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Veteran free agent defensive lineman Israel Idonije visited the Tennessee Titans on Monday, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Idonije finished second on the Chicago Bears last season with 7.5 sacks in 11 starts.

The 32-year-old versatile defensive lineman has been one of the Bears' most productive pass rushers since becoming a fixture in the starting lineup in 2010, opposite Pro Bowler Julius Peppers.

Idonije lost a little playing time last season to Corey Wootton but because of his versatility, Idonije was able to slide inside to defensive tackle when the Bears switched to their nickel defense.

A nine-year NFL veteran, Idonije has been a member of the Bears for nearly his entire career and is very active in the community. Idonije was one of three finalists for the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2010.

The Bears re-signed Idonije to a one-year deal worth $2.5 million last offseason. While the Bears have expressed interest in Idonije returning, it's believed he would have to accept less money to remain in Chicago.

ESPNChicago.com concludes its Bears draft preview series with a look at the defensive ends.

Defensive end is a premium position.

A team can never have too many quality pass rushers, and that's the main reason it would be a mistake to dismiss the idea of the Chicago Bears drafting a defensive end.

It would be premature to speculate about Julius Peppers' future in Chicago beyond 2013, but he does carry a projected $17.383 million cap hit in 2014 and $19.683 cap hit in 2015. Eventually the Bears will look to replace Peppers, although it should be mentioned that the veteran defensive end is said to have embraced the manner in which Marc Trestman runs the team, a style much different from the way former head coach Lovie Smith operated.

It could be argued that certain veterans, perhaps even Peppers, got lazy under Smith's system. The Trestman era has been a shock to the system for some of the veterans because unlike the old regime, meetings and practices are conducted at a very quick pace, leaving no time for wasted activity during the day. There is a strong chance that a motivated Peppers could put up big numbers for the Bears in 2013, which could obviously play a role in delaying his departure.

On the other side of the defensive line, this a big season for Corey Wootton and Shea McClellin. Wootton needs to capitalize on a strong 2012 and prove to the Bears he can stay healthy and is deserving of a contract extension. McClellin and his 5-7 pounds of added muscle need to prove to a skeptical football city that he was worthy of being selected No. 19 overall in the 2012 NFL draft.

The Bears need more out of McClellin than 2.5 sacks (his rookie year total). Expect McClellin to see a boost in playing time. What he does with the increased snap count is anybody's guess.

The Bears also signed veterans Turk McBride and Kyle Moore to compete for jobs at training camp.


Next 10: Rufus Johnson, Tarleton State, 6-5, 272; Michael Buchanan, Illinois, 6-6, 255; Malliciah Goodman, Georgia, 6-4, 265; William Gholston, Michigan State, 6-6, 281; David Bass, Missouri Western State, 6-4, 262; Devin Taylor, South Carolina, 6-7, 266; Joe Kruger, Utah, 6-6, 269; Mike Catapano, Princeton, 6-4, 271; Brandon Jenkins, Florida State, 6-3, 251; Tourek Williams, Florida International, 6-3, 260.

Grade: B

Analysis: Although the Bears have more pressing needs, there is a chance they invest a pick at defensive end, especially if they trade out of No. 20. If the Bears move back in the first round then a player such as UCLA's Datone Jones might interest general manager Phil Emery, because Jones can play either end or tackle and possesses the kind of versatility the Bears covet. There might also be a sleeper the Bears select in the late rounds or attempt to sign as an undrafted free agent.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Cornerback Charles Tillman said Tuesday all of the Chicago Bears' offseason changes, including the failed contract negotiations with free agent middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, re-enforced the concept that no one is irreplaceable in the NFL.

"(Urlacher) had a great career. I wish he was here, but it's a cutthroat business," Tillman said. "I mean, you saw Peyton Manning got cut, we didn't re-sign Brian ... ultimately no one is safe on one team forever. I don't care how many Piccolo Awards you win, at the of the day it's a business, it's cut-throat."

