Thread: Beyond DE and WR, Bears will not be idle

Beyond DE and WR, Bears will not be idle

Beyond DE and WR, Bears will not be idle



Ravens cornerback Chris Carr could be an option for one of the Bears' secondary needs. (US Presswire) Chris Carr


March 12, 2012, 3:10 pm

	JOHN "MOON" MULLIN Bio & archive

The league-wide focus on the elite members of the free-agent class of 2012 has been on a handful of superstars who will command money that will confirm them as franchise players even without any team’s tag designating them as such.

The Bears have made a pass rusher and wide receiver their two top needs but what happens after that will have some significant impact on the fortunes of a team that believes itself close to playing for a Roman numeral trophy.

In order of descending priority, three areas with anticipated Bears “sightings:”

Cornerback: The Baltimore Ravens did not sign Chris Carr, 29 this season, who played all 16 games in his first six years before missing seven in 2011. At 5-foot-10, he has experience but not a top-shelf starter’s price tag…. Brandon Carr has not missed a game in four seasons as a Kansas City Chief as is a Charles Tillman-like 6-feet, 205 pounds. Carr also is someone with whom GM Phil Emery is very familiar from Emery’s time in K.C.

Tight end: Lovie Smith has extolled the qualities and upside of Kellen Davis. Whether Davis is adequate to the expected role of a tight end in the offense of Mike Tice/Jeremy Bates is open to question, however…. John Carlson, a former second-rounder out of Notre Dame, missed all of 2011 with a shoulder injury suffered in a training-camp practice…. Joel Dreesen could join Amobi Okoye and (possibly) Mario Williams from the Houston Texans to Chicago. Dreesen is rated a “bargain” by ProFootballFocus.com and the sixth-rated TE by the stats analysts at PFF with receiver skills.

Quarterback: David Garrard has been a starter (Jacksonville) who is working back from injury and willing to take a berth as a backup…. Jason Campbell’s broken right collarbone re-opened the career door for Carson Palmer in Oakland and Campbell has been closely evaluated by the Bears. Campbell had the Raiders off to a 4-2 record before his injury and rates as the sleeper in efforts to upgrade the No. 2 spot at quarterback…. Despite the lack of immediate activity on a new deal, Josh McCown is expected back to at the very least compete for a roster spot.