By Brad BiggsPart 1 of a 12-part series
The hardest thing to do in this business, as Bears general manager Jerry Angelo is fond of saying, is evaluate your own backyard.
When the coaching-staff search finally ends at Halas Hall -- yes, it is a finite process -- the Bears will get down to the dirty work of reviewing their roster after a 7-9 season, an integral part of the offseason process that will shape the organization's plans moving toward free agency and the draft.
Angelo is expected to attend the Texas vs. The Nation college all-star game in El Paso this week, so internal meetings probably will begin next week after Super Bowl XLIV. The fact he plans to hit the road for scouting is an indication that Angelo expects major work on the coaching front to be concluded.
Photo: Jay Cutler's right arm holds the key to the Bears' future. (Phil Velasquez/Tribune)
Here is the first installment in a 12-part daily breakdown of the
Bears' roster, looking at strengths and weaknesses and what the future
might hold:
Quarterback
Roll Call: Jay Cutler, Caleb Hanie, Brett Basanez
2009 overview: The April 2 trade for Jay Cutler seemed to many to make the Bears the team to beat in the NFC North. Cutler represented what the franchise has been seeking for six decades and it was predetermined he was the missing piece, the last link needed to return the team to the Super Bowl.
What became apparent -- and quickly -- was that Cutler wasn't going to instantly raise the level of play of everyone around him. He pressed and made mistakes, particularly in pressure situations. Four interceptions sank the Bears in the season opener at Green Bay, ruining a terrific defensive effort. Then, he failed in key spots vs. Atlanta, San Francisco and Philadelphia. At that point -- late November -- the season was shot.
Not all of it can be pinned on Cutler, but when a quarterback leads the NFL with 26 interceptions, it's more than mistakes by the wide receivers and shoddy blocking. Had the Bears not won three straight from Week 2 to Week 4, he probably wouldn't have picked up a $30 million, two-year extension on Oct. 20.
Cutler has rare athletic ability and a gifted arm that allows him to make all of the throws. He pined for Devin Aromashodu to get more playing time and when the big target finally did at the end of the season, he made a difference. That's either a nod to Cutler's eye for talent, a condemnation of the coaching staff or a little bit of both. With a big finish in division wins over Minnesota and Detroit, he finished with more touchdowns (27) than picks. Cutler set some single-season passing records, a testament to how lousy the franchise's history at the position is. He might have scratched the surface, but he also left some scratching their heads wondering if the Denver Broncos got one over on Angelo in scoring two first-round draft picks, a third-round pick and Kyle Orton for Cutler and a fifth.
By the numbers: In his last 21 games, Cutler has thrown nine red-zone interceptions, easily the most in the NFL. Six of those came this season. A red-zone pick wipes at least three points off the scoreboard almost every time, especially with Robbie Gould, one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history.
Free agency/draft priority: Low. Angelo can't even afford to use a late-round pick on a developmental quarterback. Besides, the Bears still would like to develop Hanie.
Player to watch: Who else? Cutler. If he doesn't put it together in 2010, he will be around to see 2011, but there will be a lot of offices cleaned out on the second floor of Halas Hall.
Looking ahead: The team is expected to hire an offensive coordinator this week, maybe even Monday, and choose the person Cutler will be working for (or is it the other way around) for the coming season. Like Angelo said, it's the most important decision the Bears have faced since Lovie Smith was hired in 2004. Cutler has to click with the coordinator quickly and they've got to come up with a plan to win with what they have. Free agency is going to be watered down and big help can't be expected in the draft. Hanie needs to develop and he'll be watched closely in preseason. Brett Basanez was elevated to the 53-man roster late in the season, and we'll see what happens with him. The Bears are content to roll with two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.
Bottom line: Cutler makes or breaks 2010 for the Bears because no one is going to sit around and talk anymore about the defense returning to form. After three seasons, it's apparent that's not going to happen. That's why the hiring of the defensive coordinator hasn't been such a significant issue. The season ahead will be what Cutler makes it.
Next: Defensive ends.
