BOURBONNAIS | A pair of former Bears have blasted the team's passing game and quarterback Rex Grossman, but that didn't worry the team's coaching staff or players on Monday.
Former Bears wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad's assessment of the Bears? He told Sports Illustrated "It's where receivers go to die." And former Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson, a Gary native, told CBS Sportsline.com that Grossman was "brittle" and "soft."
Grossman, who is battling Kyle Orton for the Bears' starting quarterback spot, had little to say about it. "I don't pay attention to any of that," he said.
Asked why his former teammates would say these things, Grossman added, "I'm not sure. I think they've got their own reasons why they need to talk about things. I just do my job and be quiet."
Muhammad, 35, returned to play for the Carolina Panthers after being cut by the Bears following one of his least productive seasons. Johnson joined the Dallas Cowboys for the second half of last season after serving an eight-game NFL suspension for violating probation on a gun charge.
Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner noted the insult.
"To be honest that's the first time I ever heard that from either of those guys, but any time anybody says something about guys on this team you take offense to it," he said.
Only three teams had more interceptions than the Bears' 21 last year. Chicago finished 27th in completion percentage (57.5) and 15th in passing yards (209.8).
Wide receivers coach Darryl Drake said Muhammad is mistaken if he thinks the passing attack hasn't developed receiver talent.
"Look at the guys who've been here," Drake said. "Bobby Wade came here and developed, got better and if he hadn't developed and gotten better, the Titans wouldn't have wanted him, Minnesota wouldn't have wanted him. Justin Gage, the same way, if he hadn't have come here and gotten better, he wouldn't have gone (to Tennessee) and gotten $15 million or $16 million. Bernard Berrian, if he hadn't developed, wouldn't have got $42 million with Minnesota."
Muhammad went from being the No. 1 receiver to No. 2 behind Berrian in Chicago, Drake said.
"I think while Moose was here he got better," Drake said. "I think one of the things that happened was the emergence of Bernard. He had to share some things there. His role probably changed from what he was accustomed to."
Grossman is set to start Saturday in Seattle, and it's possible a regular-season starter could be announced next week.
"We haven't put a timetable on it," Turner said. "But we know we need to make a decision so we can start getting the timing and everything else going."
