Training camp thread. First practice is 2:30 p.m. Thursday

[DJhitek]

Shea will have an adjustment period, he bullied everyone in the WAC and played a completely different system there. He will become a situational pass rusher this season and hopefully gets the speed/strength down where he can be an everyone down DE.

As for Alshon, I said it draft day and afterwards, I wanted Kendall Wright or Alshon. To me, those two will be the best WR's in the draft by a good margin IMO.

[patryk7754]

Shea will have an adjustment period, he bullied everyone in the WAC and played a completely different system there. He will become a situational pass rusher this season and hopefully gets the speed/strength down where he can be an everyone down DE.

As for Alshon, I said it draft day and afterwards, I wanted Kendall Wright or Alshon. To me, those two will be the best WR's in the draft by a good margin IMO.

I think Shea will take Israel's spot in the middle of the season.

[fleet]

3rd day without Urlacher (knee). Kip and Moon speculating growing concern. We may have to face the possibility of a less than great season from BU. The Bears really need a young linebacker with big upside.
It is probably too late to look for that, but I see Hester as trade bait going forward if I ruled the Bears. Dane Shizlebrecker to me should be kept, I prefer him in the slot (over Hester not Bennett), and the Bears have returners. The return game has diminished returns anyway. I'll believe this Hester receiver stuff when I see it. Right now I'd love to trade him to fill other holes. Not sure what his value is actually. And NFL player for player trades are tough. Just thinking out loud.

[BIGGIEsmalls 23]

3rd day without Urlacher (knee). Kip and Moon speculating growing concern. We may have to face the possibility of a less than great season from BU. The Bears really need a young linebacker with big upside.

This falls on Lovie.

It is probably too late to look for that, but I see Hester as trade bait going forward if I ruled the Bears. Dane Shizlebrecker to me should be kept, I prefer him in the slot (over Hester not Bennett), and the Bears have returners. The return game has diminished returns anyway. I'll believe this Hester receiver stuff when I see it. Right now I'd love to trade him to fill other holes. Not sure what his value is actually. And NFL player for player trades are tough. Just thinking out loud.

Could this possibly be the reason why we loaded up on returners during the off-season & also why the staff continuously brags about Hester's off-season progress as a WR ?

[heir_jordan22]

We definitely need to bring in a young talented linebacker. Mychal Kendricks was one of my favorite players in this draft but can't live in the past. I wouldn't be surprised if we pick a linebacker in the first round next year couple rounds, especially if Manti Te'o falls to us in the first round.

In free agency next year I like Laurinitis and Aaron Curry. Laurinitis will probably get a nice sized contract or franchise tag. I'm assuming the Raiders will try to keep Curry since they traded for him and he played really well.

Not many options outside of the draft next year.

[fleet]

Corey Wootton continues to stand out as a pass rusher and right now is clearly the No. 3 defensive end behind Israel Idonije and Julius Peppers. Wootton, who was having a good camp last year before injuries set him back, got the better of Chris Williams in matchups that will not advance Williams’ case for the starting left-tackle job.

http://www.csnchicago.com/football-chic ... edID=10330

[chibearsfan]

Corey Wootton continues to stand out as a pass rusher and right now is clearly the No. 3 defensive end behind Israel Idonije and Julius Peppers. Wootton, who was having a good camp last year before injuries set him back, got the better of Chris Williams in matchups that will not advance Williams’ case for the starting left-tackle job.

http://www.csnchicago.com/football-chic ... edID=10330

If this is the case, why not shea at the linebacker spot?

[BIGGIEsmalls 23]

Brian Urlacher says he'll be ready to play for the Bears when they open the 2012 season against the Colts.

The linebacker reiterated that his recent absences from training camp came as a result of a "personal reason, just like coach (Lovie) Smith said."

Urlacher returned to training camp Saturday, but the club held him out of practice.

"(The season opener is) all that matters to me," he said. "Preseason games and all these practices -- I'd love to be out there -- but I'm not gonna put myself in jeopardy of missing the first game."

Read more: http://football.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ ... z23RpRHGhO