Conventional thinking probably is that the Bears’ biggest need in the off-season will be a wide receiver because there is no question they must address that position.
But their most pressing problem might be on the other side of the ball.
One of the Bears’ looming issues is they cannot match up with a dominant player in their division — the great Adrian Peterson.
In four games against the Bears, the Vikings running back has averaged 6.2 yards per carry and 138 yards per game. Peterson is only getting better, so the Bears may never win the NFC North if they don’t find a way to stop him.
Of course, any team can stop the run if it outnumbers the offensive players in the box. But when the Bears have done that, the passing game has burned them.
So to stop the run without overcommitting players to do it, the Bears need a big presence in the middle of their defensive line.
Traditionally in coach Lovie Smith’s one-gap-style defense, the Bears don’t use a big nose tackle. In fact, when Smith took over in 2004, the Bears got rid of 340-pound tackle Keith Traylor. He subsequently became a starter on a Super Bowl-winning team in New England.
The Bears haven’t had a defensive tackle who weighs much more than 300 pounds since. But that doesn’t mean they don’t need one now.
The Vikings run a very similar defensive scheme to the one the Bears use. Minnesota defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier implemented the defense he learned from Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy — the same man who taught Smith.
And the Vikings have a mammoth nose tackle in the middle of their defense in 320-pound Pat Williams. The Bears’ defense would be a lot more effective with a player like him, regardless of Smith’s dislike of so-called fat guys. It just would take a little tweaking of the scheme.
A big nose tackle might not give the Bears much upfield thrust, but he would attract double-team attention away from Tommie Harris, making him a more dangerous pass rusher. He also would prevent interior blockers from reaching the second level so quickly, meaning linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs would be able to run to the ball more frequently.
It is interesting that the defensive player of the year this season almost certainly will be a tackle big enough to play Godzilla in a horror movie.
Tennessee’s Albert Haynesworth, who checks in at about 330 pounds, has 8 1/2 sacks and has been the best player on the best team in the AFC. At 350 pounds, Kris Jenkins has been the difference for the Jets on defense this year after they acquired him in a trade with the Panthers. And 350-pound Shaun Rogers has made a tremendous difference in the Browns’ defense since coming over from the Lions.
So how could the Bears get the kind of player they need? Well, there aren’t many of them around, but Haynesworth might be available. His contract is up at the end of the season, and the Titans have agreed not to put the franchise tag on him. But there is a chance he will re-sign with Tennessee before free agency begins.
If Haynesworth is unavailable or out of the Bears’ price range, they should look at Green Bay’s Colin Cole. The 330-pounder, who has played for every team in the NFC North except the Bears, isn’t a big playmaker, but he is a solid, dependable run stuffer who takes up a lot of space.
The draft also may offer some options. Boston College has a pair of tackles who will check in about 330 pounds, B.J. Raji and Ron Brace. Alabama’s 368-pound junior, Terrence Cody, may be the best option of all if he makes himself eligible for the draft.
But before the Bears make a change at defensive tackle, they will have to make a slight change in their philosophy.
Garrard fights Crohn’s: If you witness a David Garrard touchdown pass Sunday at Soldier Field, you might want to hold your boos. After all, it will mean a $10,000 donation to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America from drug maker Centocor.
Four years ago, the Jaguars quarterback had never heard of Crohn’s disease. But after experiencing abdominal pain and other digestive problems for several months, he was diagnosed with it. Surgery followed, as did steady medication.
Every eight weeks, he still has to be medicated intravenously in a three-hour process.
“The important thing is that it hasn’t affected me in my daily life and I’ve been able to live symptom-free the last four years,” Garrard said.
Now Garrard wants to help find a cure for the disease. So far, $110,000 has been raised through Garrard’s In the Zone for Crohn’s campaign.
Garrard has had more success raising funds than he has had playing quarterback this year. But a lot of that has been out of his control because of a beaten-up offensive line. He has been sacked 33 times.
“If I get rid of the ball a little faster and take off sometimes when the pocket is collapsing instead of just hanging in there, I can help my linemen out a little and not take dumb sacks,” Garrard said. “I have no excuses. I should be playing better.”
Jets’ Jones breaks out: Thomas Jones has crossed the line that usually separates good running backs from old ones, but the 30-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down.
In fact, the nine-year veteran just finished the most productive month of his career. In November, the former Bear averaged 111.2 rushing yards per game and scored eight touchdowns, helping the Jets win three games on the road. He won a conference player-of-the-month award for the first time in his career.
Titans assistant head coach Dave McGinnis was Jones’ head coach in Arizona, and the Titans were one of the Jets’ opponents during November.
“Jones is running extremely hard,” McGinnis said. “He has learned how to be an NFL runner. He’s a physical runner. When he first came into the league, he wasn’t running as physically. He was jitterbugging.
“Now he still can make people miss, and he’s running behind his pads.”
Jones should be headed to his first Pro Bowl. He leads the AFC in rushing with 1,088 yards. He has 11 rushing touchdowns and is averaging 4.7 yards per carry.
Scout talk
The senior group of cornerbacks doesn’t offer any can’t-miss, top-five prospects, but it is deep with solid players. From the way it stands now, about eight senior corners should be chosen in the top three rounds of the NFL draft. Here are the best senior prospects, based on conversations with NFL scouts.
1. Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State. Big, physical corner who also could play safety. Has good cover skills but not top-flight speed. Is comparable to Marlin Jackson of the Colts.
2. Darius Butler, Connecticut. Highly athletic player with very good speed and quick feet. Plays the ball well and has experience as a receiver. Isn’t as physical as some.
3. Alphonso Smith, Wake Forest. Playmaking corner with speed and aggressiveness. Has excellent ball skills. At 5 feet 9 inches, 190 pounds, lacks size.
4. Kevin Barnes, Maryland. Tall enough at 6-1, fast corner has ball skills. Can burst and close.
5. Mike Mickens, Cincinnati. Tough, physical and athletic, but not that fast. Has instincts and ball awareness.
6. Victor Harris, Virginia Tech. Instinctive corner who makes plays without blazing speed. Is very physical.
7. Cary Harris, Southern California. Good tackler would fit in a Cover-2 scheme. Has sound technique and decent ball skills.
8. Bruce Johnson, Miami. A man-to-man corner with decent speed. Is questionable in support and inconsistent with techniques.
9. DeAngelo Smith, Cincinnati. Feisty but undersized at 6 feet, 190 pounds, with average speed. Good instincts. Has some safety experience.
10. Tony Carter, Florida State. Small corner at 5-9, 166 pounds, with some speed and ball skills. Is a little inconsistent.
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dpompei@tribune.com
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