2. What are your current strengths as a receiver?

3. What are the major areas of improvement you need to work on?

4. How much of a struggle was it to juggle the duties of being a full time receiver and all of the work and preparation that came with that along with your duties as a returner?

5. Would you still prefer to be a full-time kick returner along with being a full-time receiver?

6. How much film work do you do in the average week?

7. How has your relationship with Jay Cutler developed on and off the field?

8. How would you compare your brief experiences playing with Cutler to playing with guys like Orton and Grossman?

9. Which, if any, receivers do you try to model your game after and study?

10. What receivers past and present on the Bears have been most helpful in your transition to receiver?

11. Do you feel more comfortable lining up on the outside as a split end or flanker or inside as a slot receiver?

12. How do you work in your instincts as a returner to your game as a receiver?

13. Do you mind blocking in the running game or for fellow receivers?

14. What are your goals for the 2009 season entering training camp?

15. With the wildcat formation coming into vogue last year, do you feel like you would be a good fit running it like Ronnie Brown in Miami?

16. Following up on that last question. Besides receiver, where might you line up this year?

17. In your heart of hearts, what position would you ideally play?

18. Over the years, how immersed have you become in the Bears-Packers rivalry?

19. What is the most memorable play of your career?

20. How was it playing football at “The U”?

21. Do you still follow the Miami program?

22. What players from Miami past and present do you keep in contact with, and have you worked with someone like Michael Irvin in the off-season?

23. When did you start playing football? 

24. At what point did you seriously consider playing football as a career?

25. What you do think of the nickname “Windy City Flyer”?

26. How much of a problem do you have living a regular life as a high-profile sports figure in such a sports-crazy city?

27. Any significance wearing the number 23? And are you able to keep wearing it as a full-time receiver now?

28. What are some of your favorite activities off the field?

29. What player on the team do you hang out with most off the field?

30. What was it like to be first player rated as 100 speed in the Madden video-game franchise?

The whole Lovie Smith mantra of the Bears running when they got off the bus has proven to be bluster apt for the Windy City, wise talk that does not follow with action.

In today’s NFL, you need to have an efficient and consistent passing game that can control the ball and move the chains, with enough running game sprinkled in to keep defenses honest. The best offenses also have the ability to capitalize on big plays made in the down field passing game.

For a fleeting moment, Grossman to Bernard Berrian formed a potent connection that caused defenses to start game planning against a Bears passing game. However, once defenses started accounting for Grossman as a threat he disintegrated into the quarterback currently looking for a job without much luck.

Unlike Grossman, Cutler has displayed the consistency the past two seasons to prove that he belongs in the talks for best young quarterback in the NFL.

Adept at hitting the tight end down the middle, a wide receiver on out patterns along the sidelines, or the streaking open man on go routes, Cutler can accurately make all the throws needed to lead an NFL offense.

An underrated route runner, Devin Hester showed the ability to run crisp intermediate and deep routes on the sidelines to go with his ability to get down field.

Greg Olsen has proven to be a good target in the middle of the field, with the added bonus of being able to split out wide and work the sidelines with his 6'5" frame.

Rookie Juaquin Iglesias did a nice job on the outside in college and hopes to transfer those skills to the NFL. He will need to practice and gain experience at working the middle of the field, but with Olsen and dependable veteran Desmond Clark at tight end he will not have to be rushed into that role.

Finally, dual threat running back Matt Forte can be a safety valve out of the backfield in the passing game, get down the sidelines on flare routes, and pick up blitzing rushers as a pass blocker.

No More Restrictions

When Grossman failed to pan out, Turner had to scale back the Bears playbook because of the inherent weaknesses of Brian Griese and Kyle Orton.

Griese lacked the arm strength to make deep sideline throws. Orton struggled with those throws as well as the deep ball rarely connected with Hester and others.

Used to playing in blustery conditions in Denver, Cutler should have no problems making the necessary throws accurately in Chicago and his 63 percent career completion percentage will be a welcome sight for Bears fans used to seeing open targets over or under thrown.

The Bears also have a strong running back that defenses have to game plan for in Forte, who had 1,715 yards from scrimmage in his rookie season (ranking third in the NFL). 

