It's been a real long time since the Chicago Bears have had a true number one wide receiver. But the Bears don't necessarily need a true number one receiver to be a good team.

A mixture of talent on this Bears receiving corps can turn into something special. They have talented receivers all over the place, but they just need the time to develop.

A true number one doesn't stand out in this group, but don't expect the Bears to pursue on too quickly.

If they were to pursue one, it would have happened by now.

This team has two speed receivers who can burn you down the field in Devin Hester and Johnny Knox. They have two possession receivers, who can be go to guys on third downs. Mix in two good receiving running backs out of the backfield, and Martz's offense could shine.

Knox showed he can be the go to deep threat last season, and we all know what Hester is capable of doing. He just needs a little more work at the position.

Last season we saw the emergence of Devin Aromashodu who with a little work and chemistry with Cutler can develop into a big time receiver.

Then there's Earl Bennett, who seen limited action his rookie year, but played well last season. Good enough to possibly be the number two receiver to start the 2010 season.

With the signing of Chester Taylor, this gives the Bears two good receiving running backs in Taylor and Forte. With those two coming out of the backfield, it can cause fits for the defense.

What these receivers really need is time though. Timing is everything, from catching the passes to developing into good receivers.

It all takes time.

With this new Mike Martz offense and a pass happy offense I think these receivers can shine in 2010.

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Normally when the name "Julius Peppers" is involved, I find it hard to dish out any real criticism toward a team.

However, the Chicago Bears are a team on the rise, but without great quarterback play, they are merely another thorn amongst the roses.

In 2009 Jay Cutler threw one more touchdown than he did interceptions, and although the Chicago Bears looked decent and more or less promising at times, they failed to see their wheels leave the tarmac in 2009.

Fortunately, there is a 2010 season. To "turn over a new leaf," as my mother would say, this season is not only a year where the Chicago Bears need to prove to everyone that they are legit contenders in the NFC North; they also need to prove that the millions of dollars spent signing this offseason are meaningful.

It's almost like a celebrity donating money to charity. Sure, the dollar sign is there, but if the heart and soul aren't behind it, then the money hasn't been donated for the right reasons.

In Chicago, the same story may be told, but we'll have to wait a while to find out. We've seen it before in the past, owners going all-out to impress their fans and hopefully quieten down speculation, but in the long run seeing it all implode in front of their very eyes.

Certainly Chicago won't let this happen. Surely a team with this much history, pride, and integrity in its rich roots won't let such a travesty happen. Well, we hope not. But Jay Cutler's 2009 performance is a cause for concern in Chicago, and instead of the owners trying to please, the time has come for Cutler to step up his game and act like a true quarterback.

Some people out there may feel I'm being a little hard on Cutler. After all, he has only spent one season in one of the toughest cities to play football. However, there is a select group of fans that will agree with me and make the claim that Cutler is well overdue for a standout year, and unless he improves in 2010, he may find himself in the unemployment line next to Rex Grossman sometime soon.

When it boils right down to it, 2009 was an utter disappointment not only for the Bears, but for Cutler as well. With interception after interception, and the hot seat growing close to the boiling point underneath Lovie Smith's behind, 2009 is a year to forget in Chicago's history.

But what can Cutler use to improve in 2010?

Well, it's simple: confidence.

Sure, it isn't a tool that he can switch on at any given time, but when you have Julius Peppers and a healthy Brian Urlacher on the opposite side of the ball, suddenly things look to be going in the upwards direction offensively.

Not only that, Cutler is also looking to work hard this offseason. Throwing mechanics and better vision awareness are key for Cutler, and hopefully in the long run his interception ratio will drop dramatically.

At the moment, though, the weight of the Bears is on Cutler's shoulders. With signings, coaches, and a rowdy fanbase that is eager for a playoff-caliber season, Cutler would be wise to take that extra second in the pocket that could ultimately mean the difference between a pick six or a gain of 10 yards.