Quarterback
Roll Call: Jay Cutler, Caleb Hanie, Brett Basanez
2009 overview: The April 2 trade for Jay Cutler seemed to many to make the Bears the team to beat in the NFC North. Cutler represented what the franchise has been seeking for six decades and it was predetermined he was the missing piece, the last link needed to return the team to the Super Bowl.
What became apparent -- and quickly -- was that Cutler wasn't going to instantly raise the level of play of everyone around him. He pressed and made mistakes, particularly in pressure situations. Four interceptions sank the Bears in the season opener at Green Bay, ruining a terrific defensive effort. Then, he failed in key spots vs. Atlanta, San Francisco and Philadelphia. At that point -- late November -- the season was shot.
Not all of it can be pinned on Cutler, but when a quarterback leads the NFL with 26 interceptions, it's more than mistakes by the wide receivers and shoddy blocking. Had the Bears not won three straight from Week 2 to Week 4, he probably wouldn't have picked up a $30 million, two-year extension on Oct. 20.
Cutler has rare athletic ability and a gifted arm that allows him to make all of the throws. He pined for Devin Aromashodu to get more playing time and when the big target finally did at the end of the season, he made a difference. That's either a nod to Cutler's eye for talent, a condemnation of the coaching staff or a little bit of both. With a big finish in division wins over Minnesota and Detroit, he finished with more touchdowns (27) than picks. Cutler set some single-season passing records, a testament to how lousy the franchise's history at the position is. He might have scratched the surface, but he also left some scratching their heads wondering if the Denver Broncos got one over on Angelo in scoring two first-round draft picks, a third-round pick and Kyle Orton for Cutler and a fifth.
By the numbers: In his last 21 games, Cutler has thrown nine red-zone interceptions, easily the most in the NFL. Six of those came this season. A red-zone pick wipes at least three points off the scoreboard almost every time, especially with Robbie Gould, one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history.
Free agency/draft priority: Low. Angelo can't even afford to use a late-round pick on a developmental quarterback. Besides, the Bears still would like to develop Hanie.
Player to watch: Who else? Cutler. If he doesn't put it together in 2010, he will be around to see 2011, but there will be a lot of offices cleaned out on the second floor of Halas Hall.
Looking ahead: The team is expected to hire an offensive coordinator this week, maybe even Monday, and choose the person Cutler will be working for (or is it the other way around) for the coming season. Like Angelo said, it's the most important decision the Bears have faced since Lovie Smith was hired in 2004. Cutler has to click with the coordinator quickly and they've got to come up with a plan to win with what they have. Free agency is going to be watered down and big help can't be expected in the draft. Hanie needs to develop and he'll be watched closely in preseason. Brett Basanez was elevated to the 53-man roster late in the season, and we'll see what happens with him. The Bears are content to roll with two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.
Bottom line: Cutler makes or breaks 2010 for the Bears because no one is going to sit around and talk anymore about the defense returning to form. After three seasons, it's apparent that's not going to happen. That's why the hiring of the defensive coordinator hasn't been such a significant issue. The season ahead will be what Cutler makes it.
Next: Defensive ends.
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The Bears are the ones that got fleeced. Kyle Orton may not be a Pro Bowl QB, but really, neither is Jay Cutler. He proved that 2009 was a fluke. He'll never get to the Pro Bowl again, and he'll NEEEVVVVVVVEERRRRRR get to a Superbowl. I guarantee it!
He's a headcase. All he does is blame all his issues on someone else. It's never his fault. It's always someone elses. The Bears should try and convince Mike Shanahan to trade for him. Maybe the Bears could get 2 1st rounders and a third for him! LOL!!!!!
Denver is the one who got screwed!
I made the miss the playoffs 2-8 record!
LOL!
Plus they got a pro bowler in Knox!
Everyone in Denver hates me!
You go Randy!
It's a lot easier for them to blame Cutler than to actually look into the many problems that the Bears team has to work on. That would require higher than 1st grade thinking and quite frankly most of these Cutler-bashers don't have the brain cells to spare.
I'm not saying there is not room for improvement with Cutler, of course there is. Every QB learns more as they go. But he absolutely has the talent, the smarts and the drive. A lot of people act like he is the worst QB in the league. Really people, quit over-reacting. Wah.
nice post big cat, alter the game plan was the thing.
