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The Chicago Bears named Tim Holt offensive line coach on Wednesday, replacing Mike Tice who was promoted to offensive coordinator.

Holt spent last season as an assistant offensive line coach with the Buccaneers, his third season in Tampa Bay. A 17-year coaching veteran, Holt joined the Bucs as a coaching intern during spring OTAs in 2009 and worked with the offensive line during the season. Holt has worked with two Pro Bowlers on Tampa Bay's offensive line the past two seasons in guard Davin Joseph (2011) and left tackle Donald Penn (2010).

Holt spent 14 seasons as a college coach, including 10 working with offensive linemen. He had stops at Southern Connecticut State (1995 and 2005-07), Lehigh (1997-98), Cornell (1999-2000), American International (2001-03) and Stonehill College (2008).

This is the third installment of a 10-part series that reviews every Bears position group on offense and defense, while also taking a quick look at potential free agent targets and the top prospects in the upcoming NFL draft.

The fantasies recently shared over Twitter between Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and Miami Dolphins receiver Brandon Marshall about a possible reunion surely sparked optimism about the club’s future at what’s been an underachieving position in recent years.

But don’t expect Chicago to make a move to land Marshall. That deal might be too difficult for the Bears to swing, but the team still plans this offseason to extend every effort to finally give Cutler -- who will have only one year left on his contract after the upcoming season -- the weapons he needs.

"I will say this: What is going to be targeted [are] good football players, producers, dynamic playmakers that can help this football team grow," new general manager Phil Emery said. "[We want to] help the players that are here, and surround them with more weapons, more people that can make plays, and help this football team in its march towards championships."

Considering the Bears' leader in receptions -- running back Matt Forte -- doesn't play the receiver position, it’s quite clear that’s where the team needs to upgrade with the "dynamic playmakers" that Emery discussed.

The team’s preference is to do that through the draft. But the severe talent deficiency at the position will likely force the Bears to attack the problem from multiple fronts, meaning the NFL draft in April and pro free agency a month before that.

The Bears are well positioned in terms of salary cap space to make moves, and new offensive coordinator Mike Tice has been vocal about the need to add a legitimate No. 1 receiver to properly execute the team’s new system. By adding more targets -- especially a No. 1 that always has to be accounted for in coverage -- the Bears would be able to line up players such as Earl Bennett and Devin Hester in different spots on the field to take advantage of one-on-one matchups.

“We do need a [receiver] that when he gets one-on-one coverage, he has to win way more than he loses,” Tice said. “Moving forward, we’re going to evaluate the guys we have and how we’ve used them in the past. Our scouting department will do a great job -- whether it’s our pro personnel department or college scouting department -- in finding that guy or guys that are going to be able to let us implement this system, this process.”

THE CURRENT ROSTER

•Johnny Knox: Finished the 2011 season ranked second in the NFL in yards per catch (19.6 yards), led the team in receiving yards (727) and was tied for second in receptions. But a devastating back injury on Dec. 18 casts doubt on Knox’s potential availability for 2012. Having undergone a vertebral fusion procedure, Knox will have to wear a back brace until mid-March, and his timeline for recovery could extend beyond six months, according to multiple sources.

•Roy Williams: Williams came on toward the end of the season, and two of his three best performances of the year came over the last two games in which he caught a combined 10 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown. Early indications pointed to the Bears bringing Williams -- an unrestricted free agent -- back in 2012 with a cap-friendly contract. But the regime change with Emery now as the GM could change the team’s thinking. Williams believes he deserves at least an opportunity to go to training camp to compete for a spot.

•Dane Sanzenbacher: An undrafted rookie, Sanzenbacher started off strong by catching 19 passes over the first seven games for three touchdowns with Earl Bennett out of the lineup. Once Bennett returned, Sanzenbacher played six consecutive games with no catches from Nov. 7 to Dec. 11. Sanzenbacher’s promising rookie start was plagued by dropped passes (5). Depending on what the team does in free agency and the draft, Sanzenbacher could have a hard time making the 2012 roster.