With that said, the sky is also the limit for Cutler. There's still months to go until September, so the time has come to just familiarise himself with the Chicago Bears. Hopefully in 2010 we'll see a new-look Chicago outfit, ready to compete with the Packers and Vikings for the No. 1 spot.

If not, though, it's Cutler's head that is on the chopping block. Bears fans already have the centrepiece drawn up on the mantle, and they are just waiting for Cutler to underperform.

Take it easy for now, Jay, but 2010 is the year to prove yourself.

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Disappointment?

I'm sure it's a word that has been both on the minds of Bears fans and on the tongues of sports-writers.

After the blockbuster trade that landed Jay Cutler in Chicago last season, expectations were high.

Understandably so.

The Bears gave up two first-round draft selections, a third-round draft selection, and quarterback Kyle Orton to acquire Cutler's services.

A steep expenditure to be sure.

And while a 7-9 season backed by a league-leading 26 interceptions on Cutler's behalf might not appear to be anything remotely close to that which was expected, there was much more to Jay Cutler's 2009 season than meets the eye.

In all of my years of watching professional football, I had never seen a quarterback have a season as up and down as Cutler had last year.

It was almost as if we saw Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde rotate within the starting line-up from week to week.

One week Jay Cutler would morph into Ryan Leaf's incarnate, and the next, he would become possessed by the spirit of Peyton Manning.

It was odd, strange, and inconsistent.

The season totals simply don't paint the entire picture.

Jay Cutler (2009):

336-of-555 (60.5) for 3,666 yards, 27 touchdowns and 26 interceptions.

QB rating: 76.8

When Jay Cutler struggled, he really struggled.

One might assume that when the Bears lost, it would be due in part (large or small) to Cutler's performance; which was true for the most part.

Jay Cutler (during nine losses):

203-of-344 (59.0) for 2,125 yards, 11 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.

QB rating: 59.8

Cutler was absolutely awful in most of the Bears' losses, but his production totals during that span are skewed a bit considering he played quite well in defeat against the Arizona Cardinals during week nine (29-of-47 for 369 yards, three touchdowns and one interception).

Remove his one noble effort in defeat, and we see a pretty alarming rate of production in eight of the Bears' nine losses, which of course, accounts for half of Cutler's entire season.

Jay Cutler (during eight losses, week nine excluded):

174-of-297 (58.6) for 1,756 yards, eight touchdowns and 22 interceptions.

QB rating: 53.6

I also decided to take a closer look at what I would consider to be the low-lights of Cutler's 2009 season in an effort to shed some light on the situation.

*He threw for under 150 yards four times.

*He threw for only 94 yards against Baltimore in week 15.

*He threw for one or fewer touchdowns during eight of his 16 games.

*He played three games without throwing a single touchdown pass.

*He posted a quarterback rating under 75.0 in eight games.

*He posted a quarterback rating under 45.0 in three games.

*He posted a quarterback rating of 7.9 against Baltimore in week 15.

After you take into account all of the information provided above, it would be difficult to disagree with the same notion of disappointment that most Bears fans seemed to experience during 2009.

That is, until you realize that during this very same season, Jay Cutler played at a level higher than most quarterbacks could ever dream of.

Don't believe me?

Jay Cutler (during seven victories):

133-of-211 (63.0) for 1,541 yards, 16 touchdowns and three interceptions.

QB rating: 104.4

But even that production became skewed when you take into account the fact that Cutler managed to win against the Browns during week eight without playing at an exceptional level (17-of-30 for 225 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception).

If one wanted to see how well Cutler performed in victory with that game aside...

Jay Cutler (during six victories, week eight excluded):

116-of-181 (64.1) for 1,316 yards, 16 touchdowns and two interceptions.

QB rating: 110.6

A great portion of the success Cutler had during 2009 came at the conclusion of the season with two consecutive victories, one over the Vikings in overtime (36-30), and the other over the Lions during the final game of the season (37-23).

Jay Cutler (Week 16 & 17):

42-of-71 (59.1) for 549 yards, eight touchdowns and one interception.

QB rating: 115.3

It was a fantastic way to finish a season of many ups and downs; but the final product ended up being about as black and white as one could ever expect.

