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The Chicago Bears are down one spot to No. 11 in the latest preseason edition of the ESPN.com NFL Power Rankings.

Despite slipping one notch in the first post-draft rankings, the Bears are still considered in the top half of the league. They acquired Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall in a trade with the Miami Dolphins, and picked up running back Michael Bush in free agency to complement Matt Forte, who has yet to sign his franchise tender which would guarantee the all-purpose rusher approximately $7.7 million in 2012. Forte has been absent for the start of the teams' offseason workout program and there have been no indications that he plans to attend the Bears' veteran mini-camp in mid-June without having agreed to a new long-term contract.

The Bears attempted to upgrade their pass rush last weekend at the NFL draft by selecting Boise State defensive end/linebacker Shea McClellin in the first round at No. 19 overall. McClellin is expected to jump into a rotation at defensive end that includes perennial Pro Bowler Julius Peppers and veteran Israel Idonije, who returned to the team on a one-year deal.

In the second round, the Bears moved up five spots to grab South Carolina wide receiver Alshon Jeffery at No. 45. The hope is Jeffery, one of the top wideouts in the country in 2010, turns out to be a perfect complement for Marshall and another big target for quarterback Jay Cutler. Temple tight end/H-back Evan Rodriguez is also projected to be a contributor to the offense his rookie year, according to Bears general manager Phil Emery. The Bears hardly utilized the tight end in the passing game last season, but that is expected to change under new offensive coordinator Mike Tice. Rodriguez views himself in the mold of New England pass-catching tight end Aaron Hernandez, which if true, means the Bears got a steal in the fourth round. Tice must now figure out how to incorporate all three of his tight ends -- Rodriguez, Kellen Davis, Matt Spaeth -- into the game plan.

When you add up all the Bears' offseason transactions, it's clear that on paper the offense projects to be much stronger in 2012, just as long as the key components stay relatively healthy. For that reason alone, the Bears appear to be in a much better position post-draft than a year ago, which justifies their top-15 ranking.

As for the rest of the NFC North, the Green Bay Packers held firm at No. 3 while the Detroit Lions slipped two spots to No. 9. The rebuilding Minnesota Vikings checked in at No. 31.

An unexpected fall last year left the Detroit Lions with one of the most celebrated players in the draft. Defensive tackle Nick Fairley had once been considered a potential No. 1 overall pick, and the Lions were thrilled to draft him at No. 12. Now I'm wondering if an NFC North team could benefit from another fall by a talented defensive lineman.

There are no recent red flags on North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples, but the public discussion surrounding him includes some of the same work-ethic related keywords that have led to recent drops by Fairley and others. Speaking to several ESPN.com bloggers at the scouting combine, ESPN analyst Todd McShay said there were times when Coples stood up in games and "appeared to have a union deal." More recently, McShay said on his Draft Minute video series that there are times when Coples "is the best defensive player in the class" and there are others when "you watch him and say, 'Man, he's mailed it in.'"

Pass rushers are at such a premium that teams are willing to overlook some flaws to get the kind of presence Coples brings with his 6-foot-6 frame and 81-inch wingspan. It makes you wonder if a team like the Chicago Bears, whose needs at defensive end we have well-discussed, wouldn't be an ideal fit. Coples would have an All-Pro in Julius Peppers to attract most offensive attention, and he would have one of the league's top defensive line mentors in coordinator Rod Marinelli to keep him pushing forward.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Coples as the 14th-best player in the draft, and it would require a significant fall for him to still be available when the Bears pick at No. 19. But if he gets out of the top 10, as it appears he might, it wouldn't be a terrible idea for the Bears to consider trading up to get him.

The Sports Science video gives you an idea of how imposing Coples is as a pass disruptor even if he doesn't get past the line of scrimmage. Check it out.

The question has arisen in our SportsNation chats, in the mailbag, on Twitter and Facebook. And each time you've asked if the Chicago Bears would pursue free agent defensive end Mario Williams, my answer has been the same. It's hard to imagine the Bears committing to a sky-high priced defensive end when they already have defensive end Julius Peppers signed to a deal that calls for cap numbers increasing from $12.4 million this season to $19.7 million in 2015.

There's nothing wrong with having two elite defensive ends, even if they account for upwards of 30 percent of your total cap space, as a Peppers-Williams pairing might. But the Bears would appear to have too many other needs -- receiver tops among them -- to afford that luxury. But in this reasoned column, Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune considers the issue from another perspective.