Forte’s 3.9 yards per carry in 2008 is deceiving (and actually impressive in a way) in that defenses immediately started putting eight and nine men in the box after he rushed 304 yards in his first three pro games.

Overly reliant on the run game at times last season for obvious reasons, Turner can now mix up his play calling and take more chances that the Bears can earn good yardage on early downs (not having to call a run up the middle or four yard out route that defenses concede).

Turner proved back in 2006 that he can get creative with his play calling when he has confidence in his quarterback to make good decisions. With the dual threats of Cutler under center and Forte in the backfield, look for Turner to suddenly become a play caller that can out-think defensive coordinators.

After finishing the 2008 season 26th in the NFL in yards per play, 25th in yards per pass, 27th in yards per drive, and 22nd in offensive efficiency, the Bears now have the firepower to score quickly and not have to rely on 15 play scoring drives.

What To Expect in 2009

As I just mentioned above, the Bears offense will definitely be a more explosive unit that will no longer rank towards the bottom of the league in big plays.

Just taking in the raw amount of attempted passes and running plays, the Bears actually threw the ball approximately 55 percent of the time in 2008. However, many of those passes came from the screen pass, dump off, and short out variety, so that figure feels a little deceiving (short passes basically acting as glorified running plays).

While the ratio of passing and running plays may not be much different in 2009, the passing plays should be far more efficient and grab much bigger chunks of yardage.

In 2006, the Bears averaged 12.2 yards per completion compared just to 10.9 yards per completion in 2008. That translates to a 650 yard difference (based on 500 attempts) over the course of a season, the difference between the nine wins in 2008 and the 13 wins of 2006.

Quick out patterns can often be replaced by deep posts/sideline outs that Hester has become very proficient at running.

Short button hook patterns run by the tight ends will be replaced by 10-15 yard patterns that utilize the speed of Olsen and Clark as well as Cutler’s ability to fit the ball in small windows.

Down and distances like second and 10 and third and eight will not be so daunting and the play calling on first down can be reflected as such.

Turner loves calling the play-action deep ball on first down but could not call that play very frequently the last two years. With Jay Cutler on board, expect the Bears to take chances like that with much greater frequency.

A final reason for optimism for the Bears offense in 2009 is a much improved offensive line. While Cutler suits the strengths of Ron Turner’s offense much better than Orton, he will also have a much cleaner pocket that will give him the needed opportunities to make plays.

Going into the 2009 season, the Bears could see a series of battles for starting spots and playing time at just about every position on the field outside of quarterback, running back and center. In most of these cases, it is the classic predicament of older veteran players trying to hold off the hungry young competition, hoping to force their way onto the field.

The Competition at Wide Receiver

As I mentioned in my team preview, third round draft pick Juaquin Iglesias and 2008 third rounder Earl Bennett should get every chance possible to win the No. 2 and No. 3 wide receiver jobs.

Veteran Rashied Davis will be given a cursory chance to hold onto his job, but Bears management and coaches would love to see him supplanted by players they made major commitments to by taking them early in the draft.

Iglesias has a good chance of earning immediate playing time because of his polished receiving skills and experience playing in a pro-style offense at Oklahoma. At 6'0", 210 pounds, Iglesias possesses quality size for the receiver position and could be a good complement as a possession-type receiver to the big play abilities of Devin Hester across the field.

Playing in the shadow of Malcolm Kelly and Jermaine Grisham in college, Iglesias quietly racked up 142 catches for over 2,000 yards as an upperclassman, earning all Big 12 honors as a senior. Iglesias may not possess the top end speed of most elite NFL receivers, but he runs efficient routes and can sneak by defenders downfield if not given proper attention and coverage.

Bennett failed to earn significant playing time as a rookie, but coaches expect him to earn a serious role in his second season.  With similar size to Iglesias at 6'0", 203 pounds, Bennett can also be more of an intermediate type receiver to run the short and medium yardage routes. He flashed nice speed in the return game, but as a receiver projects to be a possession type, that ideally averages 11-13 yards per reception.

A major positive for Bennett is his experience playing with Cutler at Vanderbilt, becoming Cutler’s favorite target during his freshman year in 2005. Already possessing a rapport with the new quarterback can be a key for Bennett to earn a spot on the field in key situations and potentially be a go-to player on third down.

