Hillenmeyer was also a part of the 2006 Chicago Bears. He was slotted to be one of the backup linebackers this season until a concussion suffered during the preseason was serious enough to keep him out of action for the whole regular season and playoffs. It has surfaced that Hillenmeyer hasn’t had many good things to say about the Chicago Bears, but frankly, he was payed for a full season instead of being released which was a strong possibility. He needs to man-up and realize that at the end of the day, he wasn’t very good. Additionally, his status as union representative kept him around as well.

Kevin Shaffer, we hardly knew ya…He had some moments but really is on a long list of forgettable Chicago Bears. While he played OK at times, obviously there’s more to the Kevin Shaffer Story we’ll never know.

Follow me on Twitter at BearsHQ for more details as things break.

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The Chicago Bears have placed Hunter Hillenmeyer on injured reserve with concussion-related symptoms on Tuesday. Hillenmeyer is an eight year veteran and a favorite amongst fans and teammates.

“I respect the decision of (general manager) Jerry (Angelo) and (head coach) Lovie (Smith) to place me on injured reserve. Concussions by nature are harder to evaluate than other injuries. While this is probably in my best interest and the team’s, it is hard to accept the fact that my season is over in one game,” Hillenmeyer said on statement released by the Chicago Bears.

“As someone who has been in the forefront of player advocacy of concussion awareness, I’m happy to see my team err on the side of caution. But when it is my season that is cut short, it makes the complexity of the issues really hit home.”

Hillenmeyer made headlines this off-season when he agreed to dedicate his brain to study to measure the affects of football on the brain. Earlier in his career, he had another concussion. The NFL has come under fire for underestimating the long-term affects of concussions on players. General manager Jerry Angelo suggests that the Chicago Bears see the bigger picture with this issue.

[picappgallerysingle id="9458995"]“Player health and safety has and always will be a priority with our organization,” Angelo said in a statement. “Unlike other injuries, there is no defined timetable for a concussion. After consulting with our doctors and Hunter, this was the best way to proceed. We will miss his contributions this year, but it is the right decision given Hunter’s circumstances.”

For many years, the term “had his bell rung” or “seeing stars” was commonplace in broadcasts and amongst coaches. Guys would re-enter games even if they did not fully recover from a blow to the head. Troy Aikman of Dallas Cowboys fame said recently he played in a championship game and does not recall any of it. Other players also share similar experiences.

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As much as I am critic of the Chicago Bears organization, this goes down as a classy move. Hillenmeyer received this injury during the third preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals. He missed the fourth and final preseason contest against the Cleveland Browns. Despite being cleared to play against the Detroit Lions last Sunday, Hillenmeyer didn’t feel right and missed most of the game. Instead of pushing Hillenmeyer to return, the Chicago Bears put the health of a player over the “get out there and play” mentality.

[picappgallerysingle id="680749"]I seem to recall the Chicago Bears playing down his injury last week as minor. So the question becomes… is Urlacher hurt worse than we know or are the Chicago Bears being smart?

My guess would be a little bit of both…there is nothing to gain with Urlacher playing in a preseason affair. He would play if this was during the regular season. We know Lovie Smith is the king of saying some words that tell us nothing, so in a situation like this he’s even more tight–lipped.

Hunter Hillenmeyer will continue to get reps at middle linebacker with the first and second units. If you read my work regularly you would know I have my doubts about Hillenmeyer, but I know that he’s the best guy for the back–up job with the Chicago Bears. It doesn’t mean that he’s going to be a close replacement, just the best of the rest.

[picappgallerysingle id="7436431"]I hope for our sakes and that of any hope to make the playoffs that Hillenmeyer’s role is as a backup and not the main man. Let’s all just look at last season if we need another reminder of how that worked out. If you think Urlacher is wearing down, just watch him in pass coverage and run support. Hillenmeyer gives you what he has, but isn’t even close to Urlacher in the talent department. In Hillenmeyer’s defense, how many linebackers are that good?

Please follow me on Twitter at bearshq.