Tillman was honored, along with defensive ends Julius Peppers and Shea McClellin, with the Brian Piccolo Award, and he
made sure to mention two influential men who were not present at Tuesday's award ceremony at Halas Hall: former coach Lovie Smith and defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli.

"I want to thank coach (Jon) Hoke for pushing me, coach Marinelli for pushing me, coach Smith for pushing me," said Tillman, who won the award for the third time. "Without those three men in my life, I don't think any of (my accomplishments) are possible without those three men pushing me to my maximum capacity as a player."

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LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman, defensive end Julius Peppers and defensive end Shea McClellin were announced as the recipients of the Brian Piccolo Award during a press conference Tuesday at Halas Hall.

Since 1970, Bears players have voted annually to select a teammate they feel best exemplifies the qualities of the late Brian Piccolo. The honor was originally given out to just a rookie player, but in 1992 the award was expanded to include a veteran as well.

Piccolo, who signed with the Bears in 1965 as a free agent out of Wake Forest, died in 1970 at the age of 26 from embryonal cell carcinoma.

Tillman is a three-time winner.

This marks the first time three players have been honored with the Piccolo Award since 1997.

The $8.45 million salary cap charge associated with the franchise designation placed Friday on Chicago Bears defensive tackle Henry Melton definitely limits what the team can do in upcoming free agency, but the move should be viewed at this point as merely a temporary placeholder for cap space.

The situation remains fluid.

By tagging Melton, the Bears essentially widened the window to negotiate a long-term deal by the NFL's July 15 deadline, which is exactly what the club did in franchising running back Matt Forte last March, before signing him to a new four-year deal last summer. So before the Bears strike a more cap-friendly deal with Melton, it's expected the team will make other roster maneuvers through restructures and cuts to free up money to sign its own free agents while clearing the way to make additions once free agency rolls around March 12, the start of the new league year.

With the new salary cap for the 2013 season now officially set at $123 million, the Bears operated approximately $12 million under the cap before franchising Melton on Friday. The latest move leaves the Bears approximately $3.5 million under the salary cap, which is in the neighborhood of what it would take to sign the 2013 rookie class.

But what about their own free agents such as linebacker Brian Urlacher or guard Lance Louis? What about filling needs in free agency?
The Bears want to bring back Louis, defensive end Israel Idonije, defensive tackle Nate Collins (a restricted free agent), reserve cornerback Kelvin Hayden, offensive tackle Jonathan Scott and linebacker Nick Roach. The Bears have also indicated a desire to bring back Urlacher, provided the price is right.

The current cap situation created by franchising Melton makes none of that possible, let alone potentially bringing in outside free agents, which is why the team's latest move with the defensive tackle should be viewed merely as a placeholder for cap space.

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ESPNChicago examines potential unrestricted free agents at positions of need for the Bears.

Bears free agency previews: G | WR | TE | QB | LB | OT »

A team can never have too many pass rushers.

Veteran defensive end Julius Peppers remains the crown jewel of the Chicago Bears' edge rushers, even though he recently turned 33 years old and carries a $16.383 million cap number in 2013. It would be difficult to convince even the most casual observer that the Bears would better off without Peppers next year, despite the amount of money he ties up from a salary cap standpoint. Peppers is still effective and his team-high 11.5 sacks prove that.

With that in mind, the question now becomes whether the Bears need to prioritize finding another complement to Peppers, or if that player is already on the roster.

The Bears have a decision to make regarding Israel Idonije, who is an unrestricted free agent again this offseason after signing a one-year, $2.5 million deal last March. Entering his 10th NFL season, Idonije had 7.5 sacks in 2012, the second-highest total of his career, even though he bounced inside to defensive tackle in the nickel package as the season wore on.

Idonije, 32, also brings a certain amount of intangibles to the table that should not be overlooked. A former finalist for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, he's spent nearly his entire professional career in Chicago, a community he has served well off the field through the various efforts of his successful charitable foundation. As is the case in most negotiations, it could come down to money. If Idonije fields longer and more lucrative offers in free agency, then perhaps he leaves. But if the Bears can somehow find a way to lock him up to a contract similar to the one he agreed to last offseason, it makes sense for the Bears to seriously consider bringing him back for at least one more season, especially when you consider how few impact veteran pass rushers are expected to be available in free agency.