Pompei: "It's true the Bears would have an inordinate investment in their defensive ends if they signed Williams. But collecting pass-rushers didn't hurt the Super Bowl champion Giants. The Lions have quite a group, too. As the subjects of the A&E series "Hoarders" might attest, you can't have too much of a good thing -- especially pass-rushers, and especially given the defensive and team philosophies the Bears subscribe to. A defensive end's value is much greater than that of a wide receiver to the Bears. It's true a great quarterback can make his receivers better. On the other side of the ball, it's the end who makes his teammates better. Many teams have won big without star receivers. Few have won without a pass rush that keeps quarterbacks up at night and down during games."

The Bears will have between $20 million and $25 million in cap space to work with, but I'm not ready to change my mind yet on how they should use it. I'm also not convinced that new general manager Phil Emery will be a front-line player on the free agent market.

But I reserve the right to change my mind, and as a result your thoughts are welcome in a very special offseason edition of Have at It. Let me know if you would be in favor of the Bears pursuing and signing Williams, even at the expense of other positions on their roster, and we'll circle back on the issue Tuesday morning while we're killing time and waiting for the 4 p.m. ET start of free agency. Have at It.

Where they stand: The Chicago Bears lead the NFC North in available cap room, sitting on approximately $30 million. But it’s important to note that cap room shouldn’t be viewed as a blank check; especially when considering the Bears would likely be looking to extend several of their core players with contracts ending in the next couple of years. While upgrades on offense seem most logical of potential Bears moves during free agency, given the need to surround quarterback Jay Cutler with more weapons, it’s believed that coach Lovie Smith wants to revamp a defense led by four Pro Bowl players -- linebackers Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher, cornerback Charles Tillman and defensive end Julius Peppers -- older than 30.

NEED-METER

Receiver: 10. To be fair, the position didn’t appear as much of an area of need when the team ripped off a 7-3 start. Obviously, Cutler played a significant role in that. Over the first 10 games, Chicago’s receiving corps averaged 11 catches per outing. Once Cutler and running back Matt Forte suffered injuries that took them out of the lineup, the receivers’ production dipped to eight catches per game.

A dominant slot receiver, Earl Bennett became the club’s go-to option in the passing game with Cutler out of commission. Teams quickly recognized, and adjusted coverage accordingly, leading to Bennett catching one pass or fewer in five of his last six games. Johnny Knox’s horrific back injury against the Seattle Seahawks further exposed this team’s deficiencies at receiver.

So with a major need clearly defined at the position, the question now is how the team proceeds in free agency and the draft.

It’s believed the Bears plan on making a run at San Diego receiver Vincent Jackson in free agency, and sources have confirmed as much. But if Jackson commands what several agents expect to be a salary in the $12 million-per-season range, it’s unlikely new general manager Phil Emery would continue the team’s pursuit, based on his stated preference of building through the draft, which signifies he’s not a proponent of spending lavishly in free agency.

So surely the team has a few secondary and less-expensive options in mind, such as New Orleans Saints receivers Marques Colston and Robert Meachem, or Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon of the Indianapolis Colts. Given their youth and physical attributes, Meachem (just 11 dropped balls over four seasons) and Garcon would appear to be the best fits. Colston averaged just 3.2 yards after catch in 2011, according to Pro Football Focus. That doesn’t necessarily jibe with the explosive passing game the Bears envision in 2012. Wayne, meanwhile, is coming off his first season since 2003 in which he didn’t gain 1,000 yards receiving.

According to a source, just Wednesday, seven teams (the Bears weren't one of them) expressed interest in Meachem; a list sure to grow as free agency approaches.

(Read full post)

» AFC Free-Agency Primer: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

Free agency begins Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET

Chicago Bears

Key free agents: Tight end Kellen Davis, running back Matt Forte (franchise), cornerback Corey Graham, quarterback Caleb Hanie, defensive end Israel Idonije, cornerback Tim Jennings, quarterback Josh McCown, safety Brandon Meriweather and receiver Roy Williams.

Where they stand: The Bears will have the most salary-cap space among NFC North teams, upwards of $30 million, and have plenty of potential uses for it. Quarterback Jay Cutler needs more targets in the downfield passing game, whether it's at the receiver or tight end position. And new general manager Phil Emery must start restocking a defense led by four players more than 30 years old: Linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, defensive end Julius Peppers and cornerback Charles Tillman.