•Devin Hester: Nagging injuries limited Hester’s production on offense and in the return game. Over a three-game stretch from Oct. 10-23, Hester caught 14 passes only to finish with one reception over the next four weeks. Scheduled to earn $1.646 million (the salary includes escalators -- that likely haven’t been reached -- worth up to $3.554 million based on his production) Hester hasn’t yet developed into the receiver the Bears had hoped for. But an infusion of new talent at the position might change Hester’s role by putting him in the slot or other spots more, which might increase his production.

•Earl Bennett: An internal-body injury suffered on Sept. 18 knocked Bennett out of the lineup for five games. But he returned Nov. 7 to put together three strong performances in Bears' victories (14 catches for 251 yards and a TD). Having developed strong chemistry with Cutler dating all the way back to college, Bennett watched his production dip dramatically after the quarterback suffered a thumb injury that knocked him out of the final six games. Still, Bennett remains the most dangerous of the team’s receiving threats, and was rewarded with a contract extension toward the end of the season.

•Max Komar: Added to the Bears active roster on Dec. 19, and played in only one game on special teams against the Green Bay Packers on Christmas. Komar possesses some elusiveness, but could find a difficult time making the roster if he sticks around long enough to go to training camp.

•Jonathan Haggerty: Signed to the practice squad on Dec. 20 and is considered a long shot to make the 2012 team.

•Kevin Jurovich: Added to the practice squad on Dec. 21, but likely won’t make it to training camp with the team.

Bears free agents: Williams

POTENTIAL FREE AGENT TARGETS

•Vincent Jackson, San Diego Chargers, unrestricted
•Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints, unrestricted
•Robert Meachem, New Orleans Saints, unrestricted

WHY MEACHEM MIGHT MAKE SENSE

Dynamic playmakers such as Philadelphia’s DeSean Jackson, Buffalo’s Steve Johnson and Kansas City’s Dwayne Bowe likely won’t see the free agent market because of franchise tags or the sides working out new agreements. And it’s highly unlikely Vincent Jackson or Colston will either.

New Orleans is trying to work out an extension for quarterback Drew Brees, and once that’s done, it’s likely the Saints will turn their attention to Colston. So they’ll ultimately wind up having to part ways with Meachem. But don’t let Meachem’s production in 2011 (40 catches, 620 yards and 6 TDs) fool you. His lack of mega numbers stems in part from New Orleans’ spread-the-wealth system, and the fact he often became the clear-out man to open up things underneath for tight end Jimmy Graham.

Meachem’s explosive deep speed is part of the reason he became somewhat of a decoy. But he possesses the physical attributes to thrive in the right situation.

It took longer than expected. Preliminary decisions were questioned. Debates extended into the wee hours. We went through a first draft, then a second and even a third. Countless observers were consulted. It wasn't until I had a full week to mull the 2011 All-NFC North team that I was prepared to make the big reveal.

Via Twitter, @jpberthiaume asked: "Do people really care about these 'teams?'" I guess it's a fair point. I doubt few, if any, of the players listed in the chart wrote a fifth-grade essay about their plans to one day make the All-NFC North team on ESPN.com, even if it was only because the NFC North hadn't yet been formed in those days and ESPN.com was operating out of a Bristol-based closet.

So I'll let you be the judge. This is annually a fun exercise, even if it doesn't lead to a deep understanding of the human condition or even reveal any breakthroughs about the just-completed season. If nothing else, it offers us a blank template to recognize the best-performing players in the division without the hindrance of the politics and reputation.