Garrett Wolfe…

[picappgallerysingle id="9580937"]Over the past day or so, some of you have had some strong suggestions on why Garrett Wolfe should make the Chicago Bears. His blocking on special teams and speed are two of the primary reasons. But in his time with the Chicago Bears, he has not exactly been a productive player. He has shown very little on offense and some things on special teams. With Kahlil Bell emerging as a viable third running back, Wolfe has an uphill battle. On Saturday’s roster, Wolfe was listed as fourth on the depth charts. As much as any of you, I would love to see this kid succeed because he is a local guy who had great success in college. However, I think the Chicago Bears have given him ample opportunities to prove himself, and he has not done so on a regular (or at all) basis. I am guessing Mr. Wolfe will be out of work come the end of training camp.

Dan LeFevour

[picappgallerysingle id="9580910"]Here’s another local kid that has many Chicago Bears fans excited. He put up amazing numbers at Central Michigan and has proven the ability to scramble. However, he has not exactly been lighting it up with his arm. Based on what I witnessed in person last Saturday, his arm speed and strength is not quite up to NFL standards. I know I am being a little harsh on this kid, but this is the big leagues and teams just do not have the luxury to hope glaring weaknesses get better. With the signing of Todd Collins and to a certain extent Matt Gutierrez, I think the Chicago Bears are sending a message that there is a concern with the depth of quarterbacks. Here is my prediction…the Bears will release LeFevour and try to sign him to the practice squad.

Hunter Hillenmeyer

[picappgallerysingle id="7371404"]Hunter Hillenmeyer was given the opportunity to start last season after Brian Urlacher was injured last season. He wasn’t very impressive. Now, in fairness to Hillenmeyer, he isn’t Brian Urlacher. But, he has been in the NFL long enough where he should understand the linebacker position. He seemed to have many missteps along the way. That being said, he is still a contributor on special teams and the coaches love him. He will make this team, but I think it is a lot closer than people think.

Al Afalava

[picappgallerysingle id="6853634"]Last season, Al Afalava was the toast of training camp. He impressed many people and earned a starting  job with the defense. However, that did not last long and the coaches seemed to be frustrated with his development. This season, he is listed third on the free safety depth chart and hardly mentioned by the coaches. Based on the moves of getting Chris Harris and Major Wright, I think Afalava will be off this team by the end of training camp. It’s too bad, because he had to overcome some things in his life to get here…but like with LeFevour, this is the NFL for a reason.

I am interested to hear some of your thoughts. Please follow me on Twitter.

Building to The Chicago Bears Strength

It is fairly easy to find the things the Chicago Bears do not do well. In fact, the pro-White Sox media (OK, had to throw this in here…) seems to find many things wrong that the Bears do. But, this is not the worst football team on Earth. Here are a few areas of strength for the Chicago Bears.

Special Teams

Brad Maynard and Robbie Gould are one of the premier kicking duos in football. Both kick in one of the toughest venues in football and do it at a high level. The Bears also have a strong group of returners. The best of all of these dudes is Devin Hester (will the old Devin Hester please stand up). Johnny Knox and Daniel Manning have both proven valuable in this roll as well. The Bears also cover kicks and block very well. Kudos to this group!

Starting Quarterback

Jay Cutler is a gifted quarterback. He has a cannon for an arm and can move out of the pocket. While he made some bad throws last year, he didn’t get much help. With a new system in place and more experience for his wide receivers, Cutler is due for a strong season.

Tight Ends

Finally the curse of Coach Ditka is gone. The Chicago Bears are blessed with good tight ends. While I am not the biggest Greg Olsen fan, he does bring some things to the table. Desmond Clark is a solid tight end and the most valuable of the group is Brandon Manumaleuna. Having this guy will help with the blocking on the offensive line. And when you are not looking, he will slip out and catch a pass.

Linebacker

You have one Hall-of-Famer (Brian Urlacher), one possible Hall-of-Famer (Lance Briggs), and a really solid player (Pisa Tinoisamoa) starting in this group. In addition, there is one solid backup (Nick Roach) and a veteran (Hunter Hillenmeyer) in this group.

In Closing…

I wanted to give us all some good thoughts for the day. It is easy to be negative, but today, its all about the love.

Lets take a look at how the Bears did, position by position.

