Training camp is finally here and FanHouse breaks down the most important position battles heading into the season, team by team.
Seriously, I tried to narrow this down and actually spotlight one positional battle like all the rest. Other than just picking the offensive side of the football, where could we even begin? I could simply spotlight the anemic duo at QB like everyone else, or take the easy way out and sort through Kevin Jones vs. Matt Forte at RB.
That's just not good enough. The fact of the matter is that half the offense is up for grabs in training camp. Let's take a little stroll through Halas Hall's proud offense ...
QB -- Rex Grossman vs. Kyle Orton
I understand it's in vogue to pile on Rex Grossman and talk about how awful he is. He's to blame for our economy's woes, the war in Iraq, everything. I get it. Isn't this stigma a little much by now? He did throw for 3193 yards and 23 TDs in 2007 in a predominantly run-and-defense system for a team that went to the Super Bowl. The negatives are there, sure, and there are plenty of them (turnovers and lack of accountability for said turnovers being the worst). That's all everyone discusses with Grossman, though. Enough is enough. Just the fact that many people out there think Kyle Orton is even remotely in the same ballpark as Grossman is beyond absurd. If you've ever taken the time to watch games where Orton plays QB, you are nodding your head right now. He's horrifically bad.
EDGE: Grossman. Sadly, it ain't close.
RB -- Kevin Jones vs. Matt Forte vs. (sort of) Adrian Peterson
Peterson's included here because he does seem to carry some favor with the coaching staff. He's had a few solid games in the RB1 role, but he only averaged a measley 3.4 yards per carry in '07. Expect him to fall back the third-string. With Jones and Forte, they'll likely have a committee situation. Ideally, this will enable Jones to not overwork his rebuilt knee and Forte to acclimate himself to the NFL game. Plus, the offense is going to try and eat clock and keep the defense well rested. The two guys combining for 40 carries a game isn't out of the question.
EDGE: Close to 50/50 split in carries, with Jones getting the bulk of the load once his knee shows it can take it. I'm predicting a 60/40 split by mid-season in favor of Jones.
WR -- A mess
There are two or three spots available here, depending upon the offensive set. Marty Booker, Devin Hester, Rashied Davis, Brandon Lloyd, Mark Bradley, Earl Bennett, and even Marcus Monk are in competition for the jobs. Hester is the big name here, for obvious reasons. He has a new incentive-laden contract, and those incentives are all about him becoming a receiving threat. Plus, he's one of the most explosive players in the league. I'd like to see the Bears use him in a Reggie Bush-type way, but apparently that takes some incredible creativity -- of which Lovie Smith and Ron Turner have none.
Booker's aging, but he does have the hands and pedigree. Lloyd has been a colossal disappointment everywhere he's gone. Bennett is a very solid prospect, but he's a rookie. Bradley has shown flashes of good, but it's been buried in a pile of injury-prone futility. Davis and Monk likely aren't talented enough to break through this bunch, despite the constant endorsement of Davis by the Bears coaching staff.
EDGE: Booker as the possession receiver, opposite Bradley, with Hester the big-play threat from the slot. Bennett and Lloyd see their fair share of time in the rotation as well.
LT -- Chris Williams vs. John St. Clair
The Bears aren't about to have another Marc Colombo debacle. The best way for an offensive lineman to learn the game is to actually play it. It's not like Williams is a QB and has a billion things to learn from the sidelines. St. Clair does have a chance to salvage a starting role, though, if they move him to guard to replace Terrence Metcalf.
EDGE: Williams
Get on board. It's going to be exciting (I yawned as I typed that, by the way, and I'm a Bears fan).
