Chicago Bears 2011 Jersey Guide

Sports fans love showing off their team colors. Whether it's buying hats, T-shirts or even those obnoxious Green Bay Packer cheeseheads, fans can't get enough team apparel.

With the Chicago Bears starting their preseason with an Aug. 13 game against the Buffalo Bills, there’s no better time to add some new apparel to your sports wardrobe.

Read More: To check out Patch's baseball jersey guide from back in April, click .

Still, the most difficult question in sports still needs to be answered: Whose jersey should you buy? And the bigger the fan you are, the harder it is to choose. Do you go with the obvious superstar? What about a team’s most recent draft pick? Should you just choose the steady veteran?

While it's not a life-or-death situation, jerseys aren't exactly cheap in preparing for the Bears' first regular season game on Sept. 11. Before dropping a few Benjamins on buying something you'll only wear occasionally, go through Patch’s guide on Chicago football jerseys and see which of the five recommended players fits you.

5. Jay Cutler - No. 6: From leaving the NFC Championship game against the Packers with an injury to breaking off his engagement with Kristin Cavallari, 2011 hasn’t been the easiest year for Chicago’s franchise quarterback. But this is still a quarterback who passed for almost 7,000 yards and 50 touchdowns in the last two years. If the Bears can keep him on his feet, fans will be happy with buying a Cutler jersey at a time when he has largely fallen out of favor.

4. Brian Urlacher - No. 54: As the symbol of the Chicago Bears over the last decade, Urlacher needs no introduction. He’s on the downside of his career, but still anchors a Bears defense that is annually among the league’s best. At 33 years old and entering his 12th NFL season, we don’t know how long Urlacher will be around, but No. 54 is the most popular jersey at Soldier Field for a reason.

3. Johnny Knox - No. 13: In only his second season with the Bears, the 24-year-old wide receiver from Abilene Christian University in Texas has proven himself as a solid target for Cutler. He caught 51 passes for 960 yards, only 40 yards short of becoming the first Bears wide receiver to eclipse 1,000 yards since 2002. As a young and promising receiver–something the Bears have lacked in recent years--Knox is someone the Bears will probably look to keep around for a while.

2. Julius Peppers - No. 90: Peppers didn’t put up the gaudy sack totals that he had with the Carolina Panthers, but his effectiveness definitely registered in his first season with the Bears. Perhaps the best overall defensive player on the Bears, Peppers finished fourth in voting for the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Peppers may be the most important player on the Bears defense, and, in Chicago, defense means everything.

1. Matt Forte - No. 22: One of the most underrated running backs in the NFL is largely forgotten amongst a team that boasts a number of big names and personalities. The young dual-threat star will be entering his fourth season and has become the focal point of the Bears offense. He had 288 touches last season, combining to gain more than 1,600 yards as a running back and receiver. He’s the Bears’ best offensive weapon and Patch’s No. 1 choice for this year’s Chicago Bears jersey.