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NFC North: Impact Newcomers

SI put out a photo gallery for new comers to the NFC North who are likely to make a splash.

They listed three Bears.


Brian Griese
The Bears appear to be committed to Rex Grossman as their No. 1 guy, but Griese will likely get a shot before long because of Grossman's persistent injury problems. Griese had excellent individual years with the Broncos and the Bucs, but overall his career has been marked by inconsistency. Fortunately for him, Chicago's offense is similar to the ones he led in Denver and Tampa Bay.

Ricky Manning Jr.
After Panthers receiver Steve Smith had his way with Chicago in last year's playoffs, the Bears vowed to upgrade their secondary. They probably overpaid for Manning, but the former Panther has a knack for making big plays. And with multiple-receiver sets being the norm in today's NFL, he'll see plenty of action at nickelback.

Devin Hester
Forget contributing to the defense; Hester has little experience at cornerback and the Bears have depth here. But he could make a difference in the return game. A track star at Miami, the speedster returned four punts and two kickoffs for touchdowns in college. After last year's return nightmares, the Bears would love to have a real threat on special teams.