TE duos in the NFL. I hoped they'd address it in the draft, they didn't. I hoped they'd address it in FA, they didn't. IF they were to make a trade I still hope that is what they would address, but i doubt TJ is actually goin anywhere.

 

I agree. I wanted Marcedes Lewis so bad in the draft. Who has an extra solid TE available and needs a RB?

[MidoreX]

ummm, I can't think of too many teams with RB needs and a better than average TE...

 

The now Edge-less colts have Dallas Clark. Other than that, the niners have just about the worst running game in the league, and they just drafted Vernon Davis. Neither of those have even a remote chance of happening, however.

[Chocolate Milk]

Ugh:

ChicagoSports.com[/url]"]BOURBONNAIS -- The Bears were without both of their top tailbacks Tuesday night as Cedric Benson was held out of practice after experiencing soreness and swelling in his right knee. Benson joined Thomas Jones on the sidelines as Jones continues to undergo three-a-day treatments for his ailing hamstring.

 

"I just had a little soreness in my right knee and [trainer Tim] Bream diagnosed it," Benson said. "We figured the best thng to do was take the day off."

...........

"After practice [Monday] I was feeling it, went in to Bream and he said to come in [Tuesday] morning. I came in and there was a little soreness and swelling. Figured the best thing to do was take the day off."

 

Sounds precautionary. I hope.

[Chocolate Milk]

Ashley is trash. I'd rather have a non-starting TJ than Ashley.

[Banedon]

<3 Brian Urlacher

 

Speaking of attitude, Urlacher says he has some choice words for anyone on the team who is taking last season's playoff loss to Carolina lightly.

"I'm still pissed off about it," he said. "It was so frustrating to play the way we did – in our own stadium and in front of our own fans. … We're pretty good at getting that home-field advantage and then pissing away that first game. We should be experienced enough now to win in the playoffs. Period."

[Soul]

Ugh:

ChicagoSports.com[/url]"]BOURBONNAIS -- The Bears were without both of their top tailbacks Tuesday night as Cedric Benson was held out of practice after experiencing soreness and swelling in his right knee. Benson joined Thomas Jones on the sidelines as Jones continues to undergo three-a-day treatments for his ailing hamstring.

 

"I just had a little soreness in my right knee and [trainer Tim] Bream diagnosed it," Benson said. "We figured the best thng to do was take the day off."

...........

"After practice [Monday] I was feeling it, went in to Bream and he said to come in [Tuesday] morning. I came in and there was a little soreness and swelling. Figured the best thing to do was take the day off."

 

Sounds precautionary. I hope.

 

This is why you keep TJ for one more season. Say what you want folks. We still don't know what we really have in Benson. Not until he puts in a full, solid season.

[goonys evil twin]

Ugh:

ChicagoSports.com[/url]"]BOURBONNAIS -- The Bears were without both of their top tailbacks Tuesday night as Cedric Benson was held out of practice after experiencing soreness and swelling in his right knee. Benson joined Thomas Jones on the sidelines as Jones continues to undergo three-a-day treatments for his ailing hamstring.

 

"I just had a little soreness in my right knee and [trainer Tim] Bream diagnosed it," Benson said. "We figured the best thng to do was take the day off."

...........

"After practice [Monday] I was feeling it, went in to Bream and he said to come in [Tuesday] morning. I came in and there was a little soreness and swelling. Figured the best thing to do was take the day off."

 

Sounds precautionary. I hope.

 

This is why you keep TJ for one more season. Say what you want folks. We still don't know what we really have in Benson. Not until he puts in a full, solid season.

 

I'd trade TJ for some bigtime draft picks, but if that's not possible, I'm all for keeping him. I'm still not convinced Peterson would be a great #2. I think he's good for a game or two a year, but not much else.

[Chocolate Milk]

I heard that Benson is supposed to practice today.

[Chocolate Milk]

The list of players missing time with nagging injuries is starting to get longer, and with Cedric Benson, Mark Bradley, and Mike Brown getting a routine day of rest on Tuesday night, the coaching staff had a great opportunity to take a closer look at some on-the-bubble guys. And after a few less than stellar sessions, quarterbacks Rex Grossman and Brian Griese looked much more relaxed.

