CBNN: Chicago Bears News Network (0-3)

**Looking for the full roster? The third post of this thread contains all the players and picks belonging to JohnnyShred612 and the Bears organization. The Chicago Bears News Network and GM Jonathan Sheretti are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or organizations is entirely coincidental.**

Sportscaster: Hello, Bears fans, and welcome to another broadcast of CBNN, your top source of information and insight on your favorite Chicago team! As a precursor to the 2010-2011 season starting up in just a few short weeks, we're bringing you a special offseason edition of our show, giving you a sneak peek into what to expect from the Bears this season.

The first acquisition the Bears made this offseason was a brand new General Manager (who is rumored to have much gameday influence -- a backseat coach to Lovie Smith, of sorts). Jonathan T. Sheretti, new to this kind of job, is a bold and daring move by a Chicago organization that many fans and analysts thought was getting too stale.

*cut to video clip from Sheretti's press conference*

Sheretti: My job here is to get the Bears back to a place where they earn their nickname -- the Monsters of the Midway. We're here to win championships, and we'll do it with the best roster we can muster. That meant some big trades, and while we're always sad to say goodbye to players, I feel that we've built quite a squad, and have secured a future for the franchise in the process.

*back to the studio*

Sportscaster: And when Sheretti says "some big trades", he MEANS some big trades. With changes at nearly every single position, we are looking at a completely revamped Bears squad. Let's take a look at the six most notable pickups the Bears made in preparation for this season.

**KEY OFFSEASON PICKUPS**

MARION BARBER (Halfback)
The Demon Barber of Chi-Town


In an interesting move, the Bears traded away longtime runningback Matt Forte and picked up prior halfback of the Dallas Cowboys, Marion Barber. As one of the better runningbacks in the league with good hands to boot, he promises to be a massive weapon for the Bears in this upcoming season.

Sheretti Says: "What can I say that isn't obvious? Marion Barber is a great pickup for us, and we're so excited to have him around. This is an offense that will get the ball to him both via hand-off and through the air, so he can expect to not spend much time resting on his laurels. He's a hard worker, and I know he won't let us down."


BRENT CELEK (Tight End)


Most Bears fans shuddered at the thought of Greg Olsen getting less catches this season under Mike Martz. Well, he will be getting precisely zero catches, due to the Bears' deal with the Philadelphia Eagles for the tight end legend-in-the-making, Brent Celek.

Sheretti Says: "In a team that WILL make use of a receiving tight end, Brent Celek is a critical addition to our squad. We'll miss Greg (Olsen), but this trade is for the best. Brent is a master-in-the-making at ensuring offense happens whenever you can get the ball to him, and we are thrilled to have him with us."


JONATHAN BABINEAUX (Defensive Tackle)


The Bears brought another defensive monster to the Midway in Jonathan Babineaux. Coming over from the Atlanta Falcons in a trade of absolutely Biblical proportions, Babineaux is a solid wall of defense. He was originally picked up as someone to play next to Tommie Harris, before he was traded away.

Sheretti Says: "Where can I begin with this guy? I've had my eye on him for a long time, both as a fan and someone in the business. If I was making my priority to shore up the defense, he was hard to pass on."


JEREMY MACLIN (Wide Receiver)


Straight from the Philadelphia Eagles comes a wideout to help a struggling Bears receiving core. As one of the NFL's most reliable, not to mention speedy, young wide receivers, he could prove to be critical to helping the Bears adjust to Mike Martz's complicated new system.

Sheretti Says: "I think he's a great pickup, honestly. He's got quite a set of wheels and some pretty good hands, too. Playing alongside Roy Williams, Brent Celek, and Torry Holt (the three most notable receiving upgrades Chicago traded for this summer aside from Maclin), we're confident he'll be an effective option for Kevin (Kolb)."


ANDRE CARTER (Defensive End)


While relations with the Atlanta Falcons were certainly fruitful early in the offseason, the Redskins have slowly become an intriguing business partner for Chicago. Looking to fill the hole that Julius Peppers left, the Bears picked up Andre Carter, another elite defensive end. We'll see if he can fill those shoes.

Sheretti Says: "It was hard for us to trade away Julius Peppers, but we picked up Steven Jackson in that deal, and while we didn't hold on to Steven either, trading HIM away brought us quite a few good players at positions where we desperately needed more depth. It was a tough loss, but in the end, through that crazy cycle of trades, we profited, and Andre Carter is one of the best at what he does. He'll play admirably, I'm absolutely certain."


