The Bears are installing a new offensive system patterned after the Kansas Chiefs’, and they have added a couple players they feel are a better fit. Defensively, they have changed their philosophy from a read-and-react style to an attacking style designed to pressure the quarterback and create turnovers, something the Bears were among the worst in the league at doing last year.
Quarterbacks
Much of the hopes of the Bears in ’04 rest on the arm of second-year QB Grossman, who showed good poise and pocket presence in three starts as a rookie. However, he is still very young and learning a new system, so it is likely he will have his ups and downs this year. The youngster has a strong arm and his strengths are a good fit for offensive coordinator Terry Shae’s system. Although he is not a scrambler, he has good footwork and is very good at buying time by moving around in the pocket.
The Bears have the least experienced group of signal callers in the NFL with Grossman, free agent acquisition Jonathan Quinn, and sixth-round draft choice Craig Krenzel. Quinn, who came with Shea from Kansas City, hasn’t played in a regular-season game since 2001. Krenzel is a rookie with no NFL experience whatsoever. So it appears the Bears are placing all their eggs in Grossman’s basket and they will likely sink or swim based on his performance.
Running Backs
The Bears new offensive system calls for a back with more speed and receiving ability than former Rookie of the Year Anthony Thomas has shown throughout his career, so GM Jerry Angelo took a chance on Thomas Jones, whose potential has yet to be reached since being drafted seventh overall by the Arizona Cardinals in 2000. Jones has better speed, strength, and receiving ability than Thomas, and he did show signs of breaking out when given a chance to carry the load with Tampa Bay late last season.
Should Jones fail to fill the role the Bears envision for him, they still have Thomas to fall back on, but he is more of a between-the-tackles runner than the type they need to make this system work. Adrian Peterson and Brock Forsey will battle for the No. 3 spot, but neither is a good fit as a third-down back, which means the Bears will most likely be counting on Jones to be a three-down player. Fullback Bryan Johnson was also brought in during the off-season to open holes in the running game. He is one of the better blocking backs in the league and he has the receiving abilities to be used in the H-Back role.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
The Bears would like to use a more vertical attack this season, but they lack the speed at wide receiver needed to stretch opposing defenses. Marty Booker is a former Pro Bowl receiver, but he’s more of a possession receiver than a game-breaker. He is big and strong with adequate speed, and he catches the ball well across the middle and in traffic, but he is probably better suited as the No. 2 guy in this offense.
Second-year player Justin Gage showed some playmaking ability in ’03, and he will most likely be the second starter, but he also lacks the speed to consistently get deep. Penciled in at No. 3 is David Terrell, who is in a make-or-break year after the Bears made him the eighth overall selection in the 2001 draft. If he should continue to display the poor route-running and stone hands that put him in the doghouse with the Jauron regime, he could be released before the season, giving speedy rookie Bernard Berrian the opportunity to gain some experience in the No. 3 role. Bobby Wade will also see some playing time in multi-receiver formations.
With the Bears coaching staff looking to put an emphasis on getting the ball to the tight end, Desmond Clark could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the new offensive philosophy. He put up decent numbers in ’03, but could emerge as a legitimate weapon this year. Dustin Lyman, who catches the ball well and has decent athletic ability, will likely be the backup.