Regardless of what happens with Idonije, fourth-year defensive end Corey Wootton is coming off a breakout season and should be in a position to challenge for a full-time starting job, depending on what the club does in free agency. As we noted last month, Wootton (7.0 sacks) earned a significant raise for next year based on his play and the defense's overall performance.

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A second consecutive late-season collapse, along with the presence of a new boss who didn't hire him, was enough to end Lovie Smith's nine-year tenure with the Chicago Bears.

The decision came quickly after the Bears missed the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported at about 10:40 a.m. ET that general manager Phil Emery was requesting interviews with head-coaching candidates from other NFL teams. As of 11 a.m. ET, the Bears had made no announcement about his status, but NFL.com was among the outlets reporting Smith had been fired.

My initial thought is that Smith got a fair run in Chicago. In an age of frenzied expectations and short hooks, he was the NFL's second-longest-tenured coach. The Bears gave him six seasons to win a championship after he brought the Bears to Super Bowl XLI in 2006, but instead his teams missed the playoffs in all but one of those years. The Bears finished last season 1-5 after a 7-3 start, and in 2012 they became the second team in 23 seasons to miss the playoffs after starting 7-1.

While his defenses usually were among the NFL's best, Smith plowed through three offensive coordinators in the past four seasons and failed to give quarterback Jay Cutler a consistent environment in which to thrive. Smith's defense is in need of a personnel influx, considering its four best players -- linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, defensive end Julius Peppers and cornerback Charles Tillman -- are all on the wrong side of 30 years old. It's fair for the Bears to hire a new coach to preside over that overhaul.

Urlacher, Briggs and receiver Brandon Marshall have all expressed deep support for Smith in recent days, and that's no surprise. He is a hands-off disciplinarian who gathered self-motivated players and gave them space. That makes for a pleasant working environment, but as the Bears' recent history has shown, it didn't translate consistently on the field. Smith got a fair time period to take a championship step with the Bears, but in the end he could never replicate the magic of 2006. It was time to shake up the too-cozy environment a long-tenured coach tends to create.

More in a bit.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The NFL named its Pro Bowl team Wednesday with five Chicago Bears making the NFC roster, including starting cornerbacks Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings.

The defense produced four of the club's five Pro Bowlers, with receiver Brandon Marshall being the only Bears representative on the NFC team from the offense. Defensive tackle Henry Melton and Jennings earned their first trips to Pro Bowl. Tillman, meanwhile, earned Pro Bowl recognition for the second consecutive season after receiving the nod in 2011 for the first time of his then nine-year career. Defensive end Julius Peppers receives the honor for the eighth time in his career, and the fifth year in a row.

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RISING

1. Julius Peppers, DE: Peppers has put together arguably his three strongest performances of the season in consecutive games dating back to Dec. 9, and has generated 4.5 sacks in those outings, including three against the Cardinals. Peppers played through plantar fasciitis earlier in the season, and based on his recent production the pain from that injury must be subsiding. Peppers contributed six tackles, knocked down a pass, and forced a fumble on Sunday, in addition to being credited for three quarterback pressures. With Henry Melton out of action the Bears needed more production from Peppers. He certainly stepped up to the challenge.

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GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Here are five things we learned in the Chicago Bears' 28-13 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday:

1. The season lives on: Did the Bears dominate the Cardinals? Not really. Does it matter? Not really. It was a game the Bears had to win thanks to the Minnesota Vikings defeating the Houston Texans, and they did. The Bears remain a team with a highly suspect and flawed offense that inspires little confidence, but their defense can still inflict some damage, coming up with two defensive touchdowns, three takeaways and four sacks in the win. It was a forgettable afternoon for the special teams, with the exception of the Cardinals’ thwarted fake field goal, but generally speaking, that unit is going to perform at an acceptable level. To steal a phrase from the great Denny Green, “The Bears are who we thought they were.” A slightly above average team that can beat up on lesser opponents but really haven’t proven they can beat anybody good. But right now, that’s OK. All that matters for this team is they make the playoffs, which remains an attainable goal despite their second half of the season slide. A win is a win. It sure beats the alternative. Can you imagine what a miserable week it would have been at Halas Hall had the Bears lost on Sunday?

