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The Bears were all-in on Michael Bennett before the defensive end re-signed with the Seahawks and then the team reeled in Lamarr Houston shortly after the signing period opened.
Before Emery added Willie Young from the Lions and ultimately lured Jared Allen after the prized pass rusher made two visits to the Super Bowl champion Seahawks, the Bears tried to sign Mike Neal, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Neal told Biggs that the Bears made him a contract offer early in free agency before he ultimately chose to sign back with the Packers.
“They offered me,” Neal said. “In the long run, their offer, it wasn’t a bad deal. The option for me to come back here was better, in my opinion. I felt like this was a system that if I was kept in the same position, I could flourish in. I thought it would be better to try to capitalize on what I did last year here.”
Neal returned to Green Bay on a two-year contract worth as much as $8 million and the Bears signed Young for three seasons for $9 million. It looked like Young would be plugged in as a starter, like he was last season for the Lions, until Allen came on board.
The Bears went defense in round one of the NFL Draft, taking Kyle Fuller to help out at the corner spot. Fuller joins the Bears at 6’0, 190 pounds, and should give the team a boost.
Head coach Marc Trestman was a revelation for the Chicago Bears in 2014, getting great player out of the offense as a whole and somehow still earning wins with backup quarterback Josh McCown. McCown is gone now, but Trestman is now in year two in his bid to get the Bears further in the playoffs since the early days of Lovie Smith.
The Chicago Bears schedule may have something to say about it, though, as they try to improve on their 3-5 road record of a week ago. In order to do so, they’ll try to get the better of the Falcons, Panthers, 49ers, Patriots and Jets. All potential playoff teams in 2014, the Bears look to have their hands full on the road.
This year they’ll take on the Saints, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Bills and Dolphins at home. The Bears should be able to take care of business against the Bucs, Bills and Fins, but could have trouble with the Cowboys and Saints.
All 2014 Opponents
Home: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
Away: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots, New York Jets
For a look at all team’s 2014 match-ups, click here.
Written By: Florida Bengal
The Chicago Bears continued their high volume of activity in free agency Thursday adding former Panthers wide receiver Domenik Hixon and former Lions defensive end Willie Young to their 2014 free agent class.
Chicago, on Tuesday, signed former Raiders defensive end Lamarr Houston to a five-year, $35 million deal and former Giants safety Ryan Mundy to a two-year contract. On Wednesday, they added another safety in M.D. Jennings, who signed a one-year deal after starting 16 games for the Packers in 2013.
Young will join Houston on the defensive front after spending four years in Detroit and recording six sacks. He started 15 games a season ago for the Lions.
Hixon left the Giants for the Panthers last season and caught just seven passes for 55 yards and a touchdown in 15 games. He has experience as a kick and punt returner, two spots that are open with the departure of Devin Hester.
Two weeks before the opening of free agency, the Bears signed two of their own to one-year contracts Monday, agreeing to new deals with center Taylor Boggs and safety Derrick Martin, Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Boggs, who joined the Bears last season after spending two years with the Jets, was an exclusive rights free agent and spent last season developing behind starter Roberto Garza.
Martin, meanwhile, is headed for his ninth NFL season after previous stops with the Ravens, Packers, Giants and Patriots. He joined the Bears in midseason last fall and was used as a special teams player.
Bears cornerback and pending free agent Charles Tillman is still patiently playing the waiting game, CBS Chicago reports.
In an interview with The McNeil and Spiegel Show on 670 The Score on Wednesday morning, Tillman said he still doesn’t have an inkling of whether he’ll be back in Chicago next season.
Free agency opens March 12, and whether the Bears will re-sign Tillman as he approaches his age 33 season has been a hot topic after the team allowed the most yards and points in franchise history last season.
“My gut is I will be on an NFL team next year,” Tillman said. “Everyone knows how the process works. It’s a business. If I’m here, sweet. If I’m not, that’s business … There’s no hard feelings. I love Chicago. Chicago’s been nothing but great — great owners, great organization, great teammates.”
Tillman downplayed the idea that he may have an impression that the Bears don’t want him back.
“No, I don’t think that’s the case,” Tillman said. “I don’t think that they don’t want me back. Hell, I know they want me back. I think it’s a matter of finances and everything working out.”
Tillman also added he has no plans to switch positions, regardless of his destination.
“I don’t want to play safety anywhere,” Tillman said
The Bears on Monday signed free-agent defensive end Austen Lane, his agent tweeted, reuniting him with defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune reports. The Bears confirmed that Lane was signed to a one-year deal.
Lane played for the Jaguars from 2010-12, when Tucker was the defensive coordinator there. The Jaguars’ fifth-round pick in 2010 has three sacks in 30 career games.
He played in two games for the Lions last November, but the Lions released him, making him available before the unrestricted free agency period begins March 11.
July 7th, 2014 
Matt Loede 
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