 

The fans gathered at Ward Field probably feared the worst when Cedric Benson emerged in the standard non-practice gear (jersey, shorts, and bucket hat), but we later learn that he is simply getting a routine day of rest to keep him fresh. He’s taken more shots during practice than the rest of the offense combined, so he’s certainly earned a vacation day. And if Thomas Jones misses significant time with his hamstring injury, or even gets traded as some reports still suggest, tonight will be opportune for getting Adrian Peterson as many reps with the first unit as possible.

 

Former Bears quarterback Jim Miller is in attendance again tonight. He is in town doing some work for Sirius Satellite Radio, and he’ll also be the color man for Michigan State radio broadcasts this fall. Do you realize Miller owns two of the top eight passing yardage performances in Bears history? He put up 422 versus Minnesota and 357 at San Diego, in consecutive weeks mind you, back in 1999. Everyone’s favorite punky QB, Jim McMahon, had one 300-yard game in his seven-year Bears career.

 

Justin Gage is no lock to make this team, and the fact that he just had a pass go right through his hands and ricochet off his facemask won’t help his cause much.

 

Rookie linebacker Jamar Williams is a tiny bit late on his read in pass coverage, but that was all it took for Desmond Clark to make a catch in front of him. Williams has plenty of ability, but he seems a little overwhelmed with all he has to learn in an NFL defense. But he has a great attitude and is the kind of player who will get better in a hurry once he figures out what he has to do without having to think about it.

 

Orton throws another interception. In other news, the sun came up today, water is wet, and Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.

 

B.J. Symons makes quick decisions and gets the ball out of his hands in a hurry, but he just doesn’t have enough mustard on the ball to squeeze it into tight areas. That’s the biggest difference between being ‘open’ in college and ‘open’ in the NFL. Not only can you see a little extra zip on a Rex Grossman pass, you can hear it.

 

There were whispers early on in camp that Brad Maynard may lose his job to rookie Joel Stelly, but the 10-year veteran is really putting on a show right now. He’s just bombing it. Stelly has yanked three punts in a row out of bounds to the left, so this position battle seems to be over already. Finally, he crushes one way over return man Devin Hester’s head. “One out of five? You’re cut, kid!” a fan shouts from the stands.

 

The deep-in has got to be one of the best, albeit most under-utilized, routes in the game. Muhsin Muhammad catches one from Grossman early on in 11-on-11 drills. Moose did a perfect job of making his break the very second Charles Tillman stopped back-pedaling and turned to sprint. If run right and thrown on time, it’s just about indefensible.

 

Defensive-end-turned-defensive-tackle Michael Haynes is currently getting time with the first team for the first time. He was the most dominant player on the field at the Senior Bowl right before he was drafted, but his career in Chicago has been disappointing so far. At this point, he could very easily get cut. It’s a shame because he might be the most gregarious character on the team. Maybe he’s just not nasty enough to play D-line in the NFL.

 

Gage redeems himself for the embarrassing facemask clunker and makes a spectacular leaping grab in traffic on a toss from Brian Griese.

 

Shortly thereafter, Griese hangs Gage out to dry on a post over the middle. He almost makes the catch, but safety Cameron Worrell would have decapitated him if this was an actual game. I can hear ESPN’s Tom Jackson shouting right now, “Justin Gage got JACKED UP!”

 

Muhammad and Tillman have been challenging each other really hard tonight, and a little extra-curricular activity breaks out when Moose refuses to let Peanut go after blocking him on a running play. It’s just some in-the-heat-of-battle shoving, but it certainly got the fans’ attention. You need that stuff in training camp sometimes, so no harm done.

 

Urlacher makes a gorgeous play to get a hand on a Grossman pass, and Tillman almost comes up with yet another deflected INT. Peanut is a star tonight. He’s been a frustrating player to watch at times because he’s so gifted, but he might be ready to put it all together this season.

 

Airese Currie makes a statement in the wide receiver derby by making a tough catch on a throw from Griese down the right sideline for a long touchdown. Muhammad, Bernard Berrian, and Bradley seem entrenched as the top three pass-catchers, but the #4 spot is a dogfight between Currie and Rashied Davis right now. Mark one down in the Currie column.

