BEARS AT A GLANCE
	Cade McNown
	Last year: 4-12, fifth place in NFC Central Key returnees:: RB Curtis Enis (497 yards); RB Edgar Bennett (611 yards); DB Walt Harris (4 INTs); WR Bobby Engram (987 yards, 5 TDs); DL Jim Flanigan (8½ sacks) New faces: QB Cade McNown (first-round pick); OL Blake Brockermeyer (Panthers); LB Keith Burns (Broncos); DL Clyde Simmons (Jaguars), DB Chris Hudson (Jaguars) New places: DL Carl Reeves (Broncos); S Marty Carter (Falcons); DL John Thierry (Browns); OL Andy Heck (Redskins); QB Erik Kramer (Chargers) Watch out: Ready or not, rookie McNown is going to get his chance. He's not ready to win. Better than '98: Enis will show a lot better than he did as a rookie. Worse than '98: The Bears still don't have the talent defensively. -- Scripps Howard News Service

There's a new team president, a new head coach with a new staff, a new offense and a new quarterback.

Former vice president of operations Ted Phillips replaced Michael McCaskey as team president and CEO on Feb. 10. That came three weeks after McCaskey's bungled attempt to hire Cardinals defensive coordinator Dave McGinnis as the successor to Dave Wannstedt.

McCaskey did hire former Jaguars defensive coordinator Dick Jauron, the team's second choice as head coach, before being kicked upstairs to become chairman of the board. Jauron brought in former Louisiana Tech head coach Gary Crowton as his offensive coordinator, and Crowton brought with him the mind and the offense behind the NCAA's top passing attack last season.

Unlike the offense under Wannstedt's coordinators, Ron Turner and Matt Cavanaugh, the Bears will utilize the shotgun formation. They will also employ four or five wide receivers -- at the same time.

The Bears used the No. 12 pick in the draft to select Cade McNown as the quarterback who will direct Crowton's innovative attack. Vice president of player personnel Mark Hatley traded down from the No. 7 spot and still got the player he wanted to lead the Bears into the next century. However, since the team released incumbent quarterback Erik Kramer two days before the start of training camp, McNown might find himself leading the Bears much sooner.

By the time Hatley was finished wheeling and dealing on draft day, the Bears had 12 other draft picks, most of whom will be on the final roster. That's not surprising when you consider the Bears haven't had a Pro Bowl player since the 1993 season.

Here's a position-by-position look at Chicago's roster:

Quarterbacks
McNown will be the starter someday soon, but he won't get the call on opening day after his inconsistent efforts in the preseason. Jauron announced Sept. 3 that Shane Matthews will start the season opener, although McNown is also expected to play.

Despite his preseason struggles, McNown is everything the Bears expected in terms of confidence, work ethic and the ability to grasp the nuances of an offensive scheme much more quickly than an average rookie. He will not play it safe, which will wind up being a blessing at times and a curse at others. After a slow start in the preseason, Matthews started to justify the confidence Jauron and Crowton showed in him when they named him No. 1 heading into camp. This is Matthews' sixth NFL season, but he never started a game in the first five and played in only two.

Jim Miller, who won the No. 3 spot from second-year man Moses Moreno, has only slightly more playing experience than Matthews. Miller has started one game and played in five in five seasons. Moreno was subsequently released. Grade: D

Running backs
For all of Crowton's innovations and fancy formations, Curtis Enis is the single most important player in the offense. Although he's expected to start, Enis might not be 100 percent recovered from last season's torn anterior cruciate ligament by the season opener. When he is, he will be the focal point of the offense.

		The Bears' big questions are on the offensive side of the ball, especially at quarterback. New coach Dick Jauron has decided to go with Shane Matthews as his starter, but Jauron also said that rookie Cade McNown will play. Going with McNown, I think would be foolish. Matthews at least gives the Bears a shot to win on Sundays. Without him, the Bears have no shot. It also comes down to the play of Curtis Enis. If Enis can stay healthy, the Bears can be a good football team, not great, and stay competitive. The best they can do is probably 6-10.

Ty Hallock and Robert Chancey split the fullback duties last season, and not much has changed since. Chancey is the better athlete, but Hallock is the more reliable and experienced player.