What to expect: It's widely believed the Bears will be in the running for free-agent receiver Vincent Jackson. But Jackson's price tag could be steep and no one knows if Emery will prove to be a big spender. It seems likely he will re-sign Davis, and Emery should also save some of his cap space to extend Forte's contract. Secondary receiver targets could include Marques Colston. Bears fans are hoping the team will pursue defensive end Mario Williams, but it's hard to imagine the Bears budgeting for Williams two years after breaking their bank on Peppers.

Detroit Lions

Key free agents: Defensive end Cliff Avril (franchise), left tackle Jeff Backus, safety Chris Harris, quarterback Shaun Hill, linebacker DeAndre Levy (restricted), running back Maurice Morris, running back Kevin Smith, quarterback Drew Stanton, linebacker Stephen Tulloch and cornerback Eric Wright.

Where they stand: The Lions are tight against the salary cap after franchising Avril and aren't likely to be big spenders on the free-agent market. They could relieve the situation by reaching long-term agreements with Avril and/or receiver Calvin Johnson, who has a $22 million cap figure for 2012. Tulloch made a big impact last season after signing a one-year deal, but so far the Lions' attention has turned elsewhere.

What to expect: The Lions' best-case scenario is to keep their 2011 core together without mortgaging their future relative to the salary cap. That would mean getting Tulloch re-signed to preserve the linebacker group they upgraded last season by signing him and veteran Justin Durant, moves that allowed Levy to play on the outside. Hill seems likely to re-sign as Matthew Stafford's backup, while Stanton might test the free-agent waters to see if he has a chance to do better than third on a team's depth chart.

Green Bay Packers

Key free agents: Cornerback Jarrett Bush, quarterback Matt Flynn, running back Ryan Grant and center Scott Wells.

Where they stand: The Packers took care of a big challenge by signing tight end Jermichael Finley to a two-year contract last month. They will let Flynn depart for a possible starting job elsewhere and it appears Grant will test the free-agent market. Discussions with Wells haven't led to an agreement, but the Packers often go to the final moments before reaching a deal. There are no obvious internal replacements for Wells, making his return a priority.

What to expect: The Packers will have some flexibility with the salary cap, but general manager Ted Thompson's aversion to veteran free agency is well known. It's been three years since he signed a veteran unrestricted free agent in the offseason. The Packers have needs at defensive line, outside linebacker and possibly at center if Wells leaves. But let's put it this way: Thompson's strong preference is to find depth and future replacements in the draft, not on other teams' rosters.

Minnesota Vikings

Key free agents: Safety Husain Abdullah, receiver Devin Aromashodu, receiver Greg Camarillo, defensive lineman Fred Evans, defensive lineman Letroy Guion, linebacker E.J. Henderson, linebacker Erin Henderson, safety Tyrell Johnson, quarterback Sage Rosenfels, cornerback Benny Sapp and tight end Visanthe Shiancoe.

Where they stand: The Vikings seem poised for a major roster overhaul in their first offseason since Rick Spielman was promoted to general manager. Players like Shiancoe, E.J. Henderson, Camarillo and Johnson all seem poised to move on. There aren't many positions on the team that appear secure.

What to expect: If the Vikings don't plan to draft USC left tackle Matt Kalil at No. 3 overall next month, the first clue will be if they pursue a free-agent left tackle. That seems unlikely. But they'll need to combine their draft with at least a few veteran free agents if they intend to compete for a playoff spot in 2012. Cornerback could be a point of focus, where Brandon Carr and Cortland Finnegan are among those available. Another could be receiver. The Vikings had major interest in Jackson two years ago.

This is the seventh 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 defensive line combined for all but three of the team’s 33 sacks, with defensive end Julius Peppers racking up a team-high 11 for his third double-digit sack campaign in four years.

But the Bears finished 2011 tied for 19th in that statistic, which wasn’t sufficient in the eyes of Bears coach Lovie Smith.

“We got good pressure from our front four,” Smith said. “But to say that we got enough the entire [season], I can’t say that. Each year that I’ve been here, we’ve tried to improve our defensive line; that’s always. You look at our league [and] we’ve got three quarterbacks I think that threw for over 5,000 yards. You need to be able to rush them better. That is an area we need to improve.”

The team ushered in the post-Tommie Harris era at defensive tackle with strong campaigns from first-year starter Henry Melton and free-agent acquisition Amobi Okoye, who combined for 11 sacks. Melton posted seven sacks, which tied for third in the NFL at his position, and Okoye’s four sacks tied him for 11th.

But the rest of that position group didn’t contribute much to the team’s totals, although it did fare well at stuffing the run.

