Chicago Bears

Looking to fill their head-coaching vacancy, the Chicago Bears had interest in Ravens' assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg. However, the talks between the two sides never went beyond the preliminary stages, according to team sources. Rosburg, 57, never had a formal, in-depth interview and didn't aggressive ly pursue the opening as he was busy helping the Ravens prepare for their playoff run. The Chicago Tribune first reported today that the Bears  spoke to  Rosburg before hiring Marc Trestman, the former coach of the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League.

Football McKinnie, Dolphins meet; Vellano to Pats Ravens veteran free agent offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie visited the Miami Dolphins on Monday and underwent a physical, according to a source. There was no deal immediately with the former Pro Bowl lineman, with the source saying: "Nothing more than [a] visit right now. " Another NFL source familiar with Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland 's thinking on McKinnie described this as a "look-see meeting. " McKinnie got a preliminary inquiry before the NFL draft from the San Diego Chargers, and they talked to him Monday.

The Ravens today signed guard-center Reggie Stephens to fill out their practice squad. There was an opening after the team waived outside linebacker and former second-round pick Sergio Kindle yesterday. Stephens, who played his college football at Iowa State, was a seventh-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2010. He has also been with the Buffalo Bills and the Chicago Bears, but he's still yet to see action in an NFL regular-season game yet. Stephens, 25, is 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds.

2013 preseason Game 1: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Aug. 8, 7:30 p.m. Game 2: vs. Atlanta Falcons -- Aug. 15, 7:30 p.m. Game 3: vs. Carolina Panthers -- Aug. 22, 8 p.m. -- ESPN Game 4: at St. Louis Rams -- Aug. 29, 8 p.m. 2013 regular season Week 1: at Denver Broncos -- Sept. 5, 8:30 p.m. -- NBC Week 2: vs. Cleveland Browns -- Sept. 15, 1 p.m. -- CBS Week 3: vs. Houston Texans -- Sept. 22, 1 p.m. -- CBS Week 4: at Buffalo Bills -- Sept.

The Leffler Agency Inc. is branching out from the traditional advertising realm to help its new client, the Chicago Bears, find new sources of revenue. Using consulting and marketing skills it has honed working for other NFL teams that have landed new stadiums, the Baltimore-based agency will be responsible for doing revenue acquisition analysis for the Bears --showing them how to raise between $20 million and $30 million annually. "We've done more than anyone else in the country," said Bob Leffler, president and owner of the agency.

One of the more pleasant surprises of Ravens training camp thus far has been the play of cornerback Corey Graham. Signed to a two-year deal by the organization in March after he turned last season into a Pro Bowl campaign as a special-teams ace, the former Chicago Bear has impressed the coaching staff enough to join rookie Asa Jackson as the next tandem of cornerbacks after Lardarius Webb, Cary Williams and Jimmy Smith. The one player who is least shocked by Graham's performances is Graham himself.

Good morning -- Chicago Bears -- You declined a welcome home event. Did you worry Rex Grossman might fall off the stage?

The Ravens have finalized a one-year contract with veteran quarterback Caleb Hanie, according to a league source. Hanie is in Baltimore today and will immediately join the Ravens' offseason conditioning program. The Ravens later announced the deal. In Hanie, the Ravens have added another quarterback for training camp and provided Tyrod Taylor with competition for the backup job. "He's a talented guy," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "He's played in games and maybe hasn't been in the ideal situation for him yet. Based on the evaluation of our pro personnel department and our coaches, they felt like he fit us pretty well.

Redskins today Matchup: Chicago Bears at Washington Redskins in season opener Time: 1 p.m. TV/Radio: Chs. 45, 5/1430 AM, 106.7 FM Line: Redskins by 6

FootballChicago Bears -- Waived DT Ervin Collier. Signed LB Darwin Ireland.Dallas Cowboys -- Signed free-agent CB Deion Sanders.HockeyDallas Stars -- Signed RW Mark Lawrence and RW Nikolai Borschevsky to one-year contracts.

As you probably know by now, the NFL will release its regular season schedule tonight at 8 p.m. on the NFL Network. You most certainly know by now that the Ravens will open up on the road on Sept. 5 after they failed to work out a scheduling conflict with the Orioles for that night. Their opponent for the opener has not been announced but I think it would be a huge surprise to everybody at the Ravens' facility if it's not the Denver Broncos. Maybe, it was just a coincidence but the Ravens' Torrey Smith and the Broncos' Von Miller were even the live guests on a scheduling show last night on NFL Network.

The Ravens have finalized a one-year contract with veteran quarterback Caleb Hanie, according to a league source. Hanie is in Baltimore today and will immediately join the Ravens' offseason conditioning program. The Ravens later announced the deal. In Hanie, the Ravens have added another quarterback for training camp and provided Tyrod Taylor with competition for the backup job. "He's a talented guy," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "He's played in games and maybe hasn't been in the ideal situation for him yet. Based on the evaluation of our pro personnel department and our coaches, they felt like he fit us pretty well.

Looking to fill their head-coaching vacancy, the Chicago Bears had interest in Ravens' assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg. However, the talks between the two sides never went beyond the preliminary stages, according to team sources. Rosburg, 57, never had a formal, in-depth interview and didn't aggressive ly pursue the opening as he was busy helping the Ravens prepare for their playoff run. The Chicago Tribune first reported today that the Bears  spoke to  Rosburg before hiring Marc Trestman, the former coach of the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League.

The Ravens today signed guard-center Reggie Stephens to fill out their practice squad. There was an opening after the team waived outside linebacker and former second-round pick Sergio Kindle yesterday. Stephens, who played his college football at Iowa State, was a seventh-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2010. He has also been with the Buffalo Bills and the Chicago Bears, but he's still yet to see action in an NFL regular-season game yet. Stephens, 25, is 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds.

Every Monday morning, the day after my favorite day of the week but still hours before that week's slate of games officially wraps up with “Monday Night Football,” I will bring you my weekly premature NFL power rankings. Why Monday? Because who wants to wait until Tuesday or Wednesday for power rankings? Why 11 teams? I don't really have a good answer for that one. I've always liked odd numbers. What am I basing them on? Who my gut tells me are the toughest teams to beat that week.

In his longest stretch on defense of the season, Corey Graham finished Sunday's 25-15 win against the Cleveland Browns with six tackles. But the cornerback was unable to register an interception or a pass breakup, which contributed to the sixth-year veteran feeling unfulfilled about his play. “It was all right,” Graham said Thursday. “Obviously, some things have got to be better, and I feel like I can play a lot better. I've got to find a way to make more plays. It was up and down, and to me, it wasn't that good.

On whether the Ravens could beat the Chicago Bears I say yes if we played this past Sunday's game. I doubt it. Da Bears right now are playing the best football in the NFL (throwing out the Cardinals game). The sputtering the Ravens have gone through is quite more severe than the hiccups the Bears have experienced.

BaseballNew York Mets -- Activated P Wally Whitehurst from 15-day disabled list.Seattle Mariners -- Placed OF Henry Cotto on 15-day disable list.Texas Rangers -- Placed P Goose Gossage (sore right shoulder) on the 15-day disabled list. Recalled P Terry Mathews (5-6, 3.49ERA in 18 games) from Class AAA Oklahoma City.FootballMA Chicago Bears -- Signed TE James Thornton to 2-year contract.