And the hits just keep on coming.  Still in a contract dispute with the front office, Devin Hester did not show for the first day of Bears training camp.

Talks on a contract extension ran out of time and the team is expected to fine him $15,000 a day.

The problem is figuring his value as the Bears think he could be a No. 1 receiver. Hester, a two-time Pro Bowler, is scheduled to make $445,000.

The Bears need to give the guy his money, but Hester also needs to get into camp.  If he wants #1 receiver money he needs to win a #1 receiver spot.  Being out of camp for any amount of time doesn't help.

Somewhere deep in the hallways of the Bears training facility Ron Turner precided over a most crucial moment in Bears training camp history.  The coin flip between Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton to decide who would run with the first team offense on day 1.

The winner...Rex Grossman. 

Kyle Orton will take the helm on Thursday.

Hopefully this wasn't a coin flip to decide who gets to show off their inconsistency and mediocrity first.

At the beginning of next week I'd like to be posting that both guys have been playing lights out.

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With hours left before Bears training camp kicks off, the Bears and first round draft choice Chris Williams have agreed to terms.

The new deal is for 5 years for 13 million with 9 million up.  He can also earn another 3 million in incentives.

Williams impressed coaches with his talent and ability to grasp the offense during offseason workouts, but he will begin training camp behind veteran John St. Clair on the depth chart at left tackle. 

Williams appeared in 36 games at left tackle and left guard at Vanderbilt, finishing his college career with 33 consecutive starts. Starting all 24 contests over his final two seasons at left tackle, Williams received first team all-SEC honors as a senior and second team all-SEC accolades as a junior.

Bears offensive coordinator, Ron Turner, has stated that Devin Hester and Brandon Lloyd will open training camp at the reciever spots with the first team offense.

Currently neither is listed as the #1 recevier and considering the group we have at recevier, it is anybodys guess who will end up holding those spots.

``At all the positions right now, I'm not going to tell you who they are,'' Smith said of his top secret depth chart. ``We're going to go out on the football field and play and once we feel like everyone needs to know, we'll let you know then. If I know it a little bit earlier am I going to tell you, no.''

In other training camp news.  The Bears have opted for a coin toss to decide who will open with the first team at QB.  This is a typical method used by teams.

Also, to save the legs of Robbie Gould and Brad Maynard, punter Zac Atterberry, will be handling a lot of the punting and place kicking during training camp.

The position to watch this training camp is of course at QB.  Here are their career numbers.

Rex Grossman

Kyle Orton

Word around town is that most belive Kyle Orton will win this battle, if only for the reason he makes less mistakes.  If the Special Teams continues its stellar play and the defense gets back to form all this team needs is a solid run game and a steady QB, but if the line play doesn't pick up and allow the run game to get going would Orton be able to take over?

Rex Grossman is the ultimate risk/reward player.  If he gets into a rhythm he is a solid QB and throws a very good long ball, but he is incosistent and makes mistakes when the pressure is on.  Plus the Bears took away his top deep ball target.

The one topic that looked to eclipse our QB situation heading into training camp was that of MLB Brian Urlacher.  Urlacher wants more money, even more than the healthy sum the Bears offered him in a one year extension offered earlier.  Having heard no news most assumed this issue would spill over into camp, but the Bears and Urlacher have agreed to terms.

The deal will extend Urlacher through the 2012 season assuming he is still playing and the Bears have to released him.

Terms of the deal state that Urlacher will receive a 6 million signing bonus and his base pay will be raises 1 million in each season.  The 2012 season will be worth 7.5 million plus the possibility of a 750,000 workout bonus.

When healthy Urlacher is as dominant a figure at the linebacker spot as there is, but with issues concerning possible injuries with his neck and back and his untimely asking of a new contract have made some sour on Urlacher as the face of the franchise and have instead shifted it to Tommie Harris.  Urlacher is still the most recognizable face on this team and despite being oft called overrated, most overlook his presence dropping back into coverage instead focusing on his sack and int numbers, but facts are facts when he is healthy and in the game the Bears are a significantly better team than without him.

Not that this is unexpected, but ESPN released their Power Rankings today and the Bears clock in at the #25 spot.

The Bears are hoping Kyle Orton or Rex Grossman will emerge as a viable quarterback, but their histories suggest otherwise. It's a big risk to take. As with the Lions, the defense will have to take control.

There are a few odd things about the list, namely the Giants at 6 and the Packers at 8, but at least we rank higher than the Lions at 29. 

The Vikings fell in at #11.

This writer thinks that if Devin Hester can play half the Bears offensive snaps it will not take away from his return capabilities.  That's great, but the Bears seem intent on him being their number 1 receiver, would that take away from his returns?

The only concern is injury, but a team as deficient in playmakers as the Bears cannot afford to let that prevent them from using Hester in the passing game. If he plays half the offensive snaps, a realistic goal this year, then he still should have enough energy to return kickoffs and punts. He's a football player, tough-minded and willing to exert himself, and to remove Hester from a job returning kicks and punts that he does historically well would be a mistake. Finding a way to get Hester to multitask is the coaching staff's obligation.

The One Not To Be Named is backing Kyle Orton.  I guess that means Rex is our guy.

Mark Bradley's availability for the start of training camp is still up in the air.

At the time, the club announced he was questionable for the start of training camp. For his part, Bradley vowed he would be ready when things kicked off. It's fair to say it is important for Bradley to be involved early. He was essentially handed a starting job after Bernard Berrian set sail for Minnesota in free agency and Muhsin Muhammad was released. But after making just six receptions last season, and really being only marginally involved because of injuries since his rookie season in 2005, Bradley doesn't have much room for error.

2008 Preview, including Matt Forte facing plenty of 8 man fronts.

blllleeccc......hummmmpppphhhhh.....belemmmmm....

Sorry I just threw up in my  mouth a little bit.

Apparently, not all Bears are opposed to the idea.

"He knows how to win and he's won Super Bowls, you know, and he's been in every situation possible and he'd make our team a lot better," Bears kicker Robbie Gould told ESPN on Wednesday night at the ESPYs.