The Bears ranked No. 5 in the NFL against the run, and according to STATS LLC, tied for the second most “stuffs” -- a tackle of a rusher for negative yards -- in the league in 2011 with 54 for 144 yards in losses. Since 2004, the Bears lead the NFL with 452 stuffs, and the defensive tackle position plays a significant role in the team’s ability to post such numbers.

That doesn’t mean the position group doesn’t need to improve. With Melton and Matt Toeaina set as the starters, the team needs to coax more out of veteran Adams -- who is coming off somewhat of a down year -- as well as Amobi, a free agent, and 2011 second-round pick Stephen Paea, who wasn’t able to crack the rotation until Week 6.

The defensive ends, meanwhile, might be in line for an upgrade opposite Peppers. With opponents devoting so much to neutralize Peppers, his counterpart -- Israel Idonije -- contributed just five sacks in 2011, and is set to become a free agent. The staff considers Idonije a “core player”, but it would seem unlikely the team would be interested in bringing him back as anything more than a rotational player.

THE CURRENT ROSTER

•Anthony Adams: Played the first seven games -- starting two -- but was inactive for five of the team’s next eight outings. Adams hadn’t been inactive in that many contests since 2008. Nagging injuries appeared to be a factor in Adams’ struggles, and Smith also cited mediocre practices as one of the reasons for the veteran’s lack of playing time. Adams contributed 17 tackles and eight quarterback pressures, but finished without a sack in 2011 for the first time since the 2008 season. Adams enters the final year of a two-year contract signed just before the start of last year’s training camp, and is scheduled to receive $1.9 million in base salary. He’ll count $2.65 million against the salary cap.

•Henry Melton: The coaching staff -- especially Smith -- raved about Melton all offseason, and the three-year veteran justified the team’s position with a promising debut as an NFL starter. Melton notched 16 tackles and seven sacks to go with 34 quarterback pressures. Melton started the season with six tackles, three sacks and 12 quarterback pressures in his first four games, but experienced a lull in production. Melton admitted to pacing himself as an attempt to conserve energy for the duration of games, and thinks that played a role in his inconsistency. With a year of experience as a full-time starter, Melton will be a more consistent performer in 2012.

•Jordan Miller: Originally signed as an undrafted free agent out of Southern, Miller caught the staff’s attention in training camp and the preseason, eventually earning a spot on the practice squad. Miller needs to take full advantage of the club’s conditioning program to make a legitimate push to get on the field in 2012.

•Amobi Okoye: Signed to a one-year contract last Aug. 1 that included a paltry signing bonus of $82,500, Okoye -- a former first-round pick of the Houston Texans -- appeared to be merely a reclamation project. But Okoye proved much more by contributing four sacks, 27 tackles and 27 quarterback pressures. Keep in mind Okoye came into the 2011 season with just 11 career sacks in 150 career games. Instead of being a bust, Okoye appears to have been miscast in Houston’s 3-4 scheme because his skill set is more conducive to success in an attacking one-gap system. The Bears will likely try to bring back the free agent if the sides can agree to a cap-friendly deal.

•Stephen Paea: Paea’s strange inactivity over the first five games conjured “bust” whispers. But the truth is the second-round pick struggled to transition into the pro game, and was also working through the soreness and fatigue associated with recovering from a knee injury suffered prior to the draft. Paea contributed two sacks, 18 tackles and two quarterback pressures as a rookie. The defensive tackle recorded the club’s eighth safety since 2004 when he sacked Donovan McNabb in the end zone in Week 6. Paea spent the majority of last offseason rehabbing from the knee injury. But now that he’s fully healthy, expect Paea to grow tremendously this offseason.

•Matt Toeaina: The starting nose tackle, and one of the main reasons the Bears were successful stuffing the run, Toeaina tallied 21 tackles and no sacks, and was inactive four games because of a sprained knee. Toeaina posted a season-high five stops on Dec. 18 against the Seattle Seahawks. Having signed an extension in December 2010, Toeina is under contract through 2013.

•Julius Peppers: Peppers posted nine of his sacks over the final 11 games, and he tallied at least one in seven of those outings to eclipse 10 sacks for the seventh time in 10 NFL seasons. Peppers also forced three fumbles to run his career total to 36. That number ranks as the fourth-most in the NFL over the past 10 seasons. Interestingly, the majority of Peppers’ production seemed to come after Week 5 when the veteran suffered a sprained knee in a loss to the Detroit Lions.

