DE Peppers wants to thank DT Gilbert for jersey number

Joining the Chicago Bears on a $91.5 million, six-year contract, defensive end Julius Peppers was also offered to continue wearing No. 90 NFL jersey, a number that was previously worn by Bears defensive tackle Jarron Gilbert. Gilbert did not say anything about having to change jersey number, but Peppers is determined to thank him through proper ways.

"I hit him up about it, but it was kind of late because they had already announced that I was going to get it,’ Peppers told Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune. "When I talked to him, he was like, ‘It’s all good.’ I told him I appreciated it and that I had to do something to show my appreciation. (Gilbert) told me not to even worry about it, but I’m going to hook him up anyway. What am I going to get him? I don’t know yet. I’m still trying to decide, think about what’s going to be good. I didn’t even meet him yet. I’m going to meet him and see what he likes and then try to hook him up with something.”

Peppers is the second player to take away Gilbert’s jersey number in one year but could be the first to thank him for doing that. Wearing No. 90 at San Jose State before he was drafted by the Bears as a third-round pick last year, Gilbert had to change to No. 73 because the number 90 was already worn by linebacker Joey LaRocque. He wore back NO. 90 after LaRocque was released but had to give it up again when the Bears signed Peppers from the free agent market.

Bears seem interested in free agent DE Peppers

According to latest reports, the Chicago Bears were spot talking with Carl Carey, representative for free agent defensive end Julius Peppers. As it happened just a few days before the March 5 deadline for free agency, people could not help guessing what’s going on between the two sides.

Carey has no other active NFL client than Peppers. If the Bears were talking with him about signing Peppers, they would be on the hook for tampering NFL rules that do not allow conversations between the agents for looming free agents and potentially interested teams before the deadline day for free agency. Violation of tampering rules can result in fines and forfeiting draft picks for a franchise.

The 6-7, 283-pound defensive end was not designated with a franchise tag by the Carolina Panthers for 2010 season, so it’s almost sure that he will take off Panthers jersey by the end of the last league year to be an unrestricted free agent. And it has been reported that he is already on the free-agent watch list of several teams like the Washington Redskins, New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles.

Bears WR Hester expects cooperation with new coordinator

The Chicago Bears wide receiver Devin Hester is expecting to work with new coordinator Mike Martz, who may help the Bears improve their offense. Being known for his offense that puts up big numbers in the passing game, Martz was hired by the Bears earlier this month.

"That’s a guy a receiver would love to work with, the type of coach who spreads the receivers out," Hester told the Chicago Sun-Times. "If he brings that offense he had in St. Louis, we’re going to be a tough team to beat."

Martz seems to have the same expectation, saying that he likes what he sees of the Bears’ receiving unit, which has been maligned but has potential up-and-comers in Johnny Knox and Devin Aromashodu.

Although the unit is in lack of experience, Martz believes that there’s plenty of talent there. He indicated that he could use Hester in the slot. And he is also expecting a lot from the Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, who had failed to meet expectation since taking off his Denver Broncos jersey to become a Bears quarterback.

Bears center Kreutz is to have surgery on tendon

Making it to Pro Bowl for six times during his NFL career, the Chicago Bears center Olin Kreutz is expected to give a better performance next season, after he has the surgery to repair his injured Achilles tendon.

According to The Chicago Tribune, Kreutz will have the surgery on Thursday. As the Bears captain, Kreutz, however, had considerably low production this season because of the injury, which makes it difficult for Kreutz to push off and get leverage.

While Kreutz is absent, Josh Beekman will be used as the starter at center, but it is unlikely that he could keep that job for long as offensive line coach Mike Tice has tremendous confidence in Kreutz and would like to give back the starting job once he wears back his Bears jersey to play football.

Bears CB Tillman may miss season finale

The Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman is unlikely to put on his Bears jersey for the season finale to play against the Detroit Lions because of the injury he suffered during Monday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Tillman broke his ribs during the 36-30 overtime win over the Vikings and also suffered a lung contusion the same night on an inadvertent helmet hit by teammate Craig Steltz as they tackled Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe. Tillman stayed on the ground for several minutes and then was taken off the field on a stretcher.

More injuries came after that.

In the third quarter, Bears rookie Johnny Knox injured his left ankle while returning a kickoff and was taken off the field on a cart. Defensive end Israel Idonije sprained his foot, and safety Danieal Manning strained his right calf on a kickoff return. All the injured players remain uncertain for this Sunday’s season finale.

Vikings NT Williams not to play against Bears

Nose tackle Pat Williams will not put on his Minnesota Vikings jersey to play Monday night’s game for the team against the Chicago Bears because of elbow injury, Jimmy Kennedy will start at the position as replacement to Williams.

At 37, the Vikings’ second-oldest player behind Brett Favre, Williams has 44 tackles and two sacks in 14 games.

But it seemed that the going-to-be rival Bears should worry more about injuries. The Bears wide receiver Devin Hester missed his third straight game with a strained left calf, and safeties Kevin Payne and Al Afalava were listed as inactive respectively because of ankle injury and knee injury. Punter Brad Maynard retuned to team after the Bears signed Richmond McGee to a two-year contract for insurance, but it remains questionable whether the left groin injury that made McGee questionable earlier would allow the punter to play full time. And defensive end Adewale Ogunleye would miss all the remaining games the Bears are going to play as he has been put on injured reserve because of a broken left leg.

Bears RB Jones is eager to prove himself this season

Bears running back Kevin Jones is looking forward to this season to prove he has been fully recovered from injuries.

Jones was taken by the Lions as a first-round pick in 2004 and rushed for 1,133 yards as a rookie. But he has been plagued by injuries since. Last year he was signed by the bears but has been struggling as he recovered from injuries. That make Jones role tail off while teammate Matt Forte has emerged as one of the NFL’s top young running backs.

Now he finally felt like himself while running in nfl jersey and is ready to be the second man behind Forte in a solid, one-two punch for the Bears.