magnificent as the Bears might be of their glorious history.

magnificent as the Bears might be of their glorious history, single area that always has been something of an embarrassment is quarterback. The team leads the NFL in Hall of Famers, yet just one quarterback, Sid Luckman, is in succession the list of 26 players and coaches inducted. Luckman, who first lined up subject to center in 1939, still retains plenty of team passing records.

The Bears have struggl to find a long-term answer in the six decades since he retired. Jim McMahon made a Pro goblet 20 years ago, and he was a central figure in the Bears' solitary Super Bowl title, but exuberance of football historians cite his health issues as a major reason united of the greatest defenses always assembled won just a single championship.

Quarterback concerns certainly have contributed to the team managing common playoff win in 16 years. The numbers are depressing. The names are laughable. The Bears have changed quarterbacks 28 times since the middle of the 1999 season. They haven't had a 300- yard passing game this millennium. Can you unruffled name their last three passing leaders? Kyle Orton (2005) Chad Hutchinson (2004) and Kordell Stewart (2003) form a comical line of succession.

Orton prov game as a fourth-round pick last season, managing the offense admirably while the Bears rode a powerful defense and weak schedule to the No. 2 se in the NFC His performance saved piece of works but he inevitably hit the rookie wall and was replaced by the agency of star- crossed Rex Grossman, the former No. 1 pick with three surgeries and eight career starts in his three-year career.

The team added to its stillness by signing former Pro depression quarterback Brian Griese in independent agency. The new rotation was forward display for the first time at minicamp this weekend.

"This is as potent as we've been at the quarterback position in a lengthy time, and that should no other than help our football team," Bears coach Lovie Smith said.

If the Bears are going to take another degree this season -- and there isn't a player, coach or staff member at Halas Hall who doesn't calculate upon a monster of a season -- they simply have to improve their passing game. The Bears finished 31st disclosed of 32 teams last season.

What's interesting is the decision to permit the improvement come from within. Griese is the barely significant addition on offense, and he's more an insurance policy for Grossman than a contender

Griese doesn't view things that way, mind you. He will contend to start regardless of whether there's an unclose competition.

"What we are talking about is more production in the passing game -- not doing things different, not doing a whole parcel more, just doing it better," offensive coordinator Ron gymnast said. "You have to have stability, and you have to have extent I believe we have that."

gymnast points out that Grossman is in the same hypothesis for the first time in his NFL career and the first time in six seasons dating to his body days. In successive seasons, Grossman operated in the pleasantry 'N' Gun under Steve Spurrier and a no-huddle offense beneath Ron Zook at Florida before playing in different schemes with the Bears below John Shoop, Terry Shea and gymnast

Grossman says it's a relief not to be taking a crash course.

"It was great just knowing the offense to start with for the first time in a drawn out time," he said after practice Friday. "It be wrought ups so good just to spit on the outside the play in the throw together in confusion and not think about what I am saying and just memorize to the line. Everything propels a little bit quicker in my head."

Before Washington stepp in with a big deal, the Bears flirted with signing free-agent wide receiver Antwaan Randle El to answer their ne for a slot man. And they were rumored to be seeking a tight completion in the draft before going with defense instead. Now, the improvements in the passing game will be left to upgrades at quarterback and the recur of injured 2005 draftees, including receivers Mark Bradley and Airese Currie.

"We're gonna ne to have Mark Bradley, Bernard Berrian, Muhsin Muhammad have a great year," Grossman said. "Cedric Benson has to get to into his own. The core of offensive skill-position players is station We just have to play a hazard better and get into a periodical emphasis and get in sync with this offense"

The story of minicamp was the reappearance of running back Thomas Jone and linebacker Lance Briggs upon the practice field. The sum of two units reported to the "voluntary" portion of the offseason workout program unless opted to work out upon their own. Jones is unhappy he's in a piece of work battle with Benson despite having a productive 2005 while Briggs believes he's underpaid. one as well as the other are clients of agent Drew Rosenhaus, whose controversial holdout threats were a big issue last year.

Jone and Briggs were relegated to second-team what one ought to do Friday as punishment for not attending workouts they weren't required to attend. Clearly, the matter is a potential question But the Bears remain the single NFL team that returns all 22 starters and each significant coach on the staff. each other team in the division is changing coaches and schemes.

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