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Former Chicago Bears 2007 third-round draft choice Garrett Wolfe is headed to the CFL after agreeing to terms on a two-year contract to play for the Montreal Alouettes, the team announced last week.

Wolfe, 5-foot-7, 186-pound tailback, was a member of the Bears from 2007-2010 where he carved out a nice role on special teams, recording 48 special teams stops during his final three years in Chicago. However, despite being the all-time leading rusher at Northern Illinois University with 5,164 career yards, Wolfe was used sparingly on offense during his time with the Bears, carrying the ball 72 times for 282 yards and one touchdown.

The Bears failed to tender Wolfe after his contract with the club expired following the 2010 season and he was unable to catch on with another NFL team last summer following the lockout. Wolfe was also involved in a highly publicized dispute at a Miami nightclub in May, 2010, however, he was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing in the matter by the Miami-Dade State's Attorney office.

The Alouettes first 2012 preseason game is scheduled for June 14 versus Winnipeg. The club opens up the CFL regular season on July 1 against Calgary.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- All charges have officially been dropped against former Chicago Bears running back Garrett Wolfe over a dispute at a Miami Beach, Fla., nightclub on May 22.

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CHICAGO -- Nearly a month after former Bears running back Garrett Wolfe was arrested in Miami Beach, Fla. for allegedly refusing to pay a bar tab of close to $1,600 at Cameo nightclub, Florida authorities opted not to file felony charges against Wolfe, according to records provided by the Miami-Dade County Clerk.

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Police arrested former Chicago Bears running back Garrett Wolfe in Florida early Sunday morning, charging him with retail theft, disorderly conduct, assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest, according to information released by the Miami-Dade police.

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CHICAGO -- It's shaping up to be an interesting offseason for Bears special teams coach Dave Toub. After overseeing one of the NFL's top outfits for the past seven seasons, Toub may be forced to enter 2011 without several key special teams contributors.

Moving on without certain special teams standouts is nothing new to Toub -- the Bears lost Brendon Ayanbadejo to free agency in 2008 and released Tim Shaw prior to the 2010 season -- but the sheer amount of potential losses gives reason for concern.

The top six special teams tacklers from last season (Corey Graham, Garrett Wolfe, Brian Iwuh, Rashied Davis, Rod Wilson and Josh Bullocks), punter Brad Maynard, kickoff return specialist Danieal Manning and versatile linebacker Nick Roach (three special teams tackles in the 2010 playoffs) all have expiring contracts.

While the Bears did tender Roach (four accrued seasons), Manning (5) and Graham (4) restricted-free-agent qualifying offers, all three could end up being unrestricted free agents once the owners and NFLPA finalize a new collective bargaining agreement.

Perhaps the biggest loss would be Graham, who played at a Pro Bowl level in 2010 and led the Bears with 25 regular-season special-teams tackles, plus a team-high six in the postseason. The Bears best chance to retain Graham would be as a restricted free agent, because, according to several NFL sources, the former fifth-round draft pick is likely to leave Chicago if he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Graham recorded 93 tackles in nine starts at cornerback in 2008, but he failed to win over head coach Lovie Smith and consistently crack the starting lineup either at cornerback or nickelback the past two years. Smith opted to use the combination of Zack Bowman and Tim Jennings opposite Charles Tillman at cornerback, while D.J. Moore beat out Graham for the nickelback spot last summer. With the writing clearly on the wall, the defensive back knows his best chance to be a full-time starter on defense is to sign elsewhere in the offseason, according to NFL sources.

Manning is also expected to leave the Bears if he qualifies for unrestricted free agency -- ESPNChicago.com reported last week Manning rejected a three-year, $6 million contract extension during the regular season -- but the Bears are stocked in the return game with Devin Hester and Johnny Knox.

The Bears failed to tender Wolfe, who doesn't appear to be in the Bears' future plans, especially since the team gave up a seventh-round pick to select running back Harvey Unga in the 2010 Supplemental Draft. However, despite standing only 5-7, Wolfe carved out a solid niche on kickoff coverage and also served as the all-important personal protect on the punt team -- Wolfe made 48 special teams tackles the last three years.