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RISING

1. Brandon Marshall, WR: He led the team in receptions with six, and flashed what should have been an inspiring effort on a 15-yard touchdown in the first half. Eventually, the Green Bay Packers took Marshall out of the game. But afterward, Marshall made a long overdue plea for accountability on offense. While collectively the group probably isn't as talented as Marshall, if they put forth his effort on a week-to-week basis, we wouldn't be discussing the possibility of the Bears possibly missing the postseason.

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You know how we are around here. We don't like to live in the moment. We want to look ahead, to anticipate what's next, to project and speculate and prognosticate. When at all possible, we look for deep meaning and revealing symbolism in everyday events.

Week 15 provides us an opportunity to do just that. So I'll introduce this sentiment for your consideration: Sunday's game at Soldier Field could put the competitive rivalry between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers on hiatus for several years.

A Packers victory would be their sixth consecutive win over the Bears, including the 2010 postseason. More importantly, it would clinch the Packers' second consecutive NFC North title. And while the Packers appear poised for continued success, the Bears could soon be jolted into a significant overhaul this winter.

A division championship would validate the Packers' re-tooling effort, one that has centered around getting younger on defense. A loss for the Bears could leave them needing help to get into the playoffs even if they win out and finish at 10-6. (ESPN.com's Playoff Machine will show you how they could lose a tiebreaker to the Washington Redskins at 10-6.)

Thus the Bears would be at risk of becoming the second team in the 23-season history of this playoff format to miss the postseason after a 7-1 start, a collapse that would pile a number of difficult decisions on the desk of general manager Phil Emery. Topping his list would be the status of coach Lovie Smith, but this season has also exposed the Bears' aging defense as well as their continued inability to find continuity on their offensive line.

Emery's course for the franchise will hinge in part on whether he re-signs quarterback Jay Cutler, whose contract will expire after the 2013 season. Cutler mused about various possibilities during his ESPN 1000 radio show Monday and acknowledged the franchise's path isn't clear.

"I don't know how they feel about me and where they see the franchise going," Cutler said. "You get a new GM in and we'll see how it goes. He's got a lot of tough decisions coming forward. ..."

It's hard to imagine the Bears parting ways with Cutler under any circumstances. But Brian Urlacher's physical fade in the past year illustrates why Emery might want to plan more aggressively for the eventual departure of linebacker Lance Briggs, cornerback Charles Tillman and defensive end Julius Peppers. He will also need to re-evaluate the franchise's in-house strategy for building an offensive line. For three consecutive seasons, the Bears have fielded a patchwork group that has left Cutler battered. In 2011 and 2012 alone, 10 different linemen have made at least one start.

From a big-picture perspective, the biggest gap between the Bears and Packers is that Cutler has been forced into the role of the Bears' sole difference-maker while the Packers have reduced their reliance on quarterback Aaron Rodgers. One piece of surprising evidence: Rodgers has thrown only two touchdown passes in his past three games, the fewest over any three-game stretch of his career, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Instead, the Packers are building a running game based on patience, if nothing else. They have averaged 135.8 rushing yards over their past five games, giving carries to five different running backs over that period in what has amounted to a mini tryout. And of the six defensive players the Packers selected at the top of the 2012 draft, four are part of the regular rotation and a fifth -- linebacker Nick Perry -- would be were it not for a season-ending wrist injury.

The Bears have a much shorter list of young building blocks at this point. Of the 56 players on their active roster or injured reserve, you could count maybe six as established and credible starters who will be under the age of 28 next season. That list includes defensive tackle Henry Melton, guard Lance Louis, receiver Earl Bennett, safeties Major Wright and Chris Conte and receiver Alshon Jeffery.