Davis signed a multi-million dollar deal last offseason but failed to establish himself despite receiving ample opportunities to earn a starting spot. A quality locker room presence, Davis will probably earn a roster spot. However, his days as a main receiving option for the Bears have likely ended.

Fifth round draft Johnny Knox may find his way onto the field occasionally because of his deep speed, but he will probably need a few years of development before potentially challenging for a starting spot.

Still, with the large opening the Bears currently have at the wide receiver spot, a long shot may just cash in on a great opportunity. Knox impressed at the Bears rookie mini-camp, and just three years ago we saw a then unknown in Marques Colston go from being a seventh round pick from Hofstra to perennial All-Pro.

The smart money remains on Iglesias and Bennett winning the key receiving spots. If they can perform closely to the level of Davis (which they should), they will be given the positions with the reality that high drafts picks get preferential treatment.

Three for Two

Going into training camp, the Bears plan on starting major free agent acquisition Orlando Pace at left tackle, entrenched veteran Olin Kreutz at center, and 2008 first round pick Chris Williams at right tackle.  The competition remains wide open at guard, with 2008 starters Josh Beekman and Roberto Garza battling free agent pick-up Frank Omiyale for the two starting spots.

Beekman and Garza actually played fairly well in 2008, but the coaching staff’s disappointment of the offensive line play last year caused a major offseason restructuring of personnel that could see three new starters on the line. 

Garza, a veteran that has been a successful run blocker after coming over from Atlanta, gives the Bears an experienced option that rarely embarrasses himself and provides consistent effort.  Still, he does not have the upside or natural talent of Beekman or Omiyale and could see the younger competitors pass him by.

Drafted as a versatile lineman that primarily played center at Boston College, Beekman transitioned to the guard spot and found his way onto the field in his second season due to injuries and lack of available options following the retirement of Ruben Brown. 

Not quite as consistent as Garza, Beekman still acquitted himself pretty well in the run game and had to be saddled by playing next to turnstyle left tackle John St. Clair (often having to be part of a double team against opposing speed rushers). A possible successor to Kreutz at the center spot, Beekman also looks like a promising guard prospect that should continue to get better with time.

Unknown by many football fans, personnel people around the league hold Omiyale’s talent in high regard, with his acquisition a major offseason priority to general manager Jerry Angelo. 

Capable of playing both the guard and tackle spots, Omiyale will receive an opportunity to start at guard with the coaching staff looking for much improved offensive line play.

The progress of Omiyale will be something to closely follow, as the Bears clearly have plans for him after moving quickly to sign Omiyale in favor of more high profile players.

No More Complacency

Hiring Rod Marinelli set the tone for a tough training camp for an older defensive line that rapidly declined in 2008.  Devoting two of the first three draft picks on defensive linemen cemented the fact that the Bears will not accept players like Tommie Harris, Mark Anderson, and Adewale Ogunleye not giving their best efforts by having their replacements in the wings.

Jarron Gilbert may be known as the Pool Jumper, but the rookie from San Jose State had 22 tackles for a loss as a senior and comes to training camp expecting to win a starting spot.

Considered a great value as a third round pick, Gilbert has the size at 6'5", 288 pounds, to play inside but the athleticism to play as a left end in a 4-3 alignment. With current left end Ogunleye’s contract up following the 2009 campaign, Gilbert could be the heir to that spot and may not wait for Ogunleye to depart to seize his job.

If not taking Ogunleye’s spot, Gilbert may compete to replace Harris as the three technique defensive tackle. A long and arduous recovery from a severe 2006 groin injury combined with personal problems rocked Harris’s rising career that once had him compared with Warren Sapp. 

Still, just as he looked to be in danger of losing his starting spot, Harris rebounded with a solid finish to the 2008 season that showed glimpses of the multiple-time Pro Bowler Harris had been before the injury.

With the drafting of Gilbert and promising second year player Marcus Harrison also looking like a possible option at the three technique spot, Harris will have to fend off challengers and remain motivated to prove he can still play at a high level. Six months from nowm Harris could justifiably be out of the lineup or right back in Pro Bowl talks.

