Chicago Bears Preview
By The Gold Sheet
What kind of trick was it that Denver pulled on Chicago last season? Weren't the Broncos supposed to send electric-armed QB Jay Cutler, who passed for over 4500 yards in 2008, to the Bears? Did Denver think it could get away with sending the 1971 version of Don Horn instead?
But the Broncos were involved in no such hocus-pocus. That was the same Cutler whom many believed had finally solved Chicago's decades-long dilemma at QB, and perhaps had given the Bears their first franchise QB since the distant days when Sid Luckman was taking snaps at Wrigley Field. Forget Luckman; what Cutler gave Chicago for most of last season was merely an updated version of Bob Avellini or Vince Evans, tossing a staggering 26 interceptions in a maddening debut campaign at Soldier Field.
In truth, however, Then, the regular season began, and key defenders began to drop like flies. Star LB Brian Urlacher was KO'd for the entire season with a severely dislocated wrist suffered in the bitter opening-night loss at Green Bay. Ex-Ram LB Pisa Tinoisamoa, an inspired free-agent addition, was shelved for much of the campaign by a knee injury, while DT Tommie Harris was slowed by recurring knee problems.
And for a while it looked as if Angelo and HC Lovie Smith were going to be forced to walk the plank (rumors of a reunion with HC Mike Shanahan and Cutler were buzzing up and down Rush Street in December), but the McCaskeys, who are not inclined to eat the remainders of multi-year contracts, decided to give their braintrust one more year to figure things out. Nonetheless, Chicago is only 23-25 since its Super Bowl season in 2006, and Lovie's once-feared "D" has not approached that level since. Required staff changes included replacing Ron Turner as o.c. with the well-traveled and former Rams HC Mike Martz, while Lovie promoted DL guru and former Lions HC Rod Marinelli to d.c. after attempts to lure the Bills' Perry Fewell (who instead joined the Giants) failed. Meanwhile, Angelo, his hands somewhat tied in the draft with no picks until the 3rd round after dealing away so much in the Cutler trade, instead attacked the free-agent ranks with a vengeance in order to add immediate help that might keep Lovie and him employed at Halas Hall.
The biggest fish in this season's FA pond, ex-Carolina DE Julius Peppers, was inked to a 6-year, $91 million deal by Angelo and figures to immediately upgrade the DL that was dealt a tragic blow in the offseason with the unexpected death of DE Gaines Adams, who flashed promise last fall. Peppers' presence should goose the pass rush simply by his ability to draw frequent double-teams, freeing linemates to wreak more havoc, and it's hoped the aforementioned Harris (off his first surgery-free offseason since 2006) finally rediscovers his old form. Getting back Urlacher and Tinoisamoa in a LB crew that includes Lance Briggs (fifth straight Pro Bowl) will be a plus for Marinelli, but questions still abound in the secondary, where Lovie has made a total of 40 lineup changes at the safety spots since taking over in 2004. Florida rookie Major Wright (Bears' top pick, though not until the 3rd round) should get an immediate opportunity to win the FS position.
Meanwhile, Martz will try to resurrect his old Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf" offense (which hasn't really flown in his recent stops at Detroit and San Francisco) with Cutler. To be fair, Cutler was not helped much in '09 by inconsistencies along the OL, which have not necessarily been addressed in the offseason, and accompanying ground game, which has seemingly been bolstered by the addition of versatile FA Chester Taylor from the Vikings to share carries and catches with Matt Forte, who tailed off noticeably (from 1238 YR to 929) after a stellar '08 debut. Another FA, ex-Charger Brandon Manumaleuna, fits the mold of blocking TEs in the Martz offense better than holdover Greg Olsen (team-best 60 catches LY), although the Bears say there will be room for both in the new-look attack. Cutler should also be more comfy in his second year with WRs Devin Hester and Johnny Knox, both homerun threats, while Earl Bennett's production increased from 0 catches in '08 to 54 in '09 after his old Vanderbilt chum Cutler arrived on the scene.
Bottom line...Chicago looms as a curious NFC X-factor, especially with the chance Cutler (who began to settle late LY) flourishes under Martz' watch. Lovie Smith and Jerry Angelo better hope so, because the McCaskeys are unlikely to continue to stay patient if the Bears miss the playoffs again.