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Well mock draft season progresses as we see ESPN’s first two round mock-up by Todd McShay. While his hair might not be on par with Mel Kiper his analysis is top notch.

In this draft McShay projected the Bears to select WR Percy Harvin out of Florida with the 18th pick and OG/OC Max Unger out of Oregon with the 49th pick.

Both player are guys who would step in and compete for serious playing time immediately. Harvin would bring a very similar skill set as Devin Hester giving the Bears two burners on the outside and forcing teams secondaries to play back and letting Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark control the middle of the field.

Unger on the other hand has great versatility having played both OT and C in college. At just 300lbs he probably doesn’t have the size to stay at Tackle in the NFL but he could provide big time competition on the inside; pushing Beekman and Garza and providing a more legitimate back-up to Olin Kreutz.

I certainly feel a lot better about this option than what Kiper had previously suggested with the DE Jackson out of LSU. While DE is a need for the Bears it’s time for the Bears to start building this offense with speed and getting younger on the line.

There is a rumor floating around that ex-Bears coach and current head coach at Pittsburgh Dave Wannstedt is interested in hiring Offensive Coordinator Ron Turner to fill in the same position with the Panthers.

Why would Turner make was seems to be a step down? Well he may feel as those the Bears current staff is a sinking ship. If the current shake up doesn’t work this season they are likely all going to be out of a job. Turner also has a strong relationship and familiarity with Wanndstedt after serving as his offensive coordinator with the Bears from 93-96.

The biggest reason might be something completely unrelated to coaching . Ron’s nephew (Norv Turner’s son) Scott Turner is currently a graduate assistant on Wannstedt’s staff. The obvious family appeal could be hard for Turner to pass up if he is offered the position.

While I am generally a fan of continuity I wouldn’t be the least bit sad to see Turner go. Though I don’t think he is as terrible as some Bears fans it would be nice to get someone in here who could find some more creative ways to use Devin Hester. A change at offensive coordinator would also mean that whatever QB is brought in for competition with Orton would have a much better chance at actually winning the job.

In a jump start on the free-agent process the Chicago Bears signed former Northwestern quarterback and Big Ten 2005 offensive player of the year Brett Basanez to a two year deal. While Jerry Angelo did come into this off-season saying that adding competition at the quarterback position was his #1 priority, Bears fans are hoping this isn’t what he had in mind.

Basanez spent the last three year with the Carolina Panthers, two of those mostly on the practice squad and 2007 on injured reserve with a wrist injury. He saw action in only one game back in 2006 when he went 6 for 11 for 56 yards and an interception against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Prior to that Basanez set or tied nearly every major school passing record at Northwestern, which he left as the winingest quarterback in school history. His other claim to fame was falling just 4 rushing yards short of being the first QB in NCAA Div-I history to pass for 10,000 and rush for 1,000 career yards.

While Basanez has stated that he intendeds to come out and try and compete for the starting job, he also mentioned that where he fit on the depth chart was not part of his discussion with the team. It’s safe to say that he isn’t here to take Kyle Orton’s job and will more likely be competing with Caleb Hanie for third string, while the other will land on the practice squad. Other rumors persist that the main reason Baz was brought in is because the Bears have moved their off-season mini-camps up to March and wanted to be sure of having 3 QB’s on the roster at the time.

That said the Chicago Tribune reported that Basanez did draw interest from Jacksonville, New Orleans, Minnesota, and San Francisco. More than likely though getting a call from his hometown team was the deciding factor for the Arlington Heights native.

None-the-less Brett Basanez will get to live out the dream of so many other Chicago Bears fans, young and old. And from there who knows, if he make it on the field it wouldn’t be the first time a 4th string quarterback ended up playing for the Bears.

Well that time of the year is upon us, the time when every website and affiliate even remotely linked to the NFL and college football will be coming out with mock drafts. It’s a season that is rapidly getting worse then Christmas, starting earlier every year.

Sometimes the information can be overwhelming and much of it doesn’t go beyond educated guesses, but one man to take seriously is ESPN’s draft guru Mel Kiper, Jr. So when his first mock draft of the season hit the pages of ESPN.com I took notice.

“With the 18th pick in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft, the Chicago Bears select Tyson Jackson, defensive end LSU.” At least that’s what Kiper thinks NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will be saying in late April.