Anderson faces the most daunting challenge of all, as his roster spot could very well go to fourth round pick Henry Melton.  Registering 12 sacks as a rookie in 2006, Anderson looked like another Angelo draft steal and starter at the right defensive end spot for the foreseeable future. 

Fast forward to 2009, after long time starter Alex Brown re-claimed his right end spot late in 2007 when Anderson failed to keep pace, declining to five sacks in his second year and just one in 2008.

While Melton will not challenge for Brown’s starting spot barring a major surprise, Anderson will have to fight off the athletic former running back that the Bears want to develop. With pass rushers such a valuable commodity, Anderson will get one more chance to show his 2006 season was not a flash in the pan. That being said, Anderson better have a strong camp and preseason, or he will be looking for a job in August.

One position surprisingly not addressed in the offseason is the nose tackle spot opposite Tommie Harris (or Gilbert or Harrison), which looks to be Dusty Dvoracek’s for the taking if he can come back from another serious injury. 

When healthy, Dvoracek provides a stiff wall for opposing runners and occupies blockers for Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher to make tackles, playing a big role in the Bears holding opposing teams to just 3.4 yards per carry in 2008. 

Harrison and veterans Anthony Adams and Israel Idonije will receive chances to take Dvoracek’s spot in the rotation, but they do not possess the skill set like Dvoracek to succeed as nose tackles.

Biggest Problem of All

When discussing weaknesses of the Bears, most of the focus goes immediately towards the wide receivers.  However, a defensive backfield that battled through injuries and poor play in 2008 will need a few surprises to play at a high level in 2009.

Cornerback Charles Tillman and strong safety Kevin Payne should be reliable starters, provided they remain healthy (Tillman is coming back from off offseason shoulder surgery and Payne missed 2007 with a broken leg).  The other two starters remain a giant mystery that could have undesirable answers.

Fourth round pick D.J. Moore has the talent to become an NFL starter and surprisingly slid to the Bears after being expected to go a round or two earlier.  However, Moore’s struggles in the rookie mini-camp indicate that teams may have wisely passed over a short corner (just 5'9") who talks big.

Still, if he can successfully assimilate into NFL life, Moore has the opportunity to beat out disappointing veteran Nathan Vasher.

Vasher missed a good portion of 2008 due to injury and played poorly when healthy.  Replaced by second year player Corey Graham, Vasher and his big contract (signed after the 2007 season) may need to fight to make the team in 2009.  Like Vasher, Graham could enter the 2009 season as a starter or potentially be looking for a new team if he cannot beat out Moore and nickelback Danieal Manning (who has a roster spot ensured because of his kick returning ability). 

Competition at free safety looks equally confounding, with 2008 draft pick Craig Steltz battling free agent acquisition Josh Bullocks and quite possibly Tillman or Vasher should Moore and Graham solidify themselves at cornerback. 

The best (if not unrealistic) hope for the Bears is that Moore quickly matures, Graham shows that a few nice flashes as a starter were not flukes, and Vasher returns his previous solid form so that Tillman can make his eventual transition to safety in 2009.

Realistic expectations for the Chicago Bears in 2009 should be to the win the NFC North and compete for an NFC Championship. On paper the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles look to have deeper rosters, but after that the Bears belong in the conversation among top teams in the NFC.

In the NFC North, the Bears, Green Bay Packers, and Minnesota Vikings all have hopes for winning the division. With each team facing an easy schedule, it may be possible (though probably not likely) that all three teams make the playoffs in a much improved division. 

However, the Bears should go into the season as favorites because of the acquisition of Jay Cutler and offensive line depth, along with a strong 2009 draft.

Consider that the Bears have only had one quarterback, Erik Kramer in 1995, finish in the top ten in defense-adjusted yards above replacement (DYAR) in the last 20 years. Despite this dubious statistic, the Bears have finished with a winning record in three of the last four seasons, winning the NFC North in 2005 and 2006.

Meanwhile Cutler has finished in the top ten in DYAR the last two seasons (his first two full seasons as a starter), finishing fifth in 2008 behind just Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers, and Kurt Warner. 

Thanks to Cutler the Broncos won eight games last season despite having the second worst defense statistically in NFL history (only the 2008 Lions were worse) and a plethora of running backs (Michael Pittman, Peyton Hillis, Selvin Young, Ryan Torain) miss multiple games due to injury. 