Quarterback- 18/34, 199 yrds, 3 td, 2 int- Rating: 3/5

Kyle Orton started off great.  Taking the Bears down the field in three plays, all passing, on their opening drive resulting in a 19-yard pass to Greg Olsen.  Orton would finish with three touchdowns, a career high.  All three touchdowns came in the first half though.  The second half was a different story though.  In the third quarter Orton turned the ball over three times, one interception and two fumbles.  All three turnovers came on three consecutive possessions.  In the end, Orton turned out a pretty good performance, but needs to play like he did the first half more consistently if the Bears are going to make a run at the division.

Running Backs-  26 carries, 78 yrds, 3.0 avg- 6 catches, 43 yards- Rating: 3.5/5

This was not the best rushing performance by the Bears run game, but it did the job.  They picked up yards in key situations.  Matt Forte carried the ball 19 times for just 43 yards.  Kevin Jones spelled him three times for 16 yards.  Devin Hester gained 15 yards on an end around, and Marty Booker picked up three yards on what looked to be a wide receiver option.  Forte continued to be a reliable receiving option for Orton out of the backfield though, as Orton found him five times when he was getting into trouble.  In the end, you would like to see the ground game pick up more yards, but in a game where Orton shined in the first half, the ground game was able to eat away the clock in the fourth quarter.  Forte turned in a total 24 touches for 88 yards.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends- 12 catches, 157 yrds, 3 TDs- Rating: 3.5/5

The Chicago Bears reveiving core looked great as a group, but no one stood out alone.  Hester, Booker and Olsen all caught touch down passes.  Hester also dropped a pass over the middle of the field that would proably have ended in a touchdown.  He redemed himself with a 20 yard grab down the sideline for a second quarter touchdown that put Chicago up 21-14.  Olsen had three catches, and zero turnovers! Booker also got his first touchdown back with the Bears.  Brandon Lloyd, last weeks leading wide out, had two catches for 33 yards before leaving with an injury, which he did not return from.  Besides the dropped catch by Hester, the wide outs performed well.

Defensive Line- 13 tackles, 1.5 sacks – Rating: 4/5

The Chicago Bears were without pro-bowl defensive lineman Tommie Harris and did not have to face pro-bowl running back Brian Westbrook or pro-bowl guard Shaun Andrews.  They held running back Correll Buckhalter to just 66 yards rushing but he averaged 4.1 yards per carry.  The were able to keep Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb on the run though, sacking him 1.5 times.  The line made a huge stop in the fourth quarter though.  As the eagles drove 75 yards down the field with hopes of tying the, the Chicago Bears stopped them at the one yard line on 3 consecutive plays, yielding a turn over on downs.

Linebackers- 11 tackles, 1 sack- Rating: 3.5/5

The Bears linebackers played a great game Sunday, although not putting up huge numbers.  Lance Briggs was continuosly chasing guys around the field, and had two crowed ‘awwing’ hits.  Hunter Hillenmeyer sacked McNabb once, and Brain Urlacher was all over the field as usual, picking up 8 tackles.

Defensive Secondary- 22 tackles, .5 sack, 1 int- Rating 4/5

The Chicago Bears secondary played very well Sunday, allowing the least amount of passing yards and touchdowns by McNabb for the season.  Danieal Manning got into the back field to assist Ogunleye in a sack.  Kevin Payne tied Urlacher for the team lead in sacks with 8 tackles, he also returned an interception for 49 yards, almost scoring a touchdown.  The secondary had a touch time trying to cover speedy rookie DeShawn Jackson who scored the only receiving touchdown for the Eagles.  Charles Tillman left in the fourth quarter after being in obvious pain after missing a tackle.  The Bears secondary was able to prevent any really big plays, something usually tough for the opposing teams to do against the Eagles offense.

Overall Team Rating: 4/5

The Chicago Bears were the clear underdogs against the Eagles, as nobody was really giving them a chance.  The Bears showed early that they were a team that should not be looked over.  The second half play by the Bears offense, mainly Orton,  was clear to why they blew second half leads the last two weeks and are only 2-2.   The defense showed its true character with their goal line stand, which was definitely the focal point of the second half.

While it was first half offense that got the Bears going in week 4, it was traditional Chicago Bears defense that finished of the game in the second half.