Rod Remembers 0-16
Thomas George does a nice job for NFL.com, breaking down Rod Marinelli’s everything-riding-on-it impact on the defensive line.  The most interesting passage involves Tommie Harris:

“Tommie is strong, motivated, bright, perfect for the system,”
Marinelli said. “He was banged up last year. He seems pretty healthy.
He’s done it. This group is going to compete. It is exciting to see
them come together.”

I think most of us – myself included – forget how different this defense is with a healthy, disruptive Tommie Harris at defensive tackle.  He is capable of being the best defensive player in the sport and I think an argument can be made that he’s the team’s most important player.

Off-the-Radar, In-Camp
Brad Biggs lists the non-headliners to keep an eye on when camp opens next week.  The guy I’ll be watching closest, as I’ve said many times, is backup quarterback Caleb Hanie.  Biggs recognizes the impact Hanie is capable of having on the 2009 campaign:

All eyes will be on Cutler but Hanie’s basically blank resume is going
to make it imperative that he perform well in preseason. The Bears
aren’t going to panic if it looks sketchy behind Cutler, who has never
missed an NFL start, but seeing some solid outings out of Hanie will
make them feel pretty good about a potential No. 2 for a few seasons.
You can be young and ineffective and hold down a job as a No. 3 a team
is looking to develop. The backup needs to be able to come in and get a
team through a game.

Brett Favre = Jackoff
Say what I will about Brett Favre, his capacity to be a dickhead knows no bounds.  Brett Favre has gone from the most popular player in the sport to utter douche bag in just three years.  Unless you murder dogs in your backyard, that’s plain difficult.  While Favre is mulling his decision to return and half the Vikings’ roster is reaching out to him, there’s a couple guys actually in purple uniforms that are becoming more and more irritated by it.  Favre has become the football equivalent of meth.  He emerges in a new town every year and leaves devastation in his wake.