Combining Cutler and a Bears roster only lacking a top flight quarterback makes for a strong overall unit that compares very favorably to their division and conference rivals.

The addition of Cutler creates a dynamic element to the Bears offense that they sorely lacked last season with Kyle Orton under center.  Cutler’s arm strength and ability to throw the deep ball meshes very well with top receiver Devin Hester’s skills and speed. 

Numerous times last season Orton missed an open Hester deep downfield on plays that could have changed the game, plays that Cutler should capitalize on much more frequently.

Other major benefactors of Cutler’s acquisition should be running back Matt Forte and tight end Greg Olsen. Forte will see far fewer eight man fronts with the threat of Cutler to opposing defenses, making him a much more efficient runner that can consistently break long runs.

Olsen, who quietly had 50 catches and five touchdowns last year, could become an impact player and top threat in the passing game because of Cutler's ability to utilize tight ends (as seen by the strong connection he had with Tony Scheffler in Denver).

After Hester and Olsen (and Forte out of the backfield), the Bears lack  pass catching options. Second year wide receiver Earl Bennett and rookie Juaquin Iglesias will get every chance to break into the line-up as Brandon Lloyd and Rashied Davis have shown to be mediocre at best NFL receivers. 

Failing in an attempt to acquire Anquan Boldin on draft day, the Bears hope Bennett and Iglesias will play like seasoned veterans.

Although not a dominant unit, the Bears offensive line does look much improved thanks to signing Orlando Pace among others, rightly being a key area addressed this off-season.  Even more important than the individual performers on the line is its collective depth, with seven guys capable of starting and playing at a respectable level. 

This unit should adequately protect Cutler in the passing game and open up running lanes for Forte.

The defensive side of the ball may actually be the bigger question mark for the Bears in 2009. The 2008 defense had a relatively strong bounce back from an awful 2007, but the unit still did not resemble the elite defense it performed like in 2005 and much of 2006.

New defensive line coach Rod Marinelli hopes to spark an underachieving unit that registered just 27 sacks in 2008.

Veterans Tommie Harris, Adewale Ogunleye (in a contract year) and Mark Anderson need to create more of a pass rush, with younger players like second year defensive tackle Marcus Harrison and versatile third round pick Jarron Gilbert pushing for playing time if the veterans ahead of them fail to produce.

Linebacker play remains the strength of the Bears defense, with perennial Pro Bowler Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher anchoring the strong group. Briggs has been the Bears best defensive player the past two seasons, playing at a level similar to his idol Derrick Brooks during Brooks’s heyday with Buccaneers. 

Fifth-round pick Marcus Freeman (a great value selection) could compete for the starting strong side linebacker position as veteran Hunter Hillenmeyer has fallen out of favor after a sub par 2008.

Jamar Williams, a special teams ace who has the versatility to play all three linebacker spots, has been stuck behind Briggs, Urlacher, and Hillenmeyer on the depth chart in previous years but hopes to compete for the strong side opening in 2009.

The defensive line struggles also hurt a secondary beset by injuries in 2008. Charles Tillman remains perennially underrated and still had a solid 2008 fighting through a shoulder injury that required offseason surgery.

However, Nathan Vasher struggled mightily when healthy after receiving a new contract last offseason, replaced in the lineup at times by second-year cornerback Corey Graham. 

The safety spots remain a huge question mark outside of emerging playmaker Kevin Payne (who had four interceptions in 2008), with Tillman or Vasher potentially transitioning there if young cornerbacks like Graham and fourth round pick D.J. Moore can earn spots in the starting lineup. 

Exceeding Expectations

For the Bears to exceed expectations and possibly represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, they will need Iglesias and/or Bennett to emerge as trusted possession receivers, the offensive line play to remain strong, and the defense to return to the top form they exhibited in previous years.

Iglesias comes to the Bears with a reputation as being one of the most polished receivers in this draft class, someone that could become a consistent 70-80 catch per season receiver during his career. 

Hope in Iglesias also comes from the success Cutler had with Broncos rookie receiver Eddie Royal in 2008, with Royal catching 91 passes in his first NFL season. 

Bennett drew comparisons to Hines Ward during the 2008 draft and had a good rapport with Cutler while teammates at Vanderbilt in 2006.