Now at first glance it looks like a pretty logical pick. With the Bears inability to get to the Quarterback being undoubtedly their biggest defensive issues it would make sense for the Bears to add a playmaker to the defensive line. Additional on Kiper’s board there weren’t any offensive linemen worthy of the 18th pick and Percy Harvin went to the Jets at pick 17.

But when looking into the scouting report on Jackson it no longer seems like such a solid pick:

Strengths: Rare size (6’4”, 295lbs) for the position… Durability with 27 consecutive starts… Outstanding run defender… Powerful hitter with good tackling in space skills for a defensive linemen… Good overall awareness and recognition skills.

Weakness: Needs to show more consistent effort on the field… can win some battles with power moves, but will never be a threat to turn the corner and rush off the edge… will always be better run-stopper than pass rusher.

Now all of that information comes off of ESPN’s scouting reports so the Bears or other teams might have a different take on him as a player. But if that is the report why in the world would the Bears be interested in Jackson? He sounds like a fine player but that description is more reminiscent of Alex Brown than the terrorizing pass rusher this team desperately needs.

Now some other options at defensive end that were listed near the Bears were Florida St.’s Everett Brown, NIU’s Larry English, and Georgia Tech’s Michael Johnson. All of those players would provide more of the speed pass rush component that Lovie has always targeted for his defense and are more likely candidate for the 18th pick.

In fact all three of those players will probably be linked to the Bears in future mock drafts along with half a dozen or so offensive players. But we can all give thanks to Mel Kiper and his hair for draft season is now officially upon us.

For those who have been long-time fans and listeners to Bearscast you know that we have a long held affection for a Bears unsung hero Israel Idonije. Well it appears that Izzy would like to see the Bears front office show him the kind of appreciation we have as he has switched representation to power agent Drew Rosenhaus.

Idonije is among a number of veteran players who have one year left on their contract and to this point Jerry Angelo has appeared very hesitant to extend anyone, a prudent move after the lessons of the last season. That’s likely the motivation behind switch for Idonije who would like to get the Bears to the bargaining table.

The team obviously values Idonije after matching the offer he received from the Buffalo Bills and ex-coach Dick Jauron in 2006. Since then Izzy has been a stabilizing force on special teams both covering kicks and setting the wedge on the return unit along with blocking a number of field goals and extra points. Those contributions alone would be difficult to replace.

In addition to his special team duties Idonije has provided essential flexibility on the defensive line moving between defensive end and tackle. Improving during each of his five seasons with the Bears and culminating this season with a career high 3.5 sacks and 6 pass deflections, big numbers considering he is only a part-time player.

So while Angelo may be hesitant to extend any players after the disappointment in last season he can’t let a blank move keep him from doing the right thing. Israel Idonije’s position flexibility as well as his multi-faceted contributions are too important to let walk away. His services will undoubtedly be valued and sought after next offseason so Angelo should keep from getting himself into a bidding war and losing a key contributor like he did with Brendon Ayanbadejo last year.

Charles “Peanut” Tillman is hoping to come back next season as a new man after undergoing reconstructive surgery on his right shoulder. The shoulder was originally injured week 4 against the Philadelphia Eagles but Tillman played through the pain, missing only one game after he doubled up hurting the other shoulder two weeks later at Atlanta. This is the second time Tillman has had surgery on his right shoulder the first being after 2005.

Now the pessimist will ask if it was Tillman’s bum shoulder that let ex-Bear Bernard Berrian loose for that 99 yard touchdown pass in Minnesota. But for the skeptics out there it should be noted that the last time Tillman caught serious ire from Bears fans was in 2005 when he got torched by Steve Smith and also played with a bum shoulder. The two years following Peanut came back at a Pro Bowl caliber level.

The question really shouldn’t be, will Tillman’s play return to its previous level? Over his six year career with the Bears he has proven to be one of their top defensive performers. The question is, what position will Charles Tillman be returning to and how will that effect the players around him?

It’s a question that is not likely to be answered for a long time, but given the Bears desperate need at free safety if one can’t be found in the draft or via free agency it could signal a move for Peanut. Talk of Tillman moving to safety is nothing new, former defensive coordinator Greg Blache thought he could be a Pro Bowler at the position when he was drafted in 2003. His coverage skills would certainly be welcome in a safety group that could rarely stop anyone this season.

Can they afford to lose him as a cornerback though? With plenty of doubt surrounding the return/revival of Nathan Vasher from two injury riddled years the move to safety for Tillman could leave the Bears with Corey Graham and not much else at the position. Not a welcome thought in a division filled with Berrian, Greg Jennings, and Calvin Johnson.