Some notes on some of the tight decisions, for which I seriously received input from multiple angles:

• One of the fiercest debates came at wide receiver. Everyone agreed that the Detroit Lions' Calvin Johnson deserved one spot, but there was a split about the other two. Did the Green Bay Packers' Greg Jennings, who missed three games because of a knee injury, deserve an automatic bid? And if he did, should the Packers' Jordy Nelson or the Minnesota Vikings' Percy Harvin get the third spot? I thought Jennings' 67 receptions, 949 yards and nine touchdowns in 13 games merited a spot. And ultimately I chose Nelson over Harvin. I realize Harvin caught 87 passes in a punchless offense and added 345 rushing yards to his total, but in the end I couldn't overlook a player who scored more touchdowns (15) than all but four players in the NFL this season. Plus, as Hatterbot pointed out: "Rushing yards don't count in the WR category."

2011 All-NFC North Team

Pos.	Player, Team
OFFENSE
WR	Calvin Johnson (DET)
WR	Greg Jennings (GB)
WR	Jordy Nelson (GB)
LT	Jeff Backus (DET)
LG	Rob Sims (DET)
C	Scott Wells (GB)
RG	Josh Sitton (GB)
RT	Bryan Bulaga (GB)
TE	Jermichael Finley (GB)
QB	Aaron Rodgers (GB)
RB	Matt Forte (CHI)
DEFENSE
DE	Jared Allen (MIN)
DT	Kevin Williams (MIN)
DT	Ndamukong Suh (DET)
DE	Julius Peppers (CHI)
OLB	Clay Matthews (GB)
MLB	Brian Urlacher (CHI)
OLB	Lance Briggs (CHI)
CB	Charles Tillman (CHI)
CB	Charles Woodson (GB)
S-NB	Tramon Williams (GB)
S	Louis Delmas (DET)
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK	Mason Crosby (GB)
P	Tim Mastay (GB)
PR	Devin Hester (CHI)
KR	Percy Harvin (MIN)
ST	Corey Graham (CHI)

• I went with the Lions' Rob Sims at left guard in part on the advice of John McTigue of ESPN Stats & Information, who noted that Sims was the only NFC North left guard to play the position for 16 games this season. Sims also had the best pass-sack ratio (19.7 passes per sack) of the group, based on video study.
• There is no doubt that the Lions' Brandon Pettigrew (83 catches) had a more productive season than the Packers' Jermichael Finley (55). But the Lions often used Pettigrew as a substitute for their punchless running game, and that's why his per-catch average of 9.4 yards was lower than any other tight end with at least 30 catches. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the average pass to Pettigrew this season traveled 6.5 yards in the air. The average pass to Finley traveled 11.4 yards. Finley caught five passes of at least 30 yards. Pettigrew's longest was 27. Both players had their share of drops, combining for a total of 15, but I thought Finley made a bigger impact on his catches than Pettigrew did.
• I really debated the Bears' Julius Peppers and the Lions' Cliff Avril at defensive end. Avril (11.5) had a half-sack more than Peppers (11) and forced twice as many fumbles. But one of the advantages we have on this team is investigating beyond the conventional numbers. Our friends at Pro Football Focus (PFF) credited Peppers with 53 quarterback pressures, the second-highest total in the NFL. Avril ranked No. 8 with 37, but in a close race I chose the maximum number of plays impacted over Avril's slight edge in "playmaking" statistics.
• I used a similar approach in choosing the Vikings' Kevin Williams and the Lions' Ndamukong Suh as my defensive tackles. It's true that the Bears' Henry Melton led the NFC North's defensive tackles with seven pressures, but PFF had Suh with 27 quarterback pressures, an NFL high for an interior lineman. Williams tied for No. 3 with 25. Melton wasn't that far behind at 23, but I also took into account that the Bears nearly benched him for inconsistency at one point in the season. (Coach Lovie Smith in November: "He hasn't showed up as much. Whether teams have adjusted to him or whatever, we need to get more production from him because he's capable of it.") Meanwhile, I thought Packers defensive lineman B.J. Raji took a step backward in 2011. PFF credited him with only 10 stops (the cumulative number of plays made that constitute an offensive failure) in 842 snaps.
• If you want to say I chickened out at linebacker, go ahead. I originally left open the middle and one of the outside spots, but in the end I went with our division standbys: Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs. For starters, Briggs was one of six non-offensive linemen to play 100 percent of his team's snaps in the NFL this season. There's something to be said for being available to your team. And while I do think that the Packers' Desmond Bishop and the Lions' Stephen Tulloch had good seasons, I couldn't find a statistic or an opinion that convinced me they were better than Urlacher. Someday, there will be turnover among NFC North linebackers. But it didn't happen this season.
• Safety play was poor throughout the NFC North, so I'm not at all ashamed to have chosen a third cornerback to replace one of the safeties on this team. It came down to the Lions' Chris Houston and the Packers' Tramon Williams. Both had their ups and downs in coverage. Houston had five interceptions and two touchdowns in 14 games, while Williams had four interceptions and one touchdown in 15 games. In the end, I chose Williams because I think it was pretty clear he was pushing through a really limiting shoulder injury for much of the first half of the season.
• I chose the Packers' specialists, kicker Mason Crosby and punter Tim Masthay. Crosby converted 24 of 28 kicks, including a 58-yarder, and ranked third in the NFL with 49 touchbacks. Masthay downed a division-high 23 punts inside the 20-yard line despite a division-low 55 punts.
• I mistakenly left off a coverage specialist from our original post. There should be no debating that the Bears' Corey Graham deserves that spot.
• Go ahead. Rip away....

