The 2010 offseason was always going to be tough for the Chicago Bears in the wake of their failure to make the playoffs this season, but things got a whole lot harder last weekend with the sad death of defensive end Gaines Adams.Adams was only 26 when he passed away because of a cardiac arrest, caused by an enlarged heart.
Although he only played ten times for the Bears after a trade over from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the side were counting on an improvement in his play next season to solve their problems in the front four. These troubles could be compounded by the loss of free agent Adewale Ogunleye.
Adams was picked fourth in the 2007 NFL draft and led all rookies with six sacks in his opening season, but he struggled to have the same impact in the two seasons after that and cost the Bears only a middling second round pick midway through the season.
The news of Adams' death came at the end of a week in which the Bears had missed out on two of their main targets for the roles as coordinator on both sides of the ball.
First came the news that Jeremy Bates had decided to follow Southern Cal coach Pete Carroll to Seattle and become his offensive coordinator - Bates had been the number one target for the Bears because of his work with Jay Cutler when the pair were both in Denver.
There was another rejection when Perry Fewell, who had been in the running for the head coaching vacancy in Buffalo, opted for a defensive coordinator's role with the New York Giants.
It's likely that next season's NFL betting will reflect the problems the Bears are now facing.
Now coach Lovie Smith, a set of players lacking true star potential, and fans in need of a long run into the playoffs will have to hope the franchise's luck returns soon or it could be a long season in 2010 for the Windy City's finest.
However, it is unlikely American Football betting experts will be tipping the Bears to go on to great things in 2010/11.
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