Meanwhile, Maynard's situation remains up in the air. Certain members of the Bears organization were unhappy with Maynard's average yards per punt (40.1) and net average (35.2) in 2010, but the veteran remains one the best direction kickers in the NFL (24 punts were placed inside the 20-yard line). Plus, some of Maynard's struggles can certainly attributed to a hip injury that forced the punter to miss much of his offseason work prior to last season, not to mention kicking the ball in inclement weather.

The Bears did sign Richmond McGee to a futures/reserve contract, but McGee hasn't attempted a single punt in an NFL game. Maynard, on the other hand, has punted the ball more than 1,200 times, in every pressure-packed situation imaginable for the New York Giants and the Bears.

Maynard, kicker Robbie Gould and long snapper Patrick Mannelly are considered the most consistent trio of specialists in the league.

Citing NFL sources, ESPNChicago.com reported the Bears are attempting to re-sign Iwuh to a two-year contract.

With so many moving parts, it should be an interesting offseason for the Bears' third phase.

CHICAGO -- Defensive tackle Marcus Harrison headlines the list of Bears’ inactives for Sunday’s season opener against Detroit.

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LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Bears special teams coach Dave Toub has reason to smile.

Ranked as one of top units in the NFL since Toub's arrival in 2004, the Bears' special teams had an uncharacteristically bumpy preseason.

But now that rosters and starting lineups have essentially been set, Toub is able to welcome back his main special teams contributors on a full-time basis.

"Just the fact it's a regular-season game and guys aren't playing offense, defense and special teams, it's a big advantage," Toub said. "Plus, to have our core guys, the guys that have been through it, it helps. We're fortunate we have a lot of guys back from last year. [Nick Roach] is solid, he's so smart, and you have to be able to think on your feet to be a good special teams player.

"You got [Corey] Graham back, Garrett [Wolfe], Rashied [Davis], all good players. We're looking forward to it."

One new face Toub has spent a considerable amount of time with in the past two weeks is rookie safety Major Wright. Although Wright is expected to challenge for a starting spot at safety, his tenure in the NFL will likely begin with a stint on special teams.

"He missed a lot," Toub said. "We had him in the first game, he played a bunch and did a good job. I would've liked to have had him for the rest of the preseason but unfortunately we didn't. He's a little behind, so hopefully we're catching him up this week. He's a good football player, so we think he's going to be a good player for us on special teams."

"He's got the right attitude and he's a tough guy. Obviously he's a great athlete, smart, he's got all the attributes you need to be a good special teams player."

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- It's unclear whether or not Garrett Wolfe will have a role in Mike Martz's offense.

But one thing that's abundantly clear; the Bears could not afford to live without Wolfe's invaluable contributions on special teams.

"Special teams are my thing," Wolfe said Monday. "I'm a three-phase starter on special teams, and I've always been a key contributor on special teams. That's something I want to continue to do."

The feeling around training camp was the Bears probably only would keep three running backs on the 53-man roster, and that from an offensive standpoint, Kahlil Bell had a superior summer. However, when the dust cleared over the weekend, both Wolfe and Bell made the team, along with four tight ends. Making the team solely on special teams merit is a tremendous accomplishment for any player, considering those specialists must be talented enough to make the active 45-man roster on gameday.

"I knew just about as much as everybody else," Wolfe said of being on the bubble. "I just went out every day and prepared to work hard and do the things necessary that [had] me here the first three years. I figured that should be enough to keep me around again.

"This will be my fourth year. I think the average NFL career is two [years]. I've been blessed beyond my wildest imagination, so I'm just happy to still have the opportunity to be here and compete at a high level."

CLEVELAND -- Because only three running backs are expected to make the Bears final-53 man roster, Garrett Wolfe's tenure in Chicago may be over.

"It's something I totally can't control," Wolfe said after the preseason finale. "Ever since I've been here, I've worked hard and tried to make the most of every single opportunity. I'll go in with no regrets and know I did everything within reason that I could possibly do every time I got an opportunity. I felt like over my time here, I've done everything possible to show them what type of player I am. If it works out, I'd love to be here, if not, it's out of my control."

Wolfe only carried the ball three times for zero yards against the Browns, while catching two of the three passes sent his way. His competition, Khalil Bell, received substantially more work, finishing the game with a team-high 12 rushing attempts.

If Wolfe is cut, it would mark the end of his ties to the Chicago market, which began in high school at Holy Cross, then continued at Northern Illinois before the Bears selected the speedster in the third round of the 2007 NFL draft.