Coming later this week: Some supplementary NFC North awards, including our top coordinators.

The Chicago Bears have reached an agreement with Jeremy Bates to become their quarterbacks coach.

Read the entire story.

This is the second installment of a 10-part series that reviews every Bears position group on offense and defense, while also taking a quick look at potential free agent targets and the top prospects in the upcoming NFL draft.

Matt Forte shook off disappointment in contract negotiations and trepidation about his long-term future with the franchise in 2011, and put together his first Pro Bowl campaign before a knee injury knocked him out of the last five games.

All throughout last season and thus far this offseason, contract negotiations between Forte -- a pending unrestricted free agent -- and the Bears dominated most discussions regarding the franchise. The question now is whether the sides can consummate a deal. New general manager Phil Emery declined to tip the club’s hand in negotiations, which are expected to pick up in the coming days.

Team president Ted Phillips said there’s no way the Bears let Forte hit the open market.

“We’d like to [work out a long-term contract with Forte],” Phillips said. “But as Phil [Emery] pointed out, we obviously will at least consider placing the franchise tag on him.”

That’s fine by Forte, as long as the team uses the tag to buy it more time to strike a long-term deal.

The team will have to designate Forte its franchise player -- or work out an extension with the running back -- between Feb. 20 and Mar. 5. If the Bears tag him, they have until July 16 to sign Forte to a new contract.

The running back hinted that “people probably wouldn’t know where I was” if the sides don’t reach a long-term agreement.

THE CURRENT ROSTER

•Matt Forte: Despite contentious negotiations with the team prior to the season opener, Forte decided to prove his worth on the field by out-producing players such as Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson and Oakland’s Darren McFadden -- both earning more than 10 times Forte’s 2011 base salary -- in total yards from scrimmage (1,487) despite missing more than a month of action.

Forte finished the season ranked 10th in the NFL -- at all positions -- in total yards from scrimmage, and led the league in that statistical category prior to suffering a sprained knee on Dec. 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Given the team’s expected shift to more of a run-oriented offense, Forte’s value remains high. Emery has already touched base with Forte’s agent, Adisa Bakari, and it appears the team will finally make a legitimate effort at striking an agreement with the Pro Bowl running back.

•Marion Barber: Barber is set to receive a $100,000 workout bonus this offseason, and is scheduled to earn $1.9 million in base salary for the 2012 season. While Barber has proven to be a dependable backup/complement to Forte, his salary -- although not high -- might be too much because there appears to be a younger, less expensive, and potentially better option waiting in the wings in Kahlil Bell.