 

Orton throws what should have been another bad pick, but the pigskin deflects right off Carlos Hendricks’s hands and into Craig Bragg’s breadbasket for a gift touchdown.

 

Grossman appears very steady in the two-minute drill, and the fact that he just drilled back-to-back completions to Berrian has to make Ron Turner smile. Berrian is looking very good in the passing game again tonight, and Grossman seems to be gaining more confidence in him with each passing day. If Muhammad can still attract the attention that a primary target should command from opposing defenses, Berrian could thrive.

 

http://bears.scout.com/2/552009.html

 

:lol: @ the bolded.

[Soul]

Ugh:

ChicagoSports.com[/url]"]BOURBONNAIS -- The Bears were without both of their top tailbacks Tuesday night as Cedric Benson was held out of practice after experiencing soreness and swelling in his right knee. Benson joined Thomas Jones on the sidelines as Jones continues to undergo three-a-day treatments for his ailing hamstring.

 

"I just had a little soreness in my right knee and [trainer Tim] Bream diagnosed it," Benson said. "We figured the best thng to do was take the day off."

...........

"After practice [Monday] I was feeling it, went in to Bream and he said to come in [Tuesday] morning. I came in and there was a little soreness and swelling. Figured the best thing to do was take the day off."

 

Sounds precautionary. I hope.

 

This is why you keep TJ for one more season. Say what you want folks. We still don't know what we really have in Benson. Not until he puts in a full, solid season.

 

I'd trade TJ for some bigtime draft picks, but if that's not possible, I'm all for keeping him. I'm still not convinced Peterson would be a great #2. I think he's good for a game or two a year, but not much else.

 

I agree on Peterson. And I just want one more year with TJ on the team to satisfy any remaining doubts about Benson.

[Chocolate Milk]

I don't know if anyone is reading these but I'll continue to post them until someone tells me to stop.

 

Although the list of players taking Wednesday off was much smaller than it was on Tuesday, the team as a whole looked a little more sluggish than it did earlier in the week. It appears that the dog days of training camp in Bourbonnais are already upon us. The bullseye has been on Cedric Benson since day one, and the former Longhorn looked refreshed after a one-day hiatus.

 

After hiding under the cool cover of darnkess since Saturday, head coach Lovie Smith scheduled Wednesday's practice for 3p.m. in the sweltering Bourbonnais heat. Cedric Benson returned from a one-day mini vacation and looked dominant at times, while questions about the severity of Thomas Jones's sore hamstring still persist. But according to ESPN's John Clayton, who was in attendance, the Jones trade rumors are little more than "training camp chatter." Here are the daily News & Notes from Wednesday's session:

 

Among the players not practicing today are Mark Bradley, Brian Griese, and Ian Scott. This is actually the second consecutive day of practice Bradley has sat out, which has to raise concerns about how his knee is feeling. Many Bears, especially those coming back from injuries, have been given routine days off to take it easy on their bodies, but Bradley now is the only one not on the physically unable to perform (PUP) or non-football injury lists to miss two in a row. He's looked very good when he has been in there, but it's only fair to speculate that the wear and tear of practice is taking its toll ...

 

The field goal unit is getting some more time, but this is the first practice since camp began with the wind a serious factor. There is a pretty good breeze blowing from right to left, and Robbie Gould misses two consecutive kicks from 40 yards or so, one each wide right and wide left. By the time the football reaches the goalposts, it's actually spinning sideways because Mother Nature is pushing it so bad. Ruben Brown screams, "Laces out!" after one of Gould's misses, getting a laugh out of the crowd. "Dan Marino should die of gonorrhea and rot in hell" ...

 

The offense is running plays at half-speed right now, but they're doing so with their helmets off. It's just strange to watch. You get so used peeking through those helmets to see what their faces look like, so when they're mugs are right there in plain view, it's bizarre ...

 

Here's your daily Kyle-Orton-looks-plain-awful comment. The former Boilermaker just fumbled another snap. Let's just say he's made a lot of little mistakes all camp long. And more than a few big ones. Could B.J. Symons realistically have a shot to make the roster? ...

