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Former Vikings tight end Jermaine Wiggins joined "Chicago's Gamenight" to discuss playing for Mike Tice and Matt Forte's contract status.



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Stephen A. Smith, Skip Bayless and Herm Edwards debate whether the Bears can win their division this season.

LAKE FOREST -- Perhaps in other cities this week, there has been a crush of media coverage and genuine fan interest for their NFL team's optional workouts.

But probably not.

Around New York Jets camp, one of the bigger stories Wednesday originated in Fort Meyers, Fla., where, on a $5 bet with a friend, a graduating high school senior attempted "Tebowing" on the stage prior to getting his diploma.

Read the full story.

Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall joins 'First Take' to discuss the Bears upcoming season and their chances of making the Super Bowl.

ESPN NFL analyst Mark Schlereth explains how the Bears will try to improve on a struggling offensive line.

CHICAGO -- Quarterback Jay Cutler says his right thumb is fine and he can't wait to return to lead a significantly upgraded Bears offense.

Cutler said he's recovered from offseason surgery to repair the fractured thumb. He suffered the injury late last November against San Diego while making a tackle on Antoine Cason, who had just picked off the Bears quarterback.

Read the full story.

New York police are likely to wrap up this week their investigation into an a March nightclub incident in which Chicago Bears receiver Brandon Marshall is alleged to have punched a woman in the face, NFL sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Read the entire story.

Lovie Smith hinted earlier Sunday the Bears would sign "a couple" tryout players who participated in the club's three-day rookie minicamp. So it came as no surprise when the team announced later in the day it had inked seven of the tryout players to three-year contracts.

The seven players are: Wisconsin-Whitewater quarterback Matt Blanchard, Texas Southern receiver Joseph Anderson, Illinois State tight end Brandon Venson, Concordia tackle Tyler Hendrickson, Central Florida guard Nick Pieschel, Boston College punter Ryan Quigley and Connecticut kicker David Teggart.

Blanchard is a native of the Chicagoland area. He was a prep star at Lake Zurich High School who originally attended Northern Michigan before transferring to Wisconsin-Whitewater where he won 25 games in two seasons, passing for 44 touchdowns to just six interceptions.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Three months into his tenure as Chicago Bears' quarterbacks coach, Jeremy Bates sees little difference in Jay Cutler from the time the two worked together in Denver.

"He's still the same quarterback," Bates said Sunday. "He's got a great arm. I think the experience of any profession or anything you do, you grow with it, both good and bad. But he's definitely matured as a player because he's had both good games and bad games. You get better every game. The more experiences, the more snaps, you're always going to get better at your craft.'

"I think he's got great talent. He's a Pro Bowl quarterback. I'm excited to be with him."

Cutler enjoyed the finest season of his career while working with Bates and former Broncos and current Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan. In 2008, which ironically turned out to be the final year in Denver for all three, Cutler passed for 4,526 yards and 25 touchdowns en route to earning his first, and so far only Pro Bowl selection. The hope is Cutler can one again reach a Pro Bowl level with the help of Bates, plus the change in offense under Mike Tice and the addition of such weapons as receiver Brandon Marshall, who Bates also coached during his time with the Broncos.

"He loves football," Bates said of Cutler. "He's super intelligent. He can make all the throws. He's athletic and he comes to work every day.

"(Marshall) is a big target. You like to have to those big targets. He's a hard-worker, can get in and out of cuts. It's going to be fun to have those two together again."

Bates spent three years on the Broncos' staff from 2006-2008, where he spent time coaching both quarterbacks and wide receivers. He then jumped to the collegiate level to team up with Pete Carroll at USC and followed the head coach to Seattle where he served as offensive coordinator for just one season. Upon being let go by the Seahawks, Bates spent last year out of football, which made him eager to reunite with Cutler when the opportunity to join the Bears presented itself in early February.

"This is a great, historic franchise," Bates said. "At the same time, I tell my receivers and quarterbacks in the meeting that if you can't beat them, join them. We (Seattle) lost (to the Bears) in the 2010 playoffs. I'm just very fortunate to be with a great staff, great ownership and good players."

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Bears receivers coach Darryl Drake brought about thoughts of Animal Planet on Sunday when assessing the potential of his position group.

