There are some great people working over at the Chicago Sun-Times, most notably friend of the blog and Bears beat man Adam Jahns. But it is impossible to ignore the fact that many of the newsrooms around this country are populated by daft, insignificant morons.

Kate Grossman is one of those. Hell, she might even be two of them. The Sun-Times editor was on some dopey chat show, sliding off her chair at the very thought of a George Lucas museum on the lakefront. The museum would, of course, be the nail in the tailgating coffin for Chicago Bears fans at Soldier Field.

I’ve pulled the quotes from a blog over at ChicagoNow and thank emailer Laura for the notification:

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Thanks to Adam for the time and terrific insight. We’ll be making him a regular player around here.

PAEA IN THE SKY-A

Stephen Paea has been a disappointment for almost the entirety of his Chicago Bears career. In 2014 he is acknowledging that disappointment:

“You see how I played — I let my teammates down,” the defensive tackle said after the fifth of 10 organized team activity sessions at Halas Hall. “The best thing about it is, I have a second chance to do it …

“Just put a chip on my shoulder this year.”

For me Paea is the Bears fifth defensive tackle in 2014 and will see even less field time when the Bears slide some of their versatile ends (Houston, Young) inside on passing downs. You could make an argument that no player on the defensive roster outside of Shea McClellin needs a better summer.

WILL HILL WENT TO MY HIGH SCHOOL…

…but that is not the only reason I believe the Bears should be interested in the talented, pot-smoking knucklehead recently released by the New York Giants.

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UPDATE: SOMEHOW I DIDN’T COPY OVER MY FULLBACK COLUMN WHEN POSTING. THIS IS NOW DONE.

Here is the breakdown of the 2013 Chicago Bears roster as they broke August and headed for the regular season:

Quarterbacks (2): Jay Cutler, Josh McCown

Running backs (3): Michael Bush, Michael Ford, Matt Forte

Fullbacks (1): Tony Fiammetta

Wide receivers (6): Joe Anderson, Earl Bennett, Alshon Jeffery, Brandon Marshall, Eric Weems, Marquess Wilson

Tight ends (3): Kyle Adams, Martellus Bennett, Steve Maneri

Offensive linemen (9): Taylor Boggs, Eben Britton, James Brown, Jermon Bushrod, Roberto Garza, Kyle Long, Jordan Mills, Jonathan Scott, Matt Slauson

Defensive linemen (9): Nate Collins, Shea McClellin, Henry Melton, Zach Minter, Cheta Ozougwu,Stephen Paea, Julius Peppers, Cornelius Washington, Corey Wootton

Linebackers (6): James Anderson, Jon Bostic, Lance Briggs, Blake Costanzo, Khaseem Greene, D.J. Williams.

Cornerbacks (6): Zackary Bowman, Isaiah Frey, Tim Jennings, Sherrick McManis, Charles Tillman, C.J. Wilson

Safeties (4): Chris Conte, Craig Steltz, Anthony Walters, Major Wright

Specialists (4): Robbie Gould, Devin Hester, Patrick Mannelly, Adam Podlesh

Understanding how much can change over the next three months, let’s try and project  what this year’s 53 might look like and identify what camp battles might truly exist in Bourbonnais. One thing that’ll surprise you? There are very few questions.

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STATUS OF THE NAMESAKE

Pat Mannelly, the namesake for this column, is attempting to recover from January hip surgery. Special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis commented on the organization’s approach to Mannelly in this post from ESPN Chicago:

“I’ve been in contact with Pat and there is no pressure one way or the other,” DeCamillis said. “We just have to let it play out. He’s had a great career, and I hope he continues his great career, but we just need to let it play out and see how it goes.

“I don’t [have a sense which way he’s leaning]. I just hope it’s the best situation for him. That’s really what I hope because he’s such a great person and such a great guy. Winning the Ed Block Courage Award is a big deal. Couldn’t be a better guy to win it, I can tell you that.”

Here are some facts about the world when Mannelly joined the Bears:

• The reigning Best Picture winner? Titanic.
• Seinfeld was the top rated television show in the country.
• Dave Wannstedt was still coaching the Chicago Bears.
• Barack Obama had yet to serve his first two-year term in the Illinois State Senate.
• Brian Urlacher was a teenager.

Pat Mannelly is a Chicago Bears institution and deserves a proper, year-long sendoff. Here’s hoping he returns for a final season.

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He’s quickly becoming the Bears most interesting rookie, Jordan Lynch. The Bears loved him during their pre-draft meetings and from all initial reports at rookie camp, the former Northern Illinois quarterback is adapting well to his newfound position in the backfield.

From the Sun-Times:

“Quarterback’s all mental in practice,” the former NIU signal caller said Friday at Halas Hall, following the Bears’ first day of rookie mini-camp. “Now I gotta turn on the physical side in practice, and do special teams, always on the go.

“Staying in shape is going to be key.”

Lynch is right. In order to make the Bears roster as a running back he’s going to need to play bigger, play stronger and a be an indispensable asset on special teams. But the mental side can not be discounted and Lynch’s comments prove he’s already leapt that not-so-insignificant hurdle.

How many successful college quarterbacks have seen possibly promising NFL careers derailed by their stubborn unwillingness to change positions? Lynch has embraced the change, embraced one of the best offensive coaching staffs in the sport and I get the sense fans will be embracing him loudly on the practice fields of Bourbonnais this summer.

Congrats to Scott Vandermoon, winner of the DBB draft weekend ticket contest. He’ll receive a pair of tickets to a Bears home game this year.

The Bears drafted eight players over three days. They were Kyle Fuller (CB, Va Tech), Ego Ferguson (DT, LSU),Will Sutton (DT, Arizona State), Ka’Deem Carey (RB, Arizona), Brock Vereen (FS, Minnesota), David Fales (QB, San Jose State), Pat O’Donnell (P,Miami) and Charles Leno Jr. (OT, Boise State).

They also signed as undrafted free agents: Jordan Lynch (QB?, Northern Illinois), James Dunbar (OT, TCU), Christian Jones (LB, FSU), Brandon Dunn (DT, Louisville), DeDe Lattimore (LB, South Florida), Tana Patrick (LB, Bama), Lee Pegues (DT, East Carolina), Cody Booth (TE, Temple) and Ryan Groy (OG, Wisconsin).

There is a lot to discuss when it comes to this bounty of players. I, of course, am starting with the punter.

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DaBearsBlog has given away tickets to a Bears game each of the past two seasons – through the draft party at Cortland’s Garage in 2012 and through our Ditka Lookalike party in Wicker Park this past December. (We’ll be doing another charitable event this fall. We’re still working through details.)

This year we are instituting a rather unique and interesting draft contest. It is also quite difficult.

Here are the rules.

HOW TO SUBMIT

In the comments below, simply type CONTEST: before making your selection. I can not shuffle through all of the commentary for your picks. This will enable me to run through the comments quickly.

ROUND ONE

In order to stay alive in this contest, you have to guess the first round selection of the Chicago Bears correctly. Quite simple. Guess the player.

Note: If the Bears trade out of the first round, all those submitting first round entries will advance.

Submission Example: 

CONTEST: Calvin Pryor

SELECTION IS DUE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BY 7:00 PM CT THURSDAY EVENING. NO LATE SELECTIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

ROUNDS TWO & THREE

In order to make it to Saturday in this contest, you have to get the positions of both the Bears second and third round selections correct. You do not have to guess the players. You merely have to guess the positions.

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