If you add Cutler's solid performance against the Cardinals during week nine to his production totals from the Bears seven victories, we end up with a very solid total for half of the season's games.

Jay Cutler (in seven victories, with week nine included):

162-of-258 (62.8) for 1,910 yards, 19 touchdowns and four interceptions.

QB rating: 103.3

As there were the low-points of Cutler's season, so too where there the high-points.

*He threw for over 250 yards seven times.

*He threw for over 300 yards three times.

*He threw for three or more touchdowns four times.

*He threw for four touchdowns twice.

*He posted a quarterback rating above 95.0 in seven games.

*He posted a quarterback rating above 100.0 in five games.

*His 3,666 passing yards were the most by any Bears quarterback in 14 years.

*His 27 touchdown passes were the most by any Bears quarterback in 14 years.

Another fact worthy of mention is that 38 times in history, a quarterback has thrown 26 or more interceptions in a single season. Out of those 38 instances, Cutler's 76.8 quarterback rating remains the second highest of any quarterback to have ever thrown that many interceptions.

The story of Jay Cutler's debut season with the Bears is one of night and day; and while that extreme level of inconsistency might terrify fans in Chicago, it is the light within the darkness that would grasp my attention.

Any quarterback can play poorly, but what Jay Cutler was able to show us is that he can play at a level above and beyond his lofty expectations.

The Jay Cutler that took the field for about half of the 2009 season was as good as any quarterback in the NFL.

Take into account the fact that the Bears defense was poor, their running-game struggled beyond logical expectations, their offensive line broke down too often, and their receiving corps was about as weak as any you'll find at the professional level, and one should gain a greater appreciation for what Cutler was able to do with such little support.

Much of the team's struggles can be placed on Cutler's shoulders, but at the same time, the quality of supporting cast also impacted the darker days in Chicago last season.

One has to ask themselves: If Jay Cutler was able to play at a Hall of Fame level for almost half the season in spite of the support he received, what might we expect to see when, and if, the Bears are ever able to surround Cutler with teammates of his own caliber?

With the recent acquisitions of Julius Peppers and Chester Taylor, things are starting to look better.

And with any luck, the darkest days should hopefully be behind Cutler and the Bears in Chicago.

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The problem with signing the top free agent is that it puts you in an all-in situation. I mean, it doesn't make sense to guarantee $40 million dollars to one player if it leaves you three or four players away from contention—yet that's exactly where Bears GM Jerry Angelo finds himself after signing Julius Peppers.

Yes, he also added some depth in the backfield with Chester Taylor, and got Mike Martz the blocking tight end he needs in his system, but if Angelo thinks he's done, then he just may be...as in done as Chicago's GM after this season.

That's because, as currently constituted, this Bears' roster is simply not championship material. The prevailing wisdom says if the Bears fail to make the playoffs this season, both Lovie Smith and Angelo will be packing their bags.

Recognizing this, the team went out and made a huge splash on day one of the free agency period, but they are still a few cards short of a full deck.

At the press conference introducing Peppers and the other signings, Angelo said that he wasn't out to "have an All-Pro at every position."

But look, if the Bears don't fix their holes in the offensive line and in the defensive backfield, this team will be sitting at home come playoff time once again.

Despite the moves made thus far, I'd still have to rank Minnesota (if Favre returns) and Green Bay ahead of the Bears in the division.

So I ask you, Mr. Angelo: Does it make sense to spend this much money and come up short? What's the expected return on these signings?

Well, it should be the playoffs...and anything less should not be left up to chance.

Finish the job, Mr. Angelo. This is an uncapped season, and there should be some useful players out there. Maybe not stars, but some O-linemen and a safety that can help this team.

And, while you're at it, I'd also like a true No. 1 wideout, though I realize that isn't going to happen. The Bears like their receivers, and time will tell if they are right.

Meanwhile, the draft should help, though finding an immediate contributor despite the lack of a first or second round pick might be wishful thinking.

Hey, nice job so far Jerry, but what have you done for us lately?

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