"Being a Chicago kid and coming home, a lot is expected of you," Wolfe said. "Everybody wants and needs something, but this is an opportunity that I've enjoyed. It's something I wouldn't want to happen any other way."

CLEVELAND -- With the regular season right around the corner, here are five things to watch for in Bears' the preseason finale against Cleveland.

Will the offense to come life: Let's rewind the clock to the 2006 preseason. The Bears' offense, like the current 2010 version, struggled mightily in the first three exhibition games against San Francisco, San Diego and Arizona, but together a solid scoring drive in the preseason finale against, coincidently enough, the Browns in Cleveland. I realize the Bears have faced the Browns every year in the final preseason game since 2005, but that one memorable drive in 2006 seemed to breathe a little life into a unit that lit it up the first five weeks of the regular season. The first-team offense is expected to play only one series Thursday night, but it would be nice to see them move the ball and pick up a few positive vibes heading into Labor Day weekend. Will it be the end of the world if the offense goes three and out on their opening drive? No. Would it help the overall team morale if they move the chains and put some points on the board? Absolutely.

Can the defensive line provide pressure: The secondary -- especially Chris Harris and Danieal Manning -- has taken their share of criticism this summer, but the defensive line has done little to help. Outside of Julius Peppers, not one member of the line has consistently made an impact in the last two games. Certainly, guys like Israel Idonije, Matt Toeaina and Mark Anderson have done a few things here and there, but opposing quarterbacks still have way too much time to throw the football. People jump all over the defensive backs about the long third down conversions on screen plays, but if a quarterback has time to go through all his progressions, then check down and dump the ball out to a back, that's on the pass rush, or lack thereof.

Can anybody win a job: Those on the bubble performed admirably against Arizona, but tough roster cuts are coming this weekend. Established players -- Tim Shaw, Garrett Wolfe, Josh Bullocks, Al Afalava -- and unproven high draft choices -- Jarron Gilbert, Juaquin Iglesias, Henry Melton -- are in jeopardy of failing to make the final 53-man squad. Usually, the final roster is already mapped out in advance of the last preseason game, but occasionally, a great performance in the exhibition finale can change the organization's mind. It's crazy to think Shaw, a premiere special teams player, could be in such danger, especially after all the units' issues this summer. But the Bears may feel like they can't justify keeping another specialist based on other needs, a flawed way to think, but unfortunately, it's the reality of the situation.

Can Todd Collins still play: Make no mistake about it, Collins was brought here to be the No. 2 quarterback. In no way should that fact be considered an indictment of Caleb Hanie, but Mike Martz simply could not enter the regular season with an injured Hanie and rookie Dan LeFevour. Expect Collins to see plenty of action versus the Browns, with LeFevour also getting a some time in the second half. Collins just needs to showing a basic understanding of the offense, complete a few passes, and protect the football. That would be the best-case scenario. If he goes out there and totally bombs, it will raise more questions about the Bears curious decision not to sign a quality backup (Marc Bulger) in the offseason.

Who else can block: Based on the performance of the offensive line in the first three preseason games, it might be about time to pay closer attention to the reserves. What if the Bears are forced to make a switch at tackle in the regular season, can Kevin Shaffer or J'Marcus Webb handle the assignment? How are James Marten, Josh Beekman and offseason first-team guard Johan Asiata progressing? Making wholesale changes on the offensive line would be a horrible move at this point, considering how long it takes for any line to build trust and chemistry. But if the pass protection problems carry over into the regular season, the Bears may be forced to use Plan B, whatever that is.

CHICAGO -- In a cruel twist of fate, the guys on the bubble probably performed better than certain players with guaranteed roster spots. Here's a quick recap of how the bubble players fared against Arizona.

Juaquin Iglesias: It may be too late for Iglesias -- especially since Earl Bennett looks close to returning from a hamstring injury -- but the former third-round pick made the most of his opportunities, catching two passes for 28 yards and a touchdown. Iglesias did a nice job of adjusting to the touchdown ball thrown by Dan LeFevour, going up in the air and beating the defender for the score.