“We’ve got two giraffes outside, and we’ve got some cheetahs inside,”
Drake said. “So I’m looking forward to it. I’m excited about this group because I think there’s an awful lot of talent. There’s an awful lot of potential, and it’s my job to make sure that potential comes out.”

The mix of stalwarts such as Earl Bennett, Devin Hester, and Johnny Knox -- if he’s able to return from his back injury -- could make that easier. Not to mention new additions Brandon Marshall and second-round pick Alshon Jeffery, who actually surprised the staff somewhat over the three-day rookie minicamp by showing “he’s a little bit better getting out of breaks” than the club anticipated, Drake said while adding that “I’ve been amazed how well he picks things up.”

Couple that with a new plan of attack for how they’ll deploy Hester in
2012, and it’s easy to see why the Bears think they could field one of their most talented and deep receiving corps in recent history.

Drake doesn’t anticipate Bennett and Hester being threatened by Jeffery’s presence.

“They don’t fear anybody. Why would they?” Drake said. “I promise you Devin’s not reading press clippings about Alshon Jeffery. Alshon Jeffery’s reading press clippings about Devin Hester. Devin Hester don’t give a crap. He’s gonna go out there and play. And I’ll say this about Devin Hester, and I’ve always said it: all we’ve got to do is use him and you’ll see what kind of player he is, period.”

In the past, the club didn’t sufficiently involve Hester -- arguably one of the league’s most dangerous players with the ball in his hands
-- according to Drake. The Bears plan in 2012 to change that with their newly-designed playbook, which features a package specifically for Hester.

“The talent has always been there. It’s just a matter of not having him play 70 plays and throw to him twice,” Drake said. “Play him 15 (plays), let him touch it 13 (times). In order for him to be effective we don’t need to have him out there playing that many plays. If he’s out there, put the ball in his hands. We need to have that package, and (offensive coordinator) Mike Tice -- I promise you -- he’s gonna do it.”

As for Marshall, apparently he’s already making significant contributions towards elevating the level of play from his peers; especially with his input during meetings. Drake called the veteran “a student of the game.”

“He’s the one that’s forcing Earl and Devin and Dane and those guys to raise their games,” the coach added. “He’s the one that’s forcing them to do that because of his talent.”

Tice called this “a very successful offseason up to this point,” and pointed out he’s “very excited about the draft picks, and I like the change in schemes, the change in philosophy and personality; all of it.”

The key now is to find a way to successfully utilize all the weapons, which will also include tight ends and running back Matt Forte.

“As far as the amount of talent, there’s some depth, and guys (have) got to fight (to play). If you want to play, go out there and make plays, do things the right way,” Drake said. “I see some guys that have that kind of ability. Brandon Marshall, he does that. Alshon Jeffery, even though he’s a rookie, he has the ability to do that. We know that Earl Bennett is gonna be consistent, catch the football and get open. Devin, we’ve got to make sure we play to his strengths.
Johnny (Knox), when he gets back, you let him do the things he does.
So I feel real good about the group. I’m looking forward to those guys doing the things they’re capable of doing.”

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- A few of the 34 tryout players who attended the three-day Bears rookie minicamp are expected to be offered contracts, head coach Lovie Smith told the media at the conclusion of Sunday's practice at Halas Hall.

"The group of tryout guys who came here without a contract, I'm always anxious to see what we have for those," Smith said. "A few of the guys really made us take notice. We'll end up signing a couple of those guys. I can't really go over the names yet because we haven't told them. But this was an excellent group of guys who can hopefully contribute someway to us."

At least one position group stood out over the weekend to the untrained eye: quarterbacks. While tryout quarterbacks have struggled over the years in the Bears rookie minicamp setting, both Wisconsin-Whitewater's Matt Blanchard and Indiana State's Ronnie Fouch turned in relatively solid performances. Blanchard, 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, possesses a live arm and looked the part of a quarterback, who at the very least, deserves to be invited to somebody's training camp in the summer.

"Both of the guys did some good things. Quarterbacks have an opportunity (at a rookie minicamp)," Smith said. "They know they're going to get a chance to throw the ball and prove what they can do. Again, we did take notice."