•Israel Idonije: Contributed five sacks, and now has 13 over the past two seasons as the full-time starter. Idonije also scored a touchdown on a recovered fumble in the end zone in Week 15 against the Seahawks. Although the veteran set career highs in tackles (57), and fumble recoveries (2), Idonije might not be back with the Bears in 2012 as the starter opposite Peppers. Idonije just finished the final season of a three-year contract, and will likely be allowed to test free agency for a more lucrative deal than what the Bears might be inclined to pay.

•Corey Wootton: Seemed to be putting together a strong training camp, but nagging injuries derailed what could have been a breakout season. Wootton suffered a knee injury on the opening kickoff of the exhibition opener that required arthroscopic surgery. After sitting out the first three games, Wootton returned in Week 4 to face the Carolina Panthers. In the week of practice leading up to the following game at Detroit, Wootton suffered a broken hand. Wootton possesses the potential to develop into a starter, but needs to find a way to shake the injuries.

•Thaddeus Gibson: Signed to the active roster on Dec. 19, Gibson contributed on special teams in the last two games of the season. A former fourth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2010, Gibson possesses impressive physical attributes, but is raw. Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli seems to be the ideal coach to aid in Gibson’s development.

•Chauncey Davis: Signed with the Bears in November, Davis made three tackles in a loss to the Oakland Raiders in his debut. Davis played the final six games and registered nine tackles and a sack. Prior to joining the Bears, Davis played in 96 games (25 starts) in seven seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.

Bears free agents: Okoye and Idonije

POTENTIAL FREE-AGENT TARGETS

•DT Jason Jones, Tennessee Titans, unrestricted
•DT Cory Redding, Baltimore Ravens, unrestricted
•DT Kendall Langford, Miami Dolphins, unrestricted
•DE Mario Williams, Houston Texans, unrestricted
•DE Cliff Avril, Detroit Lions, unrestricted
•DE Jeremy Mincey, Jacksonville Jaguars, unrestricted

WHY ADDING THROUGH DRAFT MIGHT BE BEST

Unless the team seeks an upgrade at the under-tackle spot currently manned by Melton, it’s unlikely the Bears make any moves at this position during free agency outside of potential backups. But if the team wants to upgrade opposite Peppers, it would have plenty of gifted options, not to mention more than enough cap room to pull off a high-profile acquisition.

Perhaps a significant deterrent to making a move in free agency is the fact the club already has $20.15 million committed in 2012 base salaries to just three players on defense (Peppers, Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs). That number would likely swell to approximately $26 million or more if the team picked up a high-profile pass rusher to play opposite Peppers.

So Williams might be too expensive, and Avril is believed to be a top priority in Detroit. That might make Mincey an intriguing option. Mincey, 28, is coming off a breakout season in which he posted eight sacks, 57 tackles and four forced fumbles playing in a 4-3 system similar to Chicago’s. But the Bears might be apprehensive about how Mincey arrived at those sacks because five came in two games against a struggling Indianapolis Colts offensive line, and he notched three more over 14 other outings.

That could potentially push down Mincey’s asking price to a number closer to what the Bears were paying Idonije.

But with new general manager Phil Emery running the show, the team might feel the safer play is to bring back Idonije or try to boost the pass rush through the draft.

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.

Chicago Bears defensive end Julius Peppers will replace the Giants' Jason Pierre-Paul in the Pro Bowl. Peppers, who was voted a first alternate, will play for Pierre-Paul, who is playing in the Super Bowl.

Peppers, who had a team-high 11 sacks, makes his seventh Pro Bowl in 10 seasons. He is the first Bear defensive end to make two straight Pro Bowls since Richard Dent in 1984-85.

Peppers joins Bears linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, running back Matt Forte, cornerback Charles Tillman and special teams standout Corey Graham on the NFC team. Urlacher (knee) and Briggs (ankle) will not play in Sunday's game in Hawaii.

BEARS (7-8) AT VIKINGS (3-12) Noon Sunday at Metrodome on FOX

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears kicked off preparation Wednesday for the regular-season finale without linebacker Brian Urlacher (knee), running back Marion Barber (calf), tight end Kellen Davis (illness), defensive end Julius Peppers (not injury related).

The team held out the foursome, but Bears coach Lovie Smith was optimistic about the group’s chances to play against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

“Hopefully we can get most of those guys back tomorrow,” Smith said.

Smith said the team decided to rest Peppers and added that Urlacher’s knee “is getting better” after the linebacker injured it in a collision with teammate Lance Briggs in Sunday’s loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Receiver Devin Hester (ankle) practiced in a limited capacity along with linebacker Nick Roach (shin), guard Chris Spencer (back) and defensive end Corey Wootton (concussion).