AQIB TALIB (Cornerback)


One of the Bears' biggest flaws last year was a lack of a solid secondary, and Sheretti hopes to address that problem by picking up a young, defensive monster who goes by the name of Aqib Talib. A brilliant, youthful cornerback, Talib has signed a massive contract ensuring his tenure in Chicago becomes his legacy.

Sheretti Says: "You know, this team had some struggles in the secondary last year, there is absolutely no doubt about that, but there is no better way to address that problem than a pickup like this. He's still young, and really knows what he's doing in a way that few cornerbacks in this league do. We are endlessly excited to have him around."

THE GOOD
There is undoubtedly a lot of good in this offseason. Great offensive pickups in Jeremy Maclin, Brent Celek, and Roy Williams, the acquisition of a multitude of early draft picks for next season, and the building blocks of a defense that some analysts are already recognizing as a potential rebirth of the Monsters of the Midway add up to a very promising season.


THE BAD
Unfortunately, as a result of all those good pickups, Chicago has to say goodbye to some of their great players. Among the traded names are stars such as Brian Urlacher, Tommie Harris, Lance Briggs, Devin Hester, Julius Peppers, and Greg Olsen, among many others. Necessary trades though they may have been for Sheretti's gameplan, fans were not anticipating such an upheaval of the roster. Expectations will be high, and a losing season would end in calls for Sheretti's head.


THE UGLY
The one trade that is making Bears fans writhe uncomfortably in their chairs is the two year rewind at the quarterback position. Just one year after picking up All-Star quarterback Jay Cutler, the Bears have traded him back to the Broncos and, through a convoluted series of events, picked up Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell. While you could make the argument that Campbell may even be comparable to Cutler in skill, the craziness of the quarterback trading game has made Bears fans uneasy. To top it off, the young backup quarterback, Dan LeFevour, was traded to the Redskins for a seventh round pick and none other than Rex Grossman! Who would've thought he would ever find a home in Chicago again? Bears fans have been scorned by their quarterback before... and Hell hath no fury like a Bears fan scorned.

That's all for now, Bears fans!
See you during the Bye Week, here on CBNN!

Offense

Quarterback
J. Campbell 83
R. Grossman 65
C. Hanie 64

Halfback
M. Barber 84
J. Norwood 75
A. Brown 67
G. Wolfe 64
K. Bell 64

Fullback
E. Graham 78
E. Williams 56

Wide Receiver
R. Williams 82
J. Maclin 81
T. Holt 79
D. Aromashodu 70
M. Kelly 70
D. Stallworth 68
B. Finneran 67
G. Lewis 66
H. Douglas 66
R. Davis 66
J. Iglesias 65

Tight End
B. Celek 88
B. Manumaleuna 76
K. Davis 64

Center
J. Berger 74

Tackle
C. Williams 82
M. Henderson 79
K. Barnes 76
K. Shaffer 75
J. Marten 69
L. Louis 64

Guard
R. Lilja 82
C. Rachal 79
F. Omiyale 77
A. Herrara 70



Defense

Defensive Tackle
J. Babineaux 86
M. Patterson 83
A. Adams 71
M. Harrison 68
J. Gilbert 65

Defensive End
A. Carter 90
J. Abraham 89
K. Biermann 70
J. Anderson 70
I. Idonije 65
H. Melton 62

Middle Linebacker
T. Spikes 84
T. Shaw 57

Outside Linebacker
M. Peterson 82
B. Leber 80
H. Hillenmeyer 72

Cornerback
A. Talib 87
B. Williams 77
C. Johnson 76
J. Tryon 72
C. Graham 66
D. Moore 64

Free Safety
M. Jackson 80
M. Williams 74
T. Culver 66
C. Steltz 66

Strong Safety
Y. Bell 82
T. Johnson 75
M. Manuel 72
J. Bullocks 69



Draft Picks (15 Total)

First Round
1. Chicago Bears
2. Minnesota Vikings
3. Atlanta Falcons

Second Round
1. Chicago Bears
2. Minnesota Vikings
3. Washington Redskins
4. Philadelphia Eagles

Third Round
1. Minnesota Vikings
2. Miami Dolphins

Fourth Round
1. Chicago Bears
2. Minnesota Vikings

Fifth Round
1. Chicago Bears

Sixth Round
1. Chicago Bears

Seventh Round
1. Chicago Bears
2. Washington Redskins

Updated

Updated rosters and commentary to reflect recent trades (i.e. taking out references to Tony Gonzalez and other players who are no longer on the roster); also cleaned up the page a bit. The next "full article update" will happen during our Bye Week, then again after the season, and once more after, God willing, the postseason.

Updated to include video

Updated to include CB Aqib Talib and QB Jason Campbell.