Veteran Josh McCown, who attended Sunday's workout as a spectator, and 2011 fifth-round draft choice Nate Enderle and currently the third and fourth quarterbacks respectively on the club's depth chart.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Day 2 of Chicago Bears rookie minicamp wrapped Saturday in the rain with no surprises, according to coach Lovie Smith, who said the team’s “draft picks are pretty much what we thought they would be after a couple of days.”

The key now is to indoctrinate the players into the club’s way of doing things.

“Good second day (of practice),” Smith said. “We set the bar (Friday) for the guys. There’s so much our rookies need to learn about what we’re doing, how we’re doing things. So today was a little better as far as that is concerned. We’ll have one more good practice tomorrow, and try to blend them with the rest of the guys. Hopefully, they won’t get in the way much.”

They shouldn’t, but undoubtedly, the team’s rookies are swimming in the vast sea of information dumped on them over two practice sessions. In addition to learning roles on defense, draft picks such as Shea McClellin, Brandon Hardin, Isaiah Frey and Greg McCoy, are having to learn special teams assignments.

It’s especially more difficult for Hardin, who is making the transition from college cornerback to NFL safety.

“There’s a lot to learn, a lot of coaching,” Hardin said. “But I think it’s going really well so far. Mentally, it’s a little difficult. Physically, though, I have all the physical aspects to be a good safety. Now it’s just learning a new position, taking in the coaching and learning the different schemes and coverages.”

McClellin’s foray into special teams might not last long, according to special-teams coach Dave Toub. As the club’s first-round pick, McClellin is expected to challenge for a starting job on defense opposite Julius Peppers.

But if McClellin earns one of the top two spots on the depth chart, he likely won’t be a contributor on special teams, according to Toub.

“We’re going to work him,” Toub said. “Until he’s either a first or second guy -- either a one or a two – we’re going to work him on special teams as much as we can. We don’t anticipate him being that guy. We think he’s going to move up and be where we think he’s going to be (on the depth chart). But in the meantime, everybody comes in and they have a role on special teams. That’s just the way we do things.”

The rookies certainly are learning; and fast. Second-round receiver Alshon Jeffery spent time prior to minicamp working with backup quarterback Josh McCown, which the rookie said helped tremendously. Still, it hasn’t cut down the learning curve associated with making the jump from college to the NFL.

Jeffery said he’s looking to mesh the physical component of adjusting to the NFL with the mental side of the team’s new playbook on offense. He’s shown progress throughout the first two sessions, and has emerged as a standout at minicamp.

“It’s going well,” Jeffery said. “(It’s) just getting the playbook down, playing faster and getting a lot more reps and playing with confidence. That’s for you all to judge if I’m standing out. I’m just trying to get better and compete.”

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Receiver Alshon Jeffery returned to the field on Saturday after leg cramps caused the second-round pick to miss the tail end of the teams' first day of rookie minicamp on Friday.

Jeffery and Bears head coach Lovie Smith both described the leg cramps as a non-issue.

"Most of the guys are a little sore right now, but we see a guy with great hands, a big target that will only get better," Bears head coach Lovie Smith said. "He should be in the mix to help us win games this year."

The 6-foot-3 Jeffery has stood out the first two days of rookie camp, but still must adjust to the speed of the NFL game. However, from a playbook perspective, his transition into the Bears' offense was aided by veteran quarterback Josh McCown, who worked with the rookie wideout last weekend in South Carolina.

"That helped me out a bunch just being able to learn some things," Jeffery said of catching balls from McCown. "He taught me a lot. Not just running routes, but also the concepts of what everybody is doing."

McCown and Jeffery had no prior relationship before the receiver joined the Bears at the end of April. It was the veteran quarterback who reached out to Jeffery to arrange the meeting, which occurred in Rock Hill, South Carolina, a town about 30 minutes outside of Charlotte.

"He just texted me," Jeffery said. "Then we started exchanging some texts and it went from there."

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Losing a Pro Bowl player would ruin the offseason for most NFL special teams coordinators.

Not Dave Toub.