Garrett Wolfe: Wolfe didn't get many touches on offense -- one carry, one reception -- but he came through with two special teams tackles. If Wolfe makes this team, it'll be because his play on special teams is far superior to Khalil Bell. Neither is expected to have a huge role on offense, but Bell got more work Saturday night, with five rushing attempts and two catches. This battle may go down to the wire.

Jarron Gilbert: Nice to see Gilbert make a play. The defensive end was credited with a sack and a forced fumble, by far the biggest impact he's made in the preseason. Is it enough to earn a roster spot? Probably not, but at least he has something positive to build on heading into the final preseason game in Cleveland. Expect Gilbert, Corey Wootton and Henry Melton to see plenty of action versus the Browns.

Dan LeFevour: He's not going to make the final 53-man roster, but LeFevour's performance may have earned the quarterback a spot on the Bears practice squad -- granted he clears waivers, which shouldn't be an issue. The rookie posted a quarterback rating of 129.2, completing 10 of 12 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. One thing about LeFevour, he's certainly getting better every week. It's also a good sign for LeFevour that Matt Gutierrez failed to take a single snap.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- With final cuts lurking a week from Saturday, only a few chances remain for players on the bubble to impress the coaching staff. Since the organization usually knows the final-53 man roster before the final preseason game is played, this weekend's matchup against Arizona is pivotal.

Here is quick look at three players fighting to earn a roster spot.

Jarron Gilbert: It doesn't look good for Gilbert, especially after general manager Jerry Angelo publicly challenged the 2009 third-round pick before the second preseason game.

"I use that as motivation, definitely, but I put pressure on myself as well," Gilbert said of Angelo's comments. "If I feel I'm not performing, I always feel that pressure to step it up."

But Gilbert wasn't able to participate against Oakland, and is likely behind both Henry Melton and rookie Corey Wootton on the depth chart at defensive end.

"He's one of the guys fighting for a spot that needs to make some plays, simple as that," Bears head coach Lovie Smith said. "The guys that have an opportunity to play, we'll put them out on the field and let them show us they belong on the 53- or 61-man roster."

"I feel like I can show them more, definitely," Gilbert said.

Garrett Wolfe: Khalil Bell is built like a more complete back, but Wolfe always had the edge in the special teams department. However, Bell performed well on special teams during the first preseason game, and if that continues, Wolfe may be pushed off the roster.

"It's not something that we discussed or sat down in a round table type of setting," Wolfe said of his roster status. "We just discuss going out and competing and just letting the cards fall as they may. That's all I'm concerned with. [I] just want to go out and compete and control what I can control, and that's just going out and going hard."

Wolfe received more touches on offense last weekend, and if he hits on a big play or two in the next game, maybe he can change some minds at Halas Hall.

Tim Shaw: Here is where the NFL becomes a cold business. Despite recording 30 special teams tackles last year, Shaw is still on the bubble, because in order to keep an additional specialist, that player must be able to make the gameday 45-man roster.

"I didn't pick up where I left off [in terms of special teams], but I've definitely had big improvement from Game 1 or Game 2," Shaw said. "It's just a matter of getting comfortable again to the speed. This week I'm going to improve even more in the game, and I'm excited to get back to where I was last year. It actually took me a little while to get going last year, but that's why I need these preseason games to get back to speed."

Further complicating matters for Shaw was the addition of Todd Collins. With the Bears expected to keep three quarterbacks, that leaves one fewer spot for those players on the bubble.

"If I'm supposed to be here, I'll be here," Shaw said.

If the most talented 53 players make the final roster, Shaw will be here. But that's not always the case in the NFL.

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- If Mike Martz envisions a specialized role for Garrett Wolfe in the new Bears offense, we haven't seen it yet.

With five training camp practices in the books, most, if not all, of Wolfe's carries have gone between the tackles, the same way former offensive coordinator Ron Turner attempted to utilize Wolfe last season.

"Personally, I don't think there's a difference at this point," Wolfe said Monday. "With it being early on, I think it's something we'll be seeing later on down the road. Right now, I'm just excited to be out here and be able to run around again, especially after last season ending the way it did with such a serious injury."

Wolfe played eight games in 2009 before being hospitalized with a lacerated kidney he sustained during a November loss to Arizona. The running back's road to recovery also included offseason shoulder surgery, which limited Wolfe in the early stages of the offseason program.