That more than anything will probably have Peanut back against the oppositions best WR, but a strong return for Vasher or the emergence of Zach Bowman could allow the Bears to make the switch. But cornerback or safety the Bears defense is at their best with a healthy Charles Tillman on the field.

How have the Chicago Bears chosen to respond to two years of under performance by a veteran laden and well compensated defense? By hiring the only man to ever coach an 0-16 team in NFL history of course. That’s right the Bears have hired former Lions head coach and Tampa Bay colleague of Lovie Smith, Rod Marinelli to be their new defensive line coach and assistant head coach.

There are a lot of ways to spin this story, from continuing incompetence to the second coming of Bob Babich. Some of those concerns are legitimate, especially considering the last time the Bears went out of their way to bring in one of Lovie Smith’s pals the Bears defense dropped from top-10 to bottom-10. Also, it’s never particularly good PR to bring in the man in charge of the most imperfect team in league history to turn around a struggling unit.

However, while those criticisms have some validity it seems shortsighted to get hung up on the 0-16. After all former Dolphins head coach Cam Cameron, who was at the helm for their 1-15 season last year, is now the offensive coordinator for the AFC Championship game bound Ravens. It’s an important reminder that just because someone failed as a head coach doesn’t mean that they can’t be an important contributor to a coaching staff.

Rod Marinelli does still have the reputation as being one of the best defensive line coaches in the league. His work for 10 years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is what helped land him the job with the Lions in the first place. Now after watching an entire Bears season and defense crumble because of their inability to pressure the quarterback it would be foolish to turn any help away. Marinelli is credited with helping mold Warren Sapp into the dominant force that he was and any similar help with Tommie Harris could turn the Bears defense around in a hurry.

Granted a lot of this still doesn’t look good. Lovie brings another one of his friends on to the staff while refusing to part ways with a defensive coordinator who appears in over his head. Though while Lovie and Jerry Angelo have publicly stated so far that Bob Babich’s job is safe I am sure this hiring has to have him feeling at least a little uneasy. Another slow start from the Bears high priced defense and the presence of Marinelli could ease the decision to show Babich the door.

At the end of the day though Rod Marinelli is being brought in to do what many NFL teams already know he can do well. That’s why teams like the Texans and Seahawks were also pursuing him. The Bears offer him the most comfortable position and the biggest opportunity to make an impact, as the emergence of a pass rush could solve so many problems. So hold off on the 0-16 jokes and give the guy a chance, we need all the help we can get.

As the Bears prepare to take the field in a must-win game against the Houston Texans they will have to do so without Safety and defensive captain Mike Brown. It’s a common end to the season for Brown who will now finish up his fourth year out of the last five on injured reserved, with yet another leg injury — this time his calf — putting him on the shelf.

Now with free agency approaching it has put Mike Brown’s career with the Bears in doubt. Many thought it could’ve been over last season when a cheap block from Lorenzo Neal bent Brown backwards and led to an ACL tear. But as he had many times before Brown worked diligently all through the year rehabbing and has provided a stable veteran presence for the team through 15 games.

Yet, the cumulative effect of the injuries has been obvious. Once amongst the most dynamic playmakers at his position the loss of explosiveness has changed turnovers and big hits into solid tackles. While that along with his leadership should be enough, the Bears have needed more because his presence has pushed Kevin Payne out of position to free safety.

The injury should open the door for rookie Craig Steltz who was expected to challenge for a starting spot immediately but has developed slower and been relegated to special teams. Next year he will likely be competing with Brandon McGowan for a full-time spot next to Payne.

It is a sad day for Bears fans that this injury likely close door on the Mike Brown era. In the last nine seasons no one had worked harder or more embodied the soul of this Bears defense than Brown. The memories he has left here will be ones we cherish for years to come and it will be those moments and not the games he missed that this warrior will be remembered for.

For the first time since the Bears have been in their “win out or no playoffs” scenario they finally got some help from other teams. Losses by Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings mean both the division and a wild card spot will still be in play Monday night.

But no matter how much will or will not be on the line when the Bears and Packers will take a frozen Solider Field it should be a hard fought football game. Five weeks ago Aaron Rodgers and Co. destroyed and embarrassed the Bears 37-3 forcing a 3-way tie for first place in the NFC North at 5-5. Now with their own playoff chances gone the Packers could have the opportunity to keep the Bears at home with them in January.

