There's been a lot of argument that we are built for the Tampa Two defense, so we shouldn't consider changing it. It's also been a factor in the keep Lovie/fire Lovie debate. I'm not necessarily calling for the scrapping of our defense or coaches (though I wouldn't be heartbroken if it happened). I just want to show why it's a bogus argument.

   Because a Cover Two defense requires a lot of system-specific players, it makes for some difficulty in transitioning to a new scheme. The two biggest options are the base 4-3 and the currently popular 3-4. The Jim Bates style 4-3 calls for bigger, mauling DT's (which we don't have) instead of the quicker get-up-the-field type of DT's (which we also don't have, oddly enough.) The linebacking corps is based more around the MLB than in the cover two. The secondary has to be more adept at playing man coverage rather than zone (again, ours are good at neither of these.) Switching to the 3-4 would require an almost complete top to bottom revamping of our defense. Switching to either of these schemes is going to take some time, and we will have a season or two of struggling, and that's assuming the new personnel works out.

    If we're going to do it, now is the time. Not right this minute obviously, but this offseason. The argument against it is that we're built for the cover two. We may in fact be built for it, but it's been awfully poor building. Other than Lance Briggs, is there a single guy on our current defense that makes you think "we can't change because he's too valuable to us?"

   Let's face it, Tommie Harris is done. He's been injured too many times, and I truly don't think that he's all that dedicated to being dominant again even if the injuries let up. The rest of our DT's are barely serviceable on a good day. Wale is doing just enough to try for a new contract, and Alex Brown could probably be useful in either of the other systems I've mentioned. Even if not, I love AB, but he's not the type of impact player that you build around.

    As far as the linebackers go, Urlacher is at the end of the road, Briggs is good enough that he could probably excel in any system, and none of the others are worth losing sleep over (Pisa is good, but I don't think he's signed long term.) Should I even discuss the secondary? Other than sentimentality for Tillman, is there a single defensive back that you would be upset over losing? Hell, I can think of several I'd prefer to lose. Off the subject a little, but considering our coaches penchant for switching players from position to position, does it bother anyone else that Tillman, the one player who would probably benefit most from a position change, has never been moved to safety? I can only assume it's because the rest of the CB's are so bad that they can't afford to move him.

   My point is not that we necessarily have to do away with the Tampa Two. I'm simply saying that if we're ever going to make the change, this is the offseason for it to happen. The few elite players we have are young enough that they can make it through a couple years of rebuilding and still see the other side of it, save for Urlacher. The Bears' upper management has some serious decisions to make, and they need to be made soon. Letting the defense rot away rather than blowing it up to rebuild can cost us valuable time, which Jay could be using to take us back to prominence.