Bears coach Lovie Smith pointed out that Barber’s injury history is cause for concern. Lingering calf issues led to Barber being inactive in five games.

•Kahlil Bell: If Bell didn’t outright earn the No. 2 job behind Forte with his play down the stretch, he should at least receive a real opportunity to compete for the spot in training camp.

A restricted free agent, Bell likely will receive a low tender from the team, which might lead to Barber’s departure, especially if the Bears also manage to sign Forte.

Bell averaged 4.3 yards per attempt in 2011 and produced his first 100-yard outing on Christmas at Green Bay. Interestingly, Bell blends some of the attributes of Forte (elusiveness) and Barber (power), which surely bodes well for his future with the Bears. Bell acknowledged that fumbles were somewhat of a problem during the season, but it’s not a situation that can’t be remedied.

•Armando Allen: Could wind up sticking as the No. 3 running back if he can contribute on special teams. He showed promise in the final two games of 2011, rushing 11 times for 40 yards on Christmas against the Packers.

Because of Allen’s size -- 5 foot 10, 190 pounds -- he'll definitely need to use the offseason to add bulk and strength.

•Tyler Clutts: The Bears entered last offseason looking for a true fullback, and they uncovered a gem in Clutts, a punishing lead blocker who can also be a threat out of the backfield (eight catches for 48 yards in 2011).

The lone fullback on the roster, Clutts also contributed on special teams in 2011, making three stops on coverage teams. His role may grow in the new Tice-led offense.

•Robert Hughes: A Chicago native, Hughes spent time last season on the team’s practice squad and might be a longshot to make the 2012 roster. A strong showing in the preseason finale of 2011 led to Hughes winding up on the practice squad.

Bears free agents: Forte, Bell (restricted)

POTENTIAL FREE AGENT TARGETS

None

WHY THE BEARS MIGHT STAND PAT

Even if the Bears don’t sign Forte to an extension, they’ll still be on the hook for approximately $8 million with the franchise tag. Tack on Barber’s $1.9 million base salary and a likely tender offer for Bell, and the Bears will have more than $10 million committed to salaries of running backs.

So if the Bears decide to keep Barber and Bell, don’t expect them to make any moves in free agency at the position. The club may wind up cutting Barber loose and keeping Bell as the No. 2, while adding to the position with a late-round pick or undrafted free agent.

While many are elevating Eli Manning into the ranks of the NFL's elite after his second Super Bowl victory on Sunday, Tony Dungy was comparing the New York Giants star with another quarterback who has battled critics throughout his career.

Dungy can see attributes in Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler that remind him of Manning. Like many Bears fans, Dungy can see Cutler achieve ultimate success if he's surrounded with the right weapons.

"You absolutely could ... and it doesn't have to be first round draft choices," Dungy said Monday on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. "Victor Cruz was undrafted. Mario Manningham was a good player but not a great player. Jake Ballard kind of replaced Kevin Boss and he wasn't a household word.

"So, these receivers, if you get playmakers and they can come from anywhere ... So I do, I think it's a very good parallel with Jay and Eli."

In fact, Dungy believes the Bears aren't that far off from returning to Super Bowl contention.

"I think they're really close, and you look at the Giants and at Green Bay and this is sort of the blueprint for the decade we're in with the rule changes," Dungy said. "If you have a quarterback that can make big plays and a passing game that can click and make big plays for you, and if you can rush the passer, you're a Super Bowl contender.

"You don't have to be great in other areas. Now the Bears have a return game, they've got some other things that are good, they've got a great running back. If you look at it, these last two or three teams that have won, you get healthy and hot at the right now, you don't even have to have a great regular season record, but if you're healthy and you have a quarterback that can make plays, which the Bears do, and if you have pass rushers which the Bears do, if you're healthy you can win it. So I don't think they're that far away."

INDIANAPOLIS -- Make sure to add New York Giants' Super Bowl hero Mario Manningham to the notable list of unrestricted free agent wide receivers expected to be available when free agency begins on March 13.