Anyone that reads my posts knows I cant STANDS Jerry the draft mangler, but I will yell this as loud as possible! The Cutler trade was the best thing to happen to this franchise since 1985!! Thnaks to Jerry! We finally have a QB that has the respect/ability/attitude/leadership to be even mentioned `franchise' did youse guys notice that even his detractors call Cutler a franchise QB? Why is that? Cause he is thats why, did anyone even watch the games where Cutler got beat like a little boy in walmart getting spanked cause our Oline/TE/RB cant protect him to save their own skins?
Read this chicago QB bashers (yes you bashed Kyle/Rex as well)
He had NO running game, He had NO top WR, he had NO Offensive play caller, He had NO defense and yet he still managed to get 27 TD and how many yards? and remember that goal line jump? The man has the abilities - now get him some players and sit back and enjoy. All the boo birds that know nothing about NFL TEAM football only know one thing, its Chicago, we lose so it HAS to be the QB. what a bunch of know it alls, funny how Cutler AND Kyle did pretty durn good in Denver isnt it? Cutler was a ProBowler untill he was a bear well he had Marshall, thats my point exactly, we have no Marshall.
We should sell the rights to Soldier field to walmart cause thats where Chicago takes their QB's to get a spanking.
Cutler did throw a lot of picks, but only about half of them were his fault. Too often, there were receivers running the wrong route or giving up on a play. This is what happens without a true number one receiver. The tight ends (and you in particular Olsen) were not much help, not good receivers and poor blockers too. The offensive line was ... well, offensively bad. The running game was ineffective. In short, Cutler went out on the field feeling he had to try winning the game by himself. At times (the last Minn game in particular) he played very well. It's way too early to give up on him.
I still like Cutler. He's got talent and was surrounded by a lousy OL, mediocre - at best - WRs, and a lousy halfback, frankly. Forte is 1 year away from being out of football.
Having said that, Cutler DID lose the GB game. One of his interceptions traveled 2 yards right into the lap of a fat DL. If you told me Cutler TRIED to throw that pick, I'd believe you. He was simply awful. There's no other way to put it.
Angelo should be fired for putting together one of the worst rosters in the NFL. Not a single damn impact player on either side of the ball. with the possible exception of Briggs.
April 2, worst day in Bear history. Bad trade then, looks worse now. We have very little talent, from the top down thru to the players. A so called "franchise" QB was the last thing we needed. Especially one that pouts and has no history of leadership.
Go back and look at the stats for teams losing the turnover battle or look at the stats for teams having more than 3 turnover in a game. I am sure that team loses more than 75% of the time. With that being said how in the he!! is it not the 4 picks by Cutler that is the main reason the Bears lose that game.
This is not 2006 and GB was not the Cards...Rex Grossman is not our QB but Jay Culter trying his best to be
I echo what Big Cat has to say regarding the Green Bay game.
After a failed fake punt in the 4th quarter from the Bears OWN 26 yd line, Green Bay took the ball and kicked a field goal to go up 13-12.
The next possession saw the Bears go 69 yards to the Green Bay 3. 2 running plays that couldn't get 5 yards and an incomplete to Greg Olsen caused the Bears to kick their own field goal. 15-13 Bears with 2:28 left.
Green Bay then scored on a 50 yd TD pass as Big Cat states.
Terrific defense? They had the opportunity to put the game away when leading late in the 4th quarter. It didn't happen.
....and just how is this breaking news??!?! Spare me!
"Four interceptions sank the Bears in the season opener at Green Bay, ruining a terrific defensive effort."
Really? It was Cutler's picks that lost them the game? Not blown coverage on a big, late TD pass by the defense? Last I checked Cutler's struggles have nothing to do with whether or not a defensive back can cover properly or not.
Cutler certainly needs to play better, and this is not meant to be a washing of his hands, but perhaps if the vaunted and ballyhooed defense did its part, the Bears could have altered their game plan on offense some and not had to resort to Cutler throwing the ball around so damn much with the team trailing.