Even with 2011 Pro Bowl selection Corey Graham signing with the Baltimore Ravens, Toub and the Bears still believe they came out way ahead on the special teams front in both free agency and the draft. Chicago signed core players Eric Weems and Blake Costanzo and drafted promising rookies Brandon Hardin and Greg McCoy. Throw in a contract extension for Toub, and it's been smooth sailing the past few months for the man considered by many to be the best special teams coach in the league.

"I love the guys we added," Toub said Saturday. "Eric Weems and Costanzo are solid. One is a former Pro Bowl player himself (Weems). I'm really looking forward to working with these guys. I'm really happy with them."

Toub is also convinced Hardin, the Bears' third-round draft choice out of Oregon State, can step in and make an immediate impact on special teams. Unlike some former collegiate standouts who never had to worry about special teams before the NFL, Hardin was a standout special teamer during his career with the Beavers.

"Hardin, he really loved special teams," Toub said. "He was their (Oregon State) gunner, their starting gunner. First guy down the field on kickoff, first guy down the field on punt, he made a lot of tackles. He jumped out at you on the film as far as special teams. We're really happy to have him. Great speed, good size, and he's got a great attitude."

McCoy, the Bears' seventh-round pick, is another rookie worth watching from a special-teams perspective. Although he probably will be competing against fellow rookie and sixth round selection Isaiah Frey for a roster spot, McCoy was a decorated return man at TCU. At the moment, the Bears are set in the return game with Devin Hester and Weems, but McCoy should be given plenty of opportunities to impress the coaching staff in the preseason.

First-rounder Shea McClellin, on the other hand, is not expected to have a large role on special teams, according to Toub. Even though McClellin said on draft day he embraced the idea of playing special teams, the Bears believe the majority of his time will be spent on defense. The rookie defensive end is being counted on to improve the teams' pass rush and therefore is projected to be in the rotation at the start of the regular season.

"Until he's either a first or second (string) guy, we'll work him on special teams as much as we can," Toub said of McClellin. "But we don't anticipate him being that guy. We think he is going to move up and be where we think he is going to be."

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Of the 51 players the Chicago Bears brought into rookie minicamp at Halas Hall, 34 are attending on a tryout basis, and coach Lovie Smith hinted Saturday there’s a chance a couple could find roster spots with the club based on some standpoint performances.

Smith expects the final day of rookie minicamp on Sunday to provide a clearer picture.

“We have a couple of the tryout guys that are also making us take notice,” Smith said. “So I’m glad we have one more day to make sure on what we’re thinking right now.”

While Smith didn’t single out any of the tryout players as potential signees, the first two sessions of rookie minicamp have yielded promising showings from players such as tight ends Brandon Venson and Ali Villanueva, as well as receivers Joseph Anderson.

Here’s a list of all the tryout players in attendance at rookie minicamp, which comes to conclusion on Sunday:

QB Matt Blanchard, Wisconsin-Whitewater

QB Ronnie Fouch, Indiana State

RB Embry Peeples, Georgia Tech

WR Joseph Anderson, Texas Southern

WR Willie Clark, Northern Illinois

WR David Mosley, NW Missouri State

WR Keith Nichol, Michigan State

TE Brandon Venson, Illinois State

TE Ali Villanueva, Army

OG Mike Garrity, Eastern Illinois

OT Tyler Hendrickson, Concordia

OT Jarvis Jones, Oklahoma

C Anthony Mihota, Virginia

OT Trevor Olson, Northern Illinois

OG Nick Pieschel, Central Florida

DT Myles Caragein, Pittsburgh

DT T.J. Greenstone, Vanderbilt

DT Eli Joseph, Temple

DE Josue Ortiz, Harvard

DE Jason Peters, Georgia Tech

DE Zary Stewart, Morgan State

LB Josh Biezuns, Wyoming

LB Archie Donald, Toledo

LB Tyler Holmes, Massachusetts

LB Youri Yenga, Southern Methodist

S Matthew Pearson, Kansas State

S Brian Peters, Northwestern

K Kevin Goessling, Fresno State

K Ryan Quigley, Boston College

K David Teggart, Connecticut

K Phillip Welch, Wisconsin

LS Brad Fortney, Carthage

LS Kyle Wojta, Wisconsin