Now with a clean bill of health, Wolfe's next task is to lock up a spot on the final 53-man roster. While one of Wolfe's chief rivals, Khalil Bell, is coming off the nice start this summer, the deciding factor likely comes down to special teams. Despite his height and weight limitations, Wolfe managed to carve out a niche for himself on the third phase, taking over the very important personal protect role on the punt team, while recording 30 special teams tackles in his last 21 games. That fact could make it difficult for the Bears to part company with the former third-round pick.

"The special teams thing is something I take a lot of pride in," Wolfe said. "It's something I never did before [entering the NFL], and you get the opportunity to go out there and make things happen. [Bears special teams] coach Dave Toub always tells us whatever you do, as long as you make the play, you're going to be right. Granted, if you do something wild and crazy, you're going to be called out on it. As long as you make the play, and if the end result goes in our favor, it doesn't matter how you get it done. "

"I always feel like people count me out on special teams, especially when I'm not accounted for in a blocking scheme. I take it personally."

Perhaps the highlight of Monday's practice occurred when defensive end Julius Peppers badly beat left tackle Chris Williams during a full team drill. Peppers froze Williams after making his initial move and continued unchecked to Jay Cutler. Good thing for Cutler that quarterbacks are off limits in all drills during training camp, because Peppers would've been in perfect position for a kill shot if it were a real game sequence.

"He's so tough to block because he's quick as any guy we got, but he's 300 pounds," Williams said. "His arms are long, he's kind of a mutant. Every play he has something different and he does a good job of feeding off of me. If I make a mistake, he's going to take it. That's what good ends do."

For the second consecutive day, right tackle Frank Omiyale was pulled during a team drill for jumping offsides. On Sunday, Omiyale was replaced by James Marten. On Tuesday, it was veteran Kevin Shaffer who got the call.

"Too many [false starts]," Bears head coach Lovie Smith said. "We're not game ready. It's the same guy, a few times. We got to get it corrected, simple as that."

Without question, Omiyale is better suited at tackle than guard, and it's way too early to give up on him playing outside. But the Bears can't afford silly penalties in the regular season. Omiyale needs to straighten out this concentration or anxiety issue. Otherwise, the Bears may be forced to begin looking at other options.

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- The group of non-participants at Chicago Bears training camp grew by two between the morning practice Saturday and the night session, when the club strapped on full pads for the first time.

The Bears held out starting middle linebacker Brian Urlacher and starting center Olin Kreutz for the padded workout -- which didn’t feature much contact -- for what appeared to be precautionary reasons. Coach Lovie Smith didn’t go into details about why the team held out Urlacher, who is coming off last year’s season-ending wrist injury, and Kreutz, who underwent offseason surgery on his Achilles.

Minutes after meeting with the media at the end of practice, Smith said, “I wouldn’t look too deeply into [the reasoning behind his decision to hold out Urlacher and Kreutz].”

“They should be good to go [Sunday].”

Urlacher and Kreutz participated in Saturday’s morning walkthrough.

Other noteworthy absences included safety Chris Harris and cornerback Tim Jennings, who missed both workouts. Harris left the field during the morning walkthrough after straining a back muscle, while Jennings (right knee) rode a stationary bike near the practice field.

Smith didn’t consider their injuries to be serious, indicating the club would re-evaluate them before making a decision on their participation for Sunday’s workouts.

“We’ll see what happens [Sunday],” Smith said.

Craig Steltz took over at free safety in Harris’ absence, while Major Wright, the Bears' top draft pick, and Josh Bullocks also received more repetitions during 7-on-7 and team drills.

Wright displayed some willingness to strike opponents during individual tackling drills at the start of practice, which Smith noticed, having spent most of the early part of practice with the defensive backs.

“He’s a typical rookie,” Smith said. “He’s doing some good things. He got a long way to go, but I wouldn’t say he’s behind or anything like that. We think he’ll be a good football player in time. When you have an injury like we did with Chris, it gives him an opportunity to get more reps.”

Rookie cornerback Josh Moore received extra reps as well because of Jennings’ knee injury.

While the night practice featured a larger crowd -- which likely anticipated more contact due to the club wearing full pads for the first time -- the session itself was somewhat uneventful. After an opening day featuring multiple passes to the tight ends, the Bears used their first full-pads workout to hone the running game with Matt Forte, Chester Taylor, Garrett Wolfe and Kahlil Bell handling the bulk of the repetitions.