Vikings guard Anthony Herrera missed practice Wednesday with a back injury. Safety Jamarca Sanford (shoulder) was listed with limited participation in practice.

Cornerbacks Asher Allen (shoulder/concussion) and Benny Sapp (shoulder) participated fully along with quarterback Christian Ponder (concussion).

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher and the rest of the defense continue to avoid the temptation of lamenting the offense’s dismal third-down numbers over the past four games, which seem to make it increasingly difficult to neutralize opposing offenses.

Over the past four weeks, Chicago’s offense has converted 11 of 50 on third-down conversions, after moving the chains on 22-of-52 attempts the previous four weeks with Jay Cutler at quarterback.

“We can’t let it get to us,” Urlacher said. “Our mindset is [to] go back out there and take the ball away for our offense. That’s all we can do; just go out there and try and get three and outs ourselves or take the ball away. We don’t think about it. I mean, we have a hard enough time ourselves. We can’t be worried about what happens on offense.”

But it’s affecting what takes place on the other side of the ball. In the first half of Sunday’s loss to Seattle, the Bears’ defense was on the field for 29 snaps, with the unit holding the Seahawks to only one TD on a possession that started at the Chicago 22 because of a Johnny Knox fumble.

In the second half, Chicago’s defense worked for 36 Seattle snaps, resulting in 17 points. One of the Seattle scoring drives in the second half started at the Chicago 29, after Leon Washington returned a punt 36 yards.

After finishing the first half 3 of 6 on third down, the Bears never made another third-down conversion.

Urlacher said the defense “just fell apart in the second half,” but teammate Lance Briggs characterized it differently.

“I don’t think there was necessarily a letdown [late in the loss to the Seahawks],” Briggs said. “It’s more of a letdown in our discipline, in things we normally would be able to handle.”

Apparently, the defense’s ability to deal with the offense pulling it into arduous situations is waning as the team approaches the conclusion to the regular season. Nickel cornerback D.J. Moore said the “offense will do fine,” adding that “whatever happens, we just know we’ve got to play good on defense.”

He’s correct. But at some point, the offense needs to put the defense in an advantageous situations with sustained drives. The defense put a touchdown on the board for the Bears in the first half, only to watch the offense give back two more touchdowns on interceptions returned for scores.

“We have to outplay [the other team’s] defense every week. That’s one of our goals,” said Bears defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli. “We’ve got to make sure we’re working hard to get the takeaways and scoring on defense. That’s important for us.”

It’s also paramount the defense ignores the team’s ineptitude on offense. That’s precisely what defensive end Julius Peppers said the unit plans to do in its attempt to focus in on Green Bay’s high-flying offense, led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers and a bevy of weapons at the receiver positions.

“We’re not concerned with what the offense is doing,” Peppers said. “We’ve got to play better ourselves.”

STREAKING

1. Julius Peppers, DE: Peppers dropped Seattle’s Tarvaris Jackson and stripped him to post his 10th sack of the season. Peppers has now recorded double-digit sacks for the seventh time in his 10-year NFL career. In two seasons with the Bears, Peppers has tallied 18 sacks, which is the most in a two-year span by a Bear since linebacker Rosevelt Colvin (21 sacks in 2001-02).

2. Craig Steltz, S: Steltz led the team in tackles, recording eight, according to statistics distributed in the press box. Filling in for Major Wright, Steltz has been a steadying influence on the back end, which is somewhat uncommon considering he’s a backup. Steltz is in the final year of his original rookie contract, and is set to become a free agent after the season so the team will have to make a decision on whether to bring Steltz back. If the Bears are wise, they pull the trigger on that transaction.

3. Kahlil Bell, RB: The No. 3 running back, Bell became more of a focal point of the offense when Matt Forte suffered the MCL sprain against the Kansas City Chiefs. What’s interesting about Bell is he’s delivered every time the team has increased his workload. So maybe he deserves a promotion to the No. 2 role. After all, this team is paying Marion Barber $1.9 million in base salary in 2012 to back up Forte. Maybe that money should be spent elsewhere.

SLUMPING

1. Caleb Hanie, QB: Hanie has thrown nine interceptions in four starts, and watched the Seahawks return two picks for touchdowns. What’s worse is he’s completed 50 percent or worse in three starts while generating passer ratings of 56.9, 23.8, 79.9 and 33.3. For a little perspective, consider the fact that quarterback Jay Cutler threw just seven interceptions despite starting in more than twice the games that Hanie has started.