Manningham, 25, saw his regular-season numbers drop off this past year due to the emergence of Victor Cruz, but the wideout came up big in the postseason. The Michigan product caught a touchdown in each of New York's three playoff victories leading up to the Super Bowl. Against New England, Manningham caught fire in the fourth quarter, hauling in four of his five catches, including an amazing 38-yard reception down the sideline that proved to be the most pivotal play of the game.

"I just go out and do my job," Manningham said. "I know that plays are going to come. You have to have a short-term memory playing wide receiver. Just take advantage of every ball that comes your way. I knew I had to freeze my feet when the ball touched my fingertips. Wherever I was at when the ball hit my fingertips, I just froze my feet and fell. I knew I was either going to get hit or hit the ground. I knew something was going to happen, but I knew that I couldn't let that ball go.

"Eli (Manning) just put the ball on the money. Great pass protection, great ball. I knew where I was on the sideline. I knew I didn't have that much room. Good thing I wear (shoe size) 11s, because if I wore 11.5s, I don't think I'd have been in."

Originally a third-round (95th pick overall) draft choice by the Giants in 2008, Manningham enjoyed modest success in his second campaign (57-822-5) before he set career-highs in 2010 with 60 receptions for 944 yards and nine touchdowns. While it's unlikely he would solve all the Bears' issues at receiver, Manningham would certainly upgrade a group that failed to have a single member crack 40 catches or 750 yards last year.

"You can't forget about him," Cruz said. "All these playoffs, he's been making great catches and great moments. It's just a credit to his professionalism and the way he's carried himself. He's somebody I look up to. He has some years in this league. I'm just happy for the guy. He's made some clutch catches and has great moves. He comes up big when we need him most."

INDIANAPOLIS -- The New York Giants' 21-17 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI marked the second time Mark Anderson came up short in his quest for a championship ring. As a rookie in the 2006 regular season, Anderson was a key member of a Bears squad that lost Super Bowl XLI to Indianapolis in South Florida.

"I'm not really thinking about five years ago," Anderson said when asked to compare the pair of Super Bowl defeats. "I wanted to get the victory tonight. We were close, but not close enough. The Giants won so my hats off to them."

Anderson got off to fast start Sunday night. He recorded a sack against New York quarterback Eli Manning on the Giants' first offensive possession, and finished the game with a productive 1.5 sacks, 1 tackle for a loss and a pair of quarterback hits. But overall, the New England defense did not generate enough pressure, according to Anderson.

Manning was sacked just three times on 40 pass attempts, and was able to complete 5 of 6 passes for 76 yards on New York's game-winning drive at the end of the fourth quarter.

Compare that to Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who was either sacked or under duress during half of his dropbacks in the fourth quarter, and hit five times on the games final drive, per ESPN Stats & Information.

"We let them sneak away with that win right there," Anderson said. "The defense didn't stop them at the end, so I'll take the blame for that. I felt like I could have gotten more pressure. That's what I do; I pressure the quarterback to help the team out. I wish I could have got to him more often.

"We went over this all week. It's the same offense that we played earlier in the system. It's the same personnel, the same team, we knew we had to stop the run. But we needed to get after Eli more. That's my main thing. I wish we could have rushed a little better."

This is the first installment of a 10-part series that reviews every Bears position group on offense and defense, while also taking a quick look at potential free agent targets and the top prospects in the upcoming NFL draft.

Jay Cutler flashed enough development through the first 10 games of the 2011 to merit inclusion into conversations about the NFL’s elite at the position. Then he suffered a fractured thumb that forced him to miss the final six contests, ruining what seemed to be a promising season.

If anything, Cutler’s injury taught the Chicago Bears the value of keeping a capable No. 2 on standby, considering the team lost five of six down the stretch.

With the team set for the future with Cutler at the helm as the starter, the Bears face a couple of interesting dilemmas this offseason with backups such as Josh McCown and Caleb Hanie set to go into unrestricted free agency.