 

Rex Grossman completes a beauty of a floater to John Gilmore on a flag route. The tight ends have been a focus of the offense since Day 1. Desmond Clark has had a very nice camp, and even undrafted free agent Cooper Wallace has caught the ball quite well. But as soon as that thought crosses my mind, Wallaces drops one that hits him right in the chops. Now he's jinxed ...

 

Cameron Worrell has a sure interception slip through his fingers, but overall, the young safety has done a good job with the second unit. It's a shame camp isn't truly full speed because he's had a few opportunities to lay some bone-crushing hits ...

 

Lance Briggs reads a pass out in the flat from Grossman and almost picks Clark's pocket for a highlight-reel interception. Contract or no contract, he's been as good as ever from the moment he was inserted back into the starting lineup. He might make it to Hawaii again ...

 

Rashied Davis seems to have taken a step back the last day or two. He just dropped a perfectly-thrown ball from Orton. Which is a shame because Orton hasn't thrown very many of them. But just like that, Davis makes a tough catch on the very nice play. It's always a good sign when a young player has a short memory and can bounce back immediately ...

 

Some random fan is trying to get a player's attention from the sideline by yelling, "Fat boy!" After a minute or so of everyone ignoring him, Bernard Berrian, all 180 pounds of him, turns around and nods, "What's up?" Classic ...

 

Worrell pops Gabe Reid real good with a shoulder to break up what looked to be a gimme touchdown catch. This kid is tough. There are plenty of capable safeties on the roster right now, but Worrell is going to give Todd Johnson a run for his money ...

 

Benson has been blasting his way through open holes all afternoon, and on this one particular carry, he finishes the run off with a lowered shoulder on Adewale Ogunleye. "Come on, man!" he shouts after getting popped and bouncing back a ways, apparently not expecting to get hit like that. Benson doesn't say a word and just trots back to the huddle. He's got plenty of fight in him, that's for sure ...

 

Here's your daily Bernard-Berrian-looks-just-dazzling comment. The former Bulldog makes another leaping catch on a high throw from Grossman. He is making just as many receptions in practice as Muhsin Muhammad lately, and if you couple that with Bradley's shaky knee situation, Berrian is your starting split end right now, hands down ...

 

Davis is jawing with Chris Harris during two-minute drill practice. It's only been a week, but camp is starting to shorten some tempers. There's been a lot more pushing and shoving the last few days. "It's third down!" Harris shouts toward Davis is he heads back to the huddle after another incompletion ...

 

Benson takes a handoff and explodes through the right side of the line of scrimmage. He's got some serious burst today. He looks like he just got his battery charged ...

 

Orton fittingly ends the afternoon session with a poorly-thrown ball during the two-minute drill that gets intercepted by Dion Bynum, who hasn't even been getting reps with the second team until today. Not the way Bears fans wanted the day to come to an end. It's mystifying to think this team won 10 games with Orton as a starter last season ...

 

http://bears.scout.com/2/552384.html

[DCNashville]

While I appreciate the Bears' info, posting the full-text of articles from a pay site is probably not the best idea.

[Banedon]

I'm a little irritated at the Orton reports. I was a pretty vocal backer of his, and really thought he'd be improving by the start of this season. I think all the partying, the long hair, the beard...all gives the impression that he's lazy and not working hard. I don't actually know if that's the case, but that's sure the impression I'm getting, and I'm losing interest in him.

[rawaction]

BTW, I love the camp reports. You BETTER keep them up!

 

The Orton stories are disheartening, but he has to make the roster. He's just much more talented than Symons. I wish they would have drafted a young QB late this year.

 

I'm really loving the DB depth this year. 2 potentially great CBs, 2 very capable backups. A pro-Bowl safety and a bunch of up and coming kids to go with him. IF the lack of D-line and LB depth doesn't hurt the Bears, the defense will unquestionably be better than last year, and that's tough to do.

[Banedon]

IF the lack of D-line and LB depth doesn't hurt the Bears, the defense will unquestionably be better than last year, and that's tough to do.

 

No worries...the Tribune tells me Urlacher quit golfing this summer, so he wouldn't get hurt. No depth necessary. :P

[1908]

While I appreciate the Bears' info, posting the full-text of articles from a pay site is probably not the best idea.

Agreed. Please post snippets or summaries of the articles only.