So as we try to do every week over at Bearscast.com we set five over/under’s that will be key this Monday night:

Over/Under: Kyle Orton passing yards 200

The last Bears/Packers game was Orton’s first back from the ankle injury he sustained in week 9 against the Lions and it showed. Without any mobility or the ability to push off and put sufficient velocity on his passes Kyle finished 13 of 26 for only 133 yards. In fact Orton has only one 200 yard passing game since the injury.

But the Orton’s ankle is a lot healthier and the Packers’ secondary is a lot more beat up than they were five weeks ago. Also the Packers defense will be focused on stopping the injured Matt Forte. That should mean even under less than ideal weather conditions the Bears passing game should be a lot more effective and important.

Over/Under: Ryan Grant rushing yards 100

Ryan Grant has come back to earth a bit during his second season with the Packers, but that didn’t seem to matter in the first match-up. Grant had only one 100 yard rushing game prior to week 11 against the Bears but gashed what had been the most consistent part of the Bears defense for 145 yards on just 25 carries. That effort was part of over 200 team rushing yards, the most the defense has given up all year.

The major reason for Grant’s big time performance was the focus the defense put on Aaron Rodgers and stopping the Packers top 10 passing offense. While it’s safe to expect that the Bears will be slightly less stubborn about bringing Mike Brown down into the box to stop the run, slowing down the aerial attack will still be the top priority. That should open enough holes for another solid game from Grant.

Over/Under: Devin Hester receiving yards 65

The press coverage of the Packers corners complete took the wide receivers out of the game up in Green Bay. Hester was just another victim being held to only 1 catch for 7 yards, his quietest performance since the first two weeks of the season.

Since then though Hester has established himself as the undisputed #1 wide receiver for this team. Averaging 62.5 yards per game over the last three as well as drawing two key pass interference penalties Hester has become a complete threat on offense. The Packers will undoubtedly try to jam him often, but if Hester can get off the press it will open up big play opportunities.

Over/Under: Brian Urlacher tackles 8.5

Earlier in the season Urlacher’s struggles made him the poster child for the decline of the Bears defense. For a former defensive player of the year fresh of a contract extension is never seemed to show up on Sundays. Averaging less than six tackles a game, without any sacks, and only two turnovers forced through 12 weeks it’s not shocking that he missed the Pro Bowl for the second straight year.

However, over the last two weeks announcers have been calling his name a lot more. The result has been 18 tackles, two strong defensive performances and two crucial wins. Now with the playoffs still a possibility and a long hated rival coming to Chicago in prime time Urlacher will need to continue his strong play that could help many fans forget his slow start.

Over/Under: 3rd down conversion rate 45%

Early in the season the Bears got by with an efficient offense that made sure to get into third and manageable situations and had a very high conversion rate. As teams have started to key on Matt Forte though the number of 3rd and longs has increased and the Bears season conversion rate is down to 40%. While that is not awful without the dominating defense of the past the offense needs to do a better job of pulling their weight.

It starts with a more consistent running game getting the Bears to 3rd and 5 or less. The Bears also need improved play for the WR position to give Orton more options as well as holding on to the ball. With the season on the line and perhaps his job for next season in doubt expect Kyle Orton and Co. to rise to the occasion, you have to as a Bears fan.

Give the Bears credit, since the 34-14 disaster up in Minnesota three weeks ago their backs have been against the wall and they’ve come up with two must have wins. Two strong defensive performances as well as the arrival of Devin Hester as a receiver have them half way to the 10-6 record they need to have a chance.

Unfortunately in the mean time the Bears have not gotten much help from anyone else. The Vikings consecutive wins of the Lions and Cardinals leaves the Bears two games back with two to go. Also with 4 teams ahead of them fighting for only two spots the chances for a wild card birth appear even slimmer.

The concern was always there, looming in the hangover after each close loss, and it looks like the early blown opportunities against the Panthers, Buccaneers and Falcons have come back to bite the Bears. From Greg Olsen’s fumbles to Charles Tillman personal foul to Robbie Gould’s disastrous squib kick this has been a year close but not close enough. So instead of competing for the best record in the NFC or even just even with the Vikings for the division the Bears can only wait and hope for help.

This week none of that matters with the rival Packers coming in for Monday Night Football. Even without any playoff implications the 37-3 beating the Pack put on the Bears five weeks ago should be more than enough motivation for this game. And maybe with a little help from the Atlanta Falcons – who play the Vikings this Sunday – the finale in Houston will mean something to.

Unfortunately wins in their final two games could still be just too little too late.