In addition, new general manager Phil Emery must also determine whether rising second-year player Nathan Enderle fits into the offense the team will utilize under new coordinator Mike Tice, while figuring out whether the quarterback possesses enough upside to warrant a roster spot for 2012 as a developmental prospect.

THE CURRENT ROSTER

•Jay Cutler: Cutler averaged 229.1 yards passing, which ranks as the third-best single-season mark in franchise history, and his passer rating of 85.7 registered as seventh in franchise annals.

Prior to Cutler’s thumb injury, the club ranked sixth in scoring (26.8 points per game), and it seemed the quarterback -- at the time of the injury -- was playing his best football as a Chicago Bear. There’s concern about how Cutler will perform in 2012 playing for his third offensive coordinator in four seasons.

But Tice has been clear about his intentions of catering the offense to fit Cutler’s talents. So the transition should be smooth. Look for the new offense to feature the ability to audible, in addition to several plays with moving pockets to take advantage of Cutler’s mobility.

•Caleb Hanie: Following a promising showing in the 2010 NFC title game with a few shaky performances when given the opportunity to start in relief of Cutler. In four starts, Hanie tossed nine interceptions, and finished the season with a passer rating of 41.8.

Those showings, coupled with the fact he’s a free agent might mean Hanie won’t remain with the team in 2012. But don’t be so fast to make that assumption. Hanie wasn’t an ideal fit for Mike Martz’s offense, but what Tice plans to implement actually caters to what the quarterback does well.

The club likely won’t ever trust Hanie again as the No. 2. But there’s a small chance he sticks as the third quarterback.

•Josh McCown: Played well enough to warrant consideration as the No. 2 behind Cutler in 2012. But the club would be doing itself a disservice if it doesn’t bring in competition from outside for the job.

McCown completed 63.6 percent of his passes in the three games he played (two starts), and showed plenty of poise in the pocket as well as an ability to make things happen with his legs when things break down. It’s likely the Bears will extend McCown an offer to return, but the club could have some competition from other teams based on the way the quarterback performed late in the season.

•Nathan Enderle: Inactive for 14 of the team’s 16 games, Enderle never received an opportunity to play even when Hanie struggled to fill in for Cutler because the coaching staff deemed the rookie unready.

For a brief period during training camp, Enderle moved ahead of Hanie on the depth chart. But Enderle didn’t develop enough -- because of limited repetitions -- to become a realistic option as a backup.

Handpicked by Martz because he possessed the traits to thrive in that pass-oriented system, Enderle may no longer be considered an ideal fit for what the Bears plan to do with Tice as the offensive coordinator.

Bears free agents: Hanie, McCown

POTENTIAL FREE AGENT TARGETS

•Kyle Orton, Kansas City Chiefs, unrestricted
•Jason Campbell, Oakland Raiders, unrestricted
•David Garrard, unrestricted

WHY GARRARD MIGHT MAKE SENSE

Unlike Orton and Campbell, Garrard likely won’t be expensive, and he won’t enter a new situation looking to win the starting job. Besides that, Tice is familiar with Garrard from their time spent together with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Garrard, 34, has started 76 career games, with a career completion percentage of 61.6 and a passer rating of 85.8. A 10-year veteran, Garrard has thrown just 54 interceptions in 2,281 attempts. Physically, Garrard possesses many of the traits (strong arm, good mobility, and toughness) that would make him an ideal fit for Tice’s offense.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The First Fan has only one complaint about Sunday's Super Bowl: his favorite team isn't in it.

President Barack Obama says on Twitter he's "looking forward to catching some of the big game" between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. But he wishes "the Bears weren't watching it from home, too." Obama is a big fan of his hometown Chicago Bears and welcomed the 1985 team to the White House in October to celebrate their NFL title. The '85 Bears never got the traditional White House reception for Super Bowl champs, with the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurring two days after their victory over the New England Patriots.

