While those truly following the Bears' every move this offseason know the defensive backfield is a much greater concern than wide receiver, the masses are left trying to figure out who newly acquired quarterback Jay Cutler will be throwing to (the sheep can now insert, "no one!" and feel good about themselves).
After all, the leading receivers -- in terms of catches -- last season were running back Matt Forte and tight end Greg Olsen. Devin Hester was the top wideout, with 51 catches and 665 yards. Rashied Davis caught 35 balls, but no other wide receiver in training camp caught a single NFL pass in 2008.
With Fantasy Football season ready to kick in high gear, FanHouse is here to preview each and every team -- one per day until we've done them all.
Meet the ... First Chicago Bears team with a franchise quarterback since face masks were invented. A message to non-Bears fans from Bears fans: Don't bring us down. If you want to make fun of us for being a bit overzealous about Jay Cutler, then maybe you should take a gander at the load of crap the Bears have been using at quarterback. From Cade McNown to Moses Moreno to Chad Hutchinson to Peter Tom Willis to ... whatever. You get the point. Let us also remember that having Cutler doesn't necessarily make everyone fantasy gold automatically. The tremors are more real than fantasy.
When the Bears acquired Jay Cutler almost two months ago, it became required for all journalists and bloggers alike to spew on and on about how awful Chicago's receiving corps is. CBS' Clark Judge still can't stop doing it, for example. The next chapter in the Bears Offseason Reporting Handbook is to try and connect every single available receiver to the Bears via free agency. Just as quickly as a name pops up, though, Bears general manager Jerry Angelo shoots it down.
The latest example in a long line is cocaine addict former Jags wideout Matt Jones. The talented yet troubled receiver caught 65 passes for 761 yards and a pair of touchdowns last season. Angelo, staying true to form, doesn't seem interested.
After the Bears landed Jay Cutler in early April, the focus of many fans and media alike shifted to the receiving corps. Devin Hester, Rashied Davis and Earl Bennett will need some help, and no one can doubt that. Since then, the Bears have seen Torry Holt sign with the Jags, not traded for Anquan Boldin -- probably because they don't have enough to offer -- and drafted three second-day wide receivers.
Over the course of the past week, the Chicago Tribune has conducted interviews with the three respective quarterbacks of the three drafted wideouts. As can be expected, those interviews unearthed rave reviews.
Who moved to the head of the NFL class during the draft? Find out with FanHouse's team-by-team 2009 Draft Grades.
When the Bears made one of the biggest offseason splashes by trading for Jay Cutler, they were left without a first-round pick. Many Bears fans would argue this was a blessing in disguise, considering general manager Jerry Angelo's rocky history with first-round picks (David Terrell, Cedric Benson, Rex Grossman, Michael Haynes).
Still, there were more needs than just quarterback on this team for the near future. Would Angelo be able to fill all those holes with a bunch of second-day draft picks?
Ever since the Bears landed Jay Cutler, the media and fans alike have flooded the internet with bashing of the Bears receiving corps. Raise your hand if you've either said, heard someone say, or read someone else saying "Who's he going to throw to?" I'll just assume all hands are raised.
With the draft approaching, we ignore projections and identify the dream scenario for each team in a series we call The Perfect Draft.
The Bears enter the NFL Draft in a unique position -- especially for them. They've already made a huge splash in the offseason, and won't have a pick until the middle of the second round. With Jay Cutler in house, the Bears need to give him the weapons to be successful. The situation isn't as dire as many think. Cutler made a 2nd rounder (Eddie Royal) and 3rd rounder (Brandon Marshall) into two of the most explosive players in the