If Enis is healthy, neither fullback figures to carry the ball very often, but both could be utilized in the passing game. Glyn Milburn will see much more action as a third-down back than he did last season, when that idea was broached but never followed up. Milburn's water-bug style is the perfect complement to Enis' battering-ram approach. Grade: C+

Receivers
Curtis Conway is healthier and appears faster than he was in either of his two previous injury-marred seasons. He's the Bears' most reliable deep threat and could be more effective this season now that Bobby Engram has emerged as a legitimate go-to wideout. While Conway battled injuries all of last season, Engram had a breakthrough year with 64 catches for 987 yards.

Veteran Chris Penn caught 78 passes over the last two seasons as the No. 3 receiver, just six fewer than Conway. But Penn missed almost all of training camp with a hamstring injury and was being pushed hard by 6-foot-5 Macey Brooks, who was the most productive receiver in the preseason. Tall, speedy Marcus Robinson could also figure in the mix if he can improve his inconsistent catching, but third-round picks D'Wayne Bates and Marty Booker could nudge him out of the picture after showing flashes in the preseason. Grade: B-

Offensive linemen
Seeking an upgrade over Andy Heck at left tackle, the Bears spent $17 million on former Panther Blake Brockermeyer. James "Big Cat" Williams looked to be fading last season, but a renewed commitment in the offseason has him looking much improved.

OLG Todd Perry is solid, but ORG Chris Villarrial needs to elevate his game after a so-so '98 season. Casey Wiegmann and Olin Kreutz are both capable centers who were still battling for the starting spot late into the preseason. Grade: B-

Defensive linemen
This unit has been much better defending the run than rushing the passer. DTs Jim Flanigan and Mike Wells are expected to be the heart and soul of the defense. Wells is a superb run stuffer who often occupies double-team blocks and still makes plays, while Flanigan's quickness and pass-rush ability can be disruptive.

Unrestricted free agents Clyde Simmons and Jamal Duff were brought in to bolster one of the NFL's worst pass rushes. (Chicago tied with Cincinnati last year for the fewest sacks in the league with 28.) Simmons, a 14-year veteran who is 10th on the all-time sack list with 114, might prove valuable if used mainly in pass-rush situations. Duff was not productive in the preseason and has been a bit of an underachiever.

Rookie Russell Davis was much more impressive in camp, and it wouldn't be a surprise if he won the starting DRE job. On the left side, Bryan Robinson is a force against the run, but defensive coordinator Greg Blache would like to see more of a pass rush from that side. That could be provided by rookie Rosevelt Colvin, who has the knack for pass rushing, though he is undersized. Grade: B-

Linebackers
The switch of Barry Minter and Sean Harris appears to be a success. Minter is better-suited for the weak side than he was for middle linebacker, and Harris has been more solid in the middle than he was on the weak side last year.

Rico McDonald is OK on the strong side, but that's an area that could use an upgrade. Rookie Warrick Holdman, a possible fourth-round steal, could be the answer. He has been around the ball frequently in the base and nickel defenses and on special teams. Grade: C

Defensive backs
CBs Walt Harris and Tom Carter are more than solid, and nickel DB Terry Cousin could be a better player than Carter, who is not stout against the run. The 5-foot-9, 182-pound Cousin is smaller than Carter but tougher.

Tony Parrish, who started every game at free safety as a rookie last season, has been moved to strong safety, where he is expected to be even more effective with his combination of big hitting and range. Chris Hudson, a three-year starter under Jauron in Jacksonville, was added through free agency to take over at free safety. When Hudson was out with a hip flexor during the preseason, the Bears discovered that backup Frankie Smith was more than a special-teams standout. Grade: B

Special teams
Punter Todd Sauerbrun is back after suffering torn ligaments in his knee in Week 3 of last year. The injury ended what had started out as his best season. Kicker Jeff Jaeger battled a nagging hip injury throughout the preseason that had the coaching staff concerned. He doesn't have great range, but he has connected on more than 80 percent of his field-goal tries in each of the past three years.

Milburn is a top-notch return man who took two kickoffs and one punt all the way back last season. He was the only player in the NFL to finish in the top five in his conference in punt and kickoff returns last season. The Bears' coverage teams were a major plus last season, but kamikazes Jim Schwantz and Andre Collins were released near the end of training camp. It remains to be seen if the younger players can fill their roles adequately. Grade: B+

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