Sunday's tweet was signed "bo," meaning it came from the president himself.

The quality of play in this season's Pro Bowl has drawn criticism from fans, former players and at least one player who played in the game. On Sunday, commissioner Roger Goodell said you can add his name to the list of detractors.

In an appearance on ESPN Radio's "Mike and Mike in the Morning" on Sunday, Goodell said the league must address the quality of the game and even said he would consider eliminating the all-star game if it can't be improved upon.

Read the entire story.

Panthers coach and former Bear Ron Rivera joined "Waddle & Silvy" to discuss his first season as a head coach, new Bears GM Phil Emery and more.



Click here for more podcasts from ESPN Chicago.

With the 2014 Super Bowl scheduled to be played outdoors in cold-weather New Jersey, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell fielded a question Friday about Chicago's prospects to host the event.

"Chicago is a great community," Goodell said at his annual Super Bowl press conference. "I hear it from my wife every day, by the way, but as far as football fans are concerned, there is no greater passion in Chicago. There are a number of issues that go into playing a Super Bowl. It’s not just the stadium. It’s clearly the number of hotel rooms, the other infrastructure, all of which I presume that Chicago would meet.

"If they’re interested, we certainly will meet with them and discuss the ability to do that.”

But given the Bears current stadium situation, Chicago's odds to land a Super Bowl might be slim. Soldier Field's seating capacity of 61,500 is the smallest in the NFL. And all of the recent Super Bowls awarded to cold-weather cities (Detroit, Indianapolis, New York/New Jersey) have been or will be played in new, state of the art stadiums.

INDIANAPOLIS -- David Diehl is accustomed to rolling up his sleeves.

A veteran starter on the New York Giants' offensive line, Diehl embraces the hard-working, South Side mentality he inherited from his father, Jerry, a former milkman and beer vendor at old Comiskey Park. So it came as no surprise to witness the Chicago native roll up the sleeves of his game jersey Thursday morning at the Giants Super Bowl XLVI team hotel to show off two of his favorite tattoos: the Croatian shied and Chief Illiniwek.

"[The Chief] was my first tattoo I ever got," Diehl said.

Besides the ink on his upper right arm, Diehl pays homage to the retired school symbol whenever starting line-ups are announced during nationally televised game.

"David Diehl, University of Chief Illiniwek," he says.

"I've done that since my rookie year," Diehl said. "One time I think in the nine years I've played, the television station made me do from the University of Illinois because they made me record it. They forced me to do it. They told me you're not leaving the room until you record one of those. So I think it's been played one time.

"But I loved my five years I spent at the University of Illinois. The bonds, the people I met, the education I received...I can look back on those five years and say I wouldn't change anything about them. Being a guy from Chicago, staying in-state, that meant a lot to me. Winning a Big Tent title in 2001 and playing for coach [Ron] Turner...No. 1, playing for coach Turner gave me a huge boost going into the NFL and playing for the Giants my rookie year. For my five years at Illinois, I ran a pro offense, so when I got drafted by the Giants, I knew the entire offense. The only thing I had to do was switch terminology, which put me light years ahead of everybody else."

Diehl continues to be heavily involved in the Illinois football program. He donated a weight room to the program two years ago, and makes it a point to get to Champaign whenever possible.

"I'm especially excited about this upcoming season," Diehl said. "One of my fellow teammates, [former Bears assistant coach] Luke Butkus, took over as offensive line coach at Illinois. I'm happy he's back home and is going to do a great job for those guys."

The task now for Diehl turns to winning another Super Bowl ring. With Indianapolis being in such close proximity to Chicago, Diehl is able to be surrounded by his Chicago based family who made the short three-hour drive for Super Bowl week.

"It's great to do this Super Bowl so close to home. My family gets to experience it just as much as I do."

In making his first public comments since suffering a horrific back injury on Dec. 18 against the Seattle Seahawks, Bears receiver Johnny Knox posted on Twitter that he can remember the play "like it was yesterday."

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