72 hours from now all players should be in Bourbonnais. There has been
no word yet on Williams inking his deal yet. Based on a previous
article at the Trib it was looking as though he would be in camp on
time.

While some posters are looking at the upcoming camp with cautious
optimism, others are filled with trepidation.

Health is alway a concern, and more so with the Bears than in recent
years.

Tommie Harris should finally be 100% after coming off a 2007 campaign
that found him favoring his surgically repaired leg which led to
injuries to the good leg/hamstring.

Along side Harris, Dusty Dvoracek may find himself in a dogfight to
remain the starter next to Harris, when the season begins. If both
DT's are 100%, the line should begin well.

Urlacher finds himself in an interesting spot. Still not agreeing to
the fair extension offer the Bears put on the table in the off-
season, Brian is coming of####ood year, but has to deal with an
arthritic back AND neck surgery this past off season.

Urlacher is not getting any younger and could be on the verge of
seeing his skills start declining.

Mike Brown is yet another Bear coming off an injury plagued season.
Brown has suffered 4 season ending injuries in each of the last 4
seasons with a ruptured achilles and a torn ACL the most serious. He
has been flying around the practice field in mini-camps and OTA's.
The secondary is obviously better when Brown is on the field.

Another important piece of the puzzle is CB Nate Vasher. Vasher tore
a groin muscle against Dallas in week three and only saw the field
one time thereafter.

His presence on the field will also be key to the Bears resurgence on
defense in 2008.

An unseen benefit of all the injuries last year is the experience
gained by players that will be on the roster as depth this year.
Guys like Graham, McBride and Payne.

Then added to the equation are the rookies: Harrison, Steltz and
Bowman.

It is easy to predict the DEFENSE WILL BE BETTER than last year. If
Mike Brown, Tommie Harris and Dusty Dvoracek stay healthy in 2008, it
is entirely possible the defense returns to the top 5 this season.

The trepidation comes from the other side of the ball. Some people
think Ron Turner should have had the door smacking his backside as he
was swept out the door after the disastrous year we were forced to
witness. Perhaps one reason he was retained for 2008 is the
continuity the system gives an offense that will see so many
personnel changes this year.

The OL wasn't even a shadow of what was expected from them last
year. Gone are two starters and one starter changes position heading
into 2008.

We all know the offense has the potential to be good. Every national
writer visiting camp last year raving about what they witnesed is
evidence for said potentail. The OL ineptitude along with Olsen's
injury and the lack of using Hester combined with too many dropped
passes and poor route running by WR's and zero running game doomed
the offense last year. Grossman was benched after week three and
playoff aspirations dwindled quickly.

Questions are many and answers few as Camp Bourbonnais begins in
slightly more than 3 days. Williams should be moved up to the
starting LT position by the end of camp's first week, leaving the LG
position up for grabs.

The TE position is set with perhaps one of the best TE tandems in the
NFL.

The QB spot is wide open and so key in how the offense will operate:
With Orton, it is reasonable to assume a more workmanlike approach of
ball control. If Grossman earns the start it is just as reasonable
to believe we would see a more verticle attack.

Can Kevin Jones help solidify a running game that promises to feature
rookie Matt Forte, after an ACL repair operation just 8 months ago?

There are far too many questions that stand unanswered heading into
camp. One thing is certain: We will know every move Orton and
Grossman make; every bad throw, every interception and most likely
everything they ate while at their Summer home.

I wouldn't be surprised to see polls equal to those for the upcoming
Presidential election.

"After three days at camp, the Bear poll has Orton ahead by three
points, but Grossman will line up tomorrow with the "ones" as they
continue alternating days as the first string QB. Come back tomorrow
for the latest poll results...."

With all that pressure, it will be a very interesting camp for Rex
and Kyle.

Very interesting indeed!!!