Fifth round draft pick Johnny Knox could team with Hester as downfield threats because of his great speed, though he probably needs a few seasons to develop after just playing two seasons at Abilene Christian following a stint at Tyler Junior College in Texas.

Real reason for optimism comes from an improved offensive line. The additions of future Hall of Fame offensive tackle Pace, experienced starting offensive tackle Kevin Shaffer, and versatile young tackle/guard Frank Omiyale instantly improve the quality and depth from a 2008 unit that overachieved despite allowing 29 sacks.

Also, 2008 Bears first round pick, offensive tackle Chris Williams, should return to the field healthy and start with Pace at one of the tackle spots (likely on the right side).

All three 2008 interior linemen starters, center Olin Kreutz and guards Roberto Garza and Josh Beekman, return with Kreutz the only guaranteed 2009 starter of the group. Garza and Beekman will be competing with Omiyale for the starting guard spots, with the two top performers in camp and the preseason the probable opening night starters.

Making the improvements needed at the tackle spots and adding quality depth along the line protects and enhances talented skill position players like Cutler and Forte, a wise move considering the Bears investment and reliance upon them.

Hope for improvement on the defensive side of the ball comes from a strong looking group of young players acquired in the past two drafts and the free agent acquisition of safety Josh Bullocks.

Gilbert, Moore, Freeman and Harrison have good chances to earn starting spots at some point (possibly as soon as this year) and a youthful infusion of energy could aid a Bears defense that needs more speed on the field.

Bullocks, drafted by the Saints in the second round in 2005, failed to live up to expectations in New Orleans and became a YouTube legend for giving up big plays in the passing game.

That being said, getting away from an awful secondary could revitalize his career, especially with the opportunity to start at free safety if Bullocks has a strong camp and preseason.         

Even if the young defensive players do not grab starting spots, the competition could motivate a group of veterans that played like they received new money the past two offseasons. As with the offensive line, improved depth makes this unit less vulnerable to injury and underachieving.

Potential Pitfalls

For a team expected to do big things in 2009, the Bears lack elite players outside of Cutler, Briggs, and an emerging Forte. The Patriots blueprint relies on depth more than outstanding individual performances (with the exception of Tom Brady), but you see the best teams having multiple Pro Bowl players for a reason.

Urlacher and Harris qualified as elite players at one time, but injuries have hindered both players and most NFL people believe both to be on the downside of their careers. At just age 26, Harris has time to prove doubters wrong, but his dominant play in 2005-2006 looks to be a thing of the past.

Pace played a full slate of games in 2008 but missed key chunks of the previous two seasons to injury. The Bears moving left tackle prospect Williams to the right side could backfire if Pace cannot stay healthy and cause an awkward midseason position shift.

Added depth could cure the problems on the defensive line and in the secondary, but the talented young players remain unproven and may not pan out like people expect. The secondary in particular remains unsettled outside of Payne and Tillman, and that unit may be vulnerable to speedy receivers that create big plays.

Finally, relying on young receivers like Iglesias and Bennett could prove to be dangerous.  Iglesias comes to the Bears with high expectations, but Bennett came in with similar fanfare last year and struggled to break into the lineup in 2008 (often inactive on gameday) and failed to register a single catch. 

Both of them need to prove to be viable options so that defenses cannot totally key on Hester, Olsen, and Forte.

Summary

The importance of the addition of Cutler cannot be overstated, especially on a team that won nine games last season with uneven quarterback play and a defense that struggled against the pass.

With a much stronger group of supporting players than last year’s Broncos, Cutler should not have force so many throws (partly due to coming back late in games) and in turn the ball over as much (though 18 INT’s in 616 attempts is not a bad ratio).

Emerging young stars on offense like Forte, Olsen, and Hester (who caught 51 passes in his first full year at receiver) give Cutler a trio of quality weapons that could breakout playing with a top quarterback.

The improved offensive line and defensive depth give those units the chance to play at the high level they did in 2005 and 2006. All in all, the best off-season of general manager Jerry Angelo’s career has left the Bears in good position to compete at a very high level in 2009.

Prediction

12-4 Record, NFC North Champions, Lose in NFC Conference Championship Game