LOVIE SMITH
OPENING REMARKS
After a disappointing season as you look at the body of the work I was excited the way we were able to finish the last couple of games and beat a couple of good football teams. I feel like that started hopefully our climb back on top for the 2008 season. Since then, for the most part, we have been able to keep our coaching staff in place. We’ve lost one coach, we’ll probably end up losing two coaches, but I feel like we have someone in place to fill all of those positions. Then from there it is about our personnel, No. 1 trying to keep as many of our core players as possible, which hopefully we’ll be able to do. We have a couple issues with that, but we feel like we’re making progress with some of them. And we’ve had to release a couple players that have meant a lot to our ballclub, guys like Fred Miller, Muhsin Muhammad, Darwin Walker, players that played a big part in what we did this past year. But with the new year change comes about. We feel excited about the direction we are going. Of course it is always good to come down to the combine. You feel like you get a chance to look at some other players that will be a part of your ballclub the next year. So, that’s where we are, I’ll take your questions.
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO BRING BERNARD BERRIAN BACK?
It’s very important. Players that you’ve brought up, we drafted Bernard, we’ve seen him grow as a person, of course as a player. He’s a very good football player. He’s a 1 receiver. It’s important. Hopefully we can find a way to keep him in Chicago.
IS IT VIABLE TO TAG BERRIAN?
Well, of course we are keeping all options open. Right now, as much as anything, I am just interested in us trying to find a way, however we have to do it to keep him there.
ASSESS YOUR QB SITUATION CURRENTLY?
Well, right now, just like most of our ballclub, we weren’t happy with everything that happened this past year. But right now Rex Grossman is an unrestricted free agent who is out there. We of course would like for him to come back, along with our two other quarterbacks we have right now. Every position we’re trying to improve right now. That’s where we are with the quarterback position and again hopefully we can stabilize it a little bit more coming up.
IS THE WINDOW STILL OPEN FOR YOU TO COMPETE FOR THE SUPER BOWL OR ARE YOU REBUILDING?
Well, we’re definitely not rebuilding. As far as Super Bowl window, it was a long time ago it seems like we played in the Super Bowl. But we like the core of our team still. I feel like we’re close. It’s a fine line between winning and losing. This past season it went the other way for us. The Super Bowl champion New York Giants had an excellent year, we were right in it with them right up until the end. So we feel like we are close. We’ll make a few changes which you do normally and go from there.
DO YOU HAVE MORE HOLES TO FILL NOW THAN A YEAR AGO?
Again, that’s a long time ago thinking about what we talked about then. I know we do have a few things we do need to get taken care of right now though. But I feel like the good part about, I guess not being in the playoffs, is you get a chance to start the process a little bit quicker which we’ve been able to do. It’s been a while, we missed the last couple of Senior Bowls, we were down there watching them this year. So we have some holes but we feel like we are making progress.
HOW DO YOU VIEW THE LANCE BRIGGS SITUATION RIGHT NOW?
Well, just like I said with Bernard, my entire time in Chicago I have been with Lance Briggs. He’s been an All-Pro player for us, how many teams would like to see an all-pro go somewhere else? So, I’m optimistic. My glass is half-full always. Hopefully, that will be the case. I know we have made statements, we realize when you have a player out there like Lance a lot of teams want him. We’re one of them that do.
DO YOU SEE MIKE BROWN RETURNING FOR 2008?
We sure do. Mike is another part of the core. Even though he has missed a lot of games, Mike means quite a bit. I’m a big Mike Brown fan. I always have been. Yes, we would definitely like to have Mike back with us.
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