It’s believed that Forte -- expected to split carries with Taylor -- will receive the first shot at the starting running back job. But Forte seemed unsure of how the situation will unfold.

“The way it’s set up, I guess we’ll have to wait to see after camp and all that stuff,” he said. “It’s up to the offensive coordinator, really.”

As for Smith, the coach backed off the ultra-optimistic outlook he exhibited at the start of camp, saying flatly the club has “a long way to go.”

“You kind of set the bar a little bit on the first night you go out in pads,” Smith said. “The guys were willing. Thank God we don’t have to play tomorrow or anything like that. It’s another step for us. We have room for improvement in everything. It’s the first day in pads. You can’t get too high or too low. It’s a step you go through. We needed to get to this point [where we’re] working in pads from here on out. Each day, the guys will tell us something that we need to know practicing this way. [When] you get the pads on, you at least see where you are. We’ll evaluate the video and go from there.”

The explosive passing aspects of an offense might put fans in the stands, but the Bears proved in 2009 that a successful ground game is what tacks victories onto a team’s record.

The Bears broke the 100-yard rushing mark in just seven games last season (winning five of those outings), making for a sub-.500 2009 campaign. So for all the hoopla concerning quarterback Jay Cutler, and the talented young receiving corps heading into training camp Friday in Bourbonnais, the truth of the matter is the team’s success on offense hinges largely on the production of running backs Matt Forte and free-agent acquisition Chester Taylor.

Two burning questions heading into camp concern whether the duo packs enough punch to revitalize a dead-legged ground attack that ranked 29th in 2009, in addition to how the club plans to divvy up the workload, which is likely to be significant, based on coach Lovie Smith’s plans for the Bears to maintain a run-first identity.

To do that, the Bears need to achieve a level of consistency at the position.

Forte, who followed a strong rookie year with an injury-riddled sophomore season, couldn’t provide that in 2009. In fact, three backups -- Garrett Wolfe, Kahlil Bell and the departed Adrian Peterson -- combined for a significantly higher yards-per-carry average (5.6) than Forte (3.6), who is expected to receive first crack at the starting job.

The Bears selected BYU all-time leading rusher Harvey Unga in the seventh round of the supplemental draft, with an eye on him as a bigger complement to Forte and Taylor. Unga, who is considered to possess impressive agility for a player his size (6-0, 244 pounds), will compete with Wolfe and Bell to assume the No. 3 running back role. It’s important to note that of the eight running backs picked in the supplemental draft’s history, four never played in the NFL. Only one running back ever selected in the supplemental draft -- Bobby Humphrey -- earned a spot in the Pro Bowl.

It’s likely the Bears’ initial plan is to split carries between Forte and Taylor, who signed a $12.5 million ($7 million guaranteed) contract to join the club in free agency. But at some point, a larger portion of the workload will likely be handed to either Forte or Taylor based on who has the hot hand.

Early in the offseason, Forte mentioned that he envisions in Martz’s system certain formations in which both running backs “can be on the field at the same time.” Both possess similar skill sets with their ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.

Forte is faster (he appears to have regained his rookie speed), and more elusive than Taylor. Taylor runs with more authority and appears to be more effective in pass protection than Forte.

Forte said he “was fine” with the Taylor signing during the offseason. But some in the organization believe the acquisition of Taylor has motivated Forte. So with Taylor looking to prove he’s worth the money the Bears paid in free agency, and Forte motivated to erase his disastrous 2009 campaign, the Bears should benefit significantly from the inherent competition created by the players’ respective situations.

Future Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk produced the bulk of his numbers playing in Martz’s offense with the St. Louis Rams. Martz and the Bears will need to coax from two players -- Forte and Taylor -- stats similar to Faulk’s (1,374-yard average from 1999-2002, in addition to averaging 881 receiving yards).

The Bears seem to think Forte and Taylor are skilled enough to pull it off. On paper, it appears possible too, given that Cutler -- paired with the club’s dangerous speed on the outside at receiver between Devin Hester and Johnny Knox -- should prevent opponents from loading the tackle box, which automatically opens up the running lanes.

Either way, it’s imperative this season for the Bears to regain consistency at the running back position. If Forte and Taylor falter, you can count on the rest of the offense tanking too, along with the Bears’ season.