These issues will exist whether or not the Bears win Sunday, and they won't dissipate even if they go on to win the Super Bowl. But a loss would be the Bears' fifth in six games, a year after they dropped five of their final six to scuttle a 7-3 start. That might be enough to spur the kind of sea change we haven't seen in Chicago in a decade, one that cedes divisional competitiveness for a stretch.

Just a thought. We'll be here all week.

RISING

1. Matt Forte, RB: Averaged 6.5 yards per attempt against the Vikings and ripped off a 36-yard gain. Because the Bears got into passing mode, they couldn't involve Forte enough for him to make an impact. Forte gained 119 yards from scrimmage and moved past Rick Casares for third on the franchise's all-time list for career yards from scrimmage (7,336). Forte doesn't appear to be playing at 100 percent. Perhaps it's the nagging leg injuries he's endured this season.

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RISING

1. Jay Cutler, QB: Generated a passer rating of 100-plus for the third time this season, but it also marked the first time in his career he accomplished that feat in a losing effort. In fact the defeat also marked the first time under Lovie Smith the Bears lost a game when the quarterback finished with a passer rating of 100 or better. Over the past two games, Cutler utilized his mobility more and moved around in the pocket to find room to throw. That needs to continue.

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After the Chicago Bears' 23-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. From a statistical standpoint, it's easy to track the reasons why the Bears have now lost three of their past four games. Put simply, their defense has fallen off the pace it set during a 7-1 start -- dramatically. As ESPN Stats & Information noted, the Bears had seven defensive touchdowns in their first eight games. Since then? None. They averaged 3.5 takeaways per game in their first eight games. Since then? A total of six in four games. Obviously there was more than that to the Bears' start, but if you had to name the top two reasons the Bears started this season well, it would be takeaways and defensive touchdowns. Many of you wondered if the Bears had set a unsustainable pace over that stretch, and it appears they did. On top of that, on Sunday, their defense looked worn down and old as the Seahawks' Russell Wilson ran through them like the young and spry quarterback that he is. Most of their post-30 crowd -- Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, Julius Peppers and Charles Tillman -- is now nursing nagging injuries.
2. ESPN.com
   You wonder if coach Lovie Smith was demonstrating any kind of concern in that area when he decided to go for it on fourth down from the Seattle 15-yard line in the second quarter. The Bears led 7-0 at the time. One reason for going for it is because you think your offensive line and power running back can overwhelm the opposing defensive line. Another reason is that you think you're going to need touchdowns, rather than field goals, to keep ahead of the opponent. Smith would never admit to it and we'll never know for sure. But the primary reason Smith has typically been conservative in those situations over the years, taking the field goal over a risk, was that he knew his defense had a good chance of making a lead -- any lead -- stand.
3. Were it not for Wilson's heroics, we would have spent much of Monday discussing quarterback Jay Cutler's 56-yard pass to receiver Brandon Marshall on the first play after the Seahawks took the lead with 24 seconds left in regulation. I mean, how much confidence does Cutler have both in his arm and Marshall to throw that pass? It wasn't a typical Hail Mary pass. Against a defense aligned specifically to prevent a big pass, Cutler threw a dart to Marshall down the seam. The play put Robbie Gould in position for a game-tying 46-yard field goal, and you had the sense that Cutler and Marshall would have ensured a victory if they had gotten the first possession of overtime instead of the Seahawks.

And here is one issue I still don't get:

In the video, Prim Siripipat and Eric Allen wonder whether we're seeing the beginning of the end of Urlacher's time with the Bears -- and possibly the NFL. It's not clear if Urlacher will be ready to play in Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings because of a hamstring injury, and the Bears' decision to allow him to enter the season in the final year of his contract spoke to their uncertainty about his future. Urlacher has gamely managed pain and age this season through limited practice time, but you won't find many football people who would tell you his play has been close to previous seasons. I'm not sure what the Bears' plans are, or if they even know them at this point, but Siripipat and Allen discussed a valid topic. It's not out of the possibility we are entering the final four regular-season games of the Urlacher era in Chicago.