Top ten players that need to stay healthy for the Bears to compete in the NFC

10. Chris Williams

The Bears first round pick is supposed to provide a quick fix for an offensive line that was one of the NFL’s worst last season. Williams will be expected to play right away and there isn’t much depth behind him.

9. Marty Booker

Booker is the only experienced receiver the Bears have on their roster. While Greg Olsen, Mark Bradley, and Devin Hester will provide big plays, the Bears need Booker to keep the chains moving.

8. Rex Grossman

No matter what else happens this year, hopefully we finally see what the Bears have in Grossman. His career has been filled with nearly as many highs as lows, and, even as he enters his sixth season, the Bears still don’t know if he can be a starting quarterback.

7. Dusty Dvoracek


Dusty drew rave reviews last offseason, but fell to injury for the second year in a row. He brings a nastiness that was missing from the Bears D last season, and should be the perfect compliment to Tommie Harris.

6. Nathan Vasher

Vasher missed virtually all of last season, and it’s no coincidence the Bears D struggled in his absence. If he and Charles Tillman can stay healthy, the Bears have one of the NFLs top cornerback tandems.

5. Matt Forte

With the Bears not planning on signing a veteran runner, Forte will have to do the heavy lifting all season long. If Forte goes down early, the Bears will be in for a long year.

4. Mike Brown

It’s a shame Brown is always hurt: the Bears are noticeably better with him on the field. Since the other starting safety will be inexperienced (Kevin Payne? Craig Steltz?), the Bears will need Brown’s leadership on the field all season long.

3. Tommie Harris

With a new contract in hand, Harris should be poised for his best season as a pro. He’s had durability concerns his entire career, but after seeing him get seven sacks on one leg last season, Harris could be ready to set the NFL on fire if healthy.

2. Devin Hester

Ugh. Let’s not even think about Devin Hester getting hurt. Forget I mentioned it.

1. Brian Urlacher

Not only does Urlacher need to stay healthy, but he needs to be special again if the Bears have any hopes of returning to the Super Bowl. Injuries and age have started to pile up on Urlacher, but one more monster season could make the Bears relevant again.