2. Marion Barber, RB: Barber followed up a 108-yard performance against the Broncos with a 33-yard dud in the loss to the Seattle Seahawks. It’s bad enough he’s made mistakes that have cost the Bears two consecutive games. But Barber averaged just 3 yards per carry against the Seahawks and his longest run was a 6-yard gain. That’s not sufficient production considering the team needs to lean on the ground game to take pressure off its struggling quarterback.

3. Jerry Angelo, GM: The general manager deserves to take some heat for the way things have unfolded for this team in a couple of areas. Despite Cutler showing that he could go down with an injury in the NFC title game last season, Angelo miscalculated the value of adding a legitimate No. 2 quarterback to the roster. The team’s logic was that none of the available signal callers were familiar with the scheme of offensive coordinator Mike Martz. If that’s truly the case, maybe it points to another issue: that Angelo brought in the wrong offensive coordinator because an offense shouldn’t be so difficult that it limits the talent pool at such a crucial position.

CHICAGO -- The bravado is what has defined the Chicago Bears' defense, what has seemingly always defined it, its sense of ownership and responsibility for the team's fortunes ingrained as a sort of birthright, which is both admirable as well as practical.

And so it was no surprise when first Jay Cutler went down, and then Matt Forte, that Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs and the bunch would promise to take care of things, to hold the team together, to carry the load.

"That's just how we think," cornerback Charles Tillman said. "If we're winning, the defense, I still think, will say 'It's on us.' I think that's just who we are, that's how we are. We know Coach [Lovie] Smith is a defensive head coach, and we like to take the load and we take it with pride."

So how shocking is it after four straight losses, including a rather atypical effort in Sunday's 38-14 loss to Seattle, that the Bears' defense could not fulfill its pledge?

Read the entire story.

CHICAGO -- Chicago Bears receiver Devin Hester wrestled to pull on a white t-shirt in an attempt to make a quick exit from the Soldier Field locker room on the heels of a shocking 38-14 beating Sunday from the Seattle Seahawks.

For a quick two-count, Hester -- with his back turned -- paused to ponder where the team had been more than a month ago.

"I never thought it would end like this," Hester said before correcting. "The season is not over yet. But I never thought we would be in the position we're in now."

Nobody in that somber locker room did. Riding a five-game winning streak from Oct. 16 to Nov. 20, the Bears held a 7-3 record, the No. 5 seed in the NFC wild-card standings, and controlled their own destiny for the postseason.

But in the club's last win, a 31-20 decision over the San Diego Chargers, quarterback Jay Cutler suffered a broken right thumb that more or less signified the beginning of the end for the team and its quest for a second consecutive berth in the postseason. The Bears won't make excuses for what's transpired: The rash of injuries, Caleb Hanie's inconsistent play in Cutler's place, or the distractions caused by Sam Hurd's recent arrest on federal drug charges.

But explanations for the slide seem as elusive as victories have been.

"It's tough, that's all you can say. We were 7-3, riding the high horse," receiver Roy Williams said. "We were doing everything on offense; running it, throwing it. We went from just doing almost whatever we wanted to these last four weeks. All of a sudden, you're 7-7 in the blink of an eye. The ball just hasn't bounced our way, and it's not just the quarterback. I had my potential tie, and other players [had opportunities to make plays]. I just don't know what's happened."

What hasn't occurred for the Bears -- at least yet -- is mathematical elimination from the playoffs. At 7-7, the Bears are tied with both the New York Giants and Seahawks, and the best mark they can attain is 9-7. Despite the teams having identical 7-7 records, the Bears sit behind the Seahawks at eighth in the NFC standings because the Seahawks own the head-to-head tiebreaker by virtue of Sunday's win. The Bears are ahead of the Giants based on conference records.

The Bears entered Sunday's contest a game behind the Detroit Lions (8-5) in the wild-card hunt. Even if Chicago found a way to defeat the Seahawks and Detroit lost, the Lions would still hold the tiebreaker because of the teams' division records (the Lions are 3-2 in the NFC North, and the Bears are 2-2).

So Chicago's remaining outings against divisional foes Green Bay and Minnesota and Detroit's last game with the Packers remain important for tie-breaking purposes. Basically, the Bears need to win their last two at Green Bay and Minnesota, and they need Detroit and Atlanta to lose out, and they need the Seahawks to lose one game for a shot at the postseason.

In addition, the Bears would need Detroit to lose both of its remaining games to edge the Lions in the conference-record tiebreaker. Even more scenarios come into play if the 9-5 Atlanta Falcons manage to lose their final two games.

"When Jay went down, I thought we were missing a key piece of our football team," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "But if you look back we had some opportunities. To go on a four-game losing streak, no, that wasn't part of my mind set. We're better than that."

Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher expressed frustration over what's looking more and more like a squandered opportunity, but refused to blame injuries or extenuating circumstances.

"Hell yeah, I'm mad," Urlacher said. "This is not our team. This is not how we're supposed to play. I don't know what happened to us. We'd been in all these football games with chances to win, pretty much all of them."

Asked what the team has left to play for, defensive end Julius Peppers said, "pride." But Peppers didn't want to revisit the team's 7-3 record, it's five-game winning streak, or how its fortunes have gradually dwindled.

"That's gone. We were in a good position several weeks ago. Now we're not there," Peppers said. "So we're not concerned with what happened four or five weeks ago. We've got to be concerned with the present. Right now, we're just trying to see if we can get a win."

BEARS VS. SEAHAWKS
| When: Noon, Sunday | TV: FOX | RADIO: 780 AM, WBBM & 105.9 FM

BEARS (7-6)

Coach: Lovie Smith | Record including playoffs: 73-58

Career head-to-head record (including playoffs) vs. Pete Carroll: 1-1

Career record (including playoffs) against Seahawks: 4-2

Last week: Lost to Broncos 13-10 in OT.

Key stat:In the midst of a three-game losing streak, the Bears haven’t lost four in a row since 2009. That season, the team finished 7-9 and third in the NFC North.

Offense rank: 13th (319.6 ypg) | Defense rank: 20th (358.2 ypg)

Offensive leader: Receiver Earl Bennett is arguably the team’s most dynamic offensive threat. But the problem is he’s been neutralized over the last three weeks. After making 14 catches over Jay Cutler’s last three games, Bennett has produced just two catches for 10 yards over the last three weeks. Against the Broncos, Bennett finished without a catch for the first time all season.

Defensive leader: Defensive end Julius Peppers leads the Bears in sacks (9), and has produced three of those over the last three weeks, including two in the Nov. 27 loss at Oakland. A six-time Pro Bowler, Peppers ranks fourth in the NFL in career sacks (98) since coming into the league in 2002, and has recovered nine fumbles in 151 games.

Streaks
• The Bears now have 19 takeaways in the last seven games, which is the most in the NFL since Week 7.
• The Bears haven’t won a game all season in which they trailed after the first quarter and are 17-25 under those conditions since 2004. The team is also 0-4 this season when it trails at intermission.
• Robbie Gould hasn’t missed a field goal from a distance of 50 yards or more all season (6 of 6), which establishes a single-season franchise record. Gould’s six field goals of 50-plus yards tie him for second in the NFL in 2011.

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SEAHAWKS (6-7)

Coach: Pete Carroll | Record: 46-47 | Last week: Defeated the Rams 30-13

Career head-to-head record vs. Smith: 1-1 | Career record vs. Bears: 2-2

Key stat: Under Carroll and general manager John Schneider, the Seahawks made 284 roster moves in 2010. Of the 53 players on the active roster, just 12 were with the team in 2009. Seventy-seven percent of the roster is in their first or second year with the club.

Offense rank: 27th (303.2 ypg) | Defense rank: 13th (335.2 ypg)

Offensive leader: Running back Marshawn Lynch has gained 100 yards or more in five of Seattle’s last six games. Lynch’s 969 yards ranks fifth in the NFC and seventh in the league, and he is on pace to become the franchise’s first running back to produce a 1,000-yard season since 2005 (Shaun Alexander).

Defensive leader: Defensive end Chris Clemons has racked up 20 sacks in 29 games for the Seahawks. Clemons is fifth among defensive ends, sixth in the NFC, and ninth in the NFL in sacks since the start of last season. Interestingly, Clemons ranks among five 2011 Pro Bowlers (DeMarcus Ware, Jason Babin, Terrell Suggs, Cameron Wake and Clay Matthews) in sacks since 2010.

Streaks
• The Seahawks have rushed for 100 yards or more as a team in six consecutive games, which is the first time they’ve accomplished that feat since the 2002 and 2003 seasons.
• The Seahawks are tied for second in the NFL in fewest second-half touchdowns (9). Seattle has allowed 93 total second-half points all season, and just seven opponents have scored TDs against the Seahawks’ defense in the second half all season.
• Lynch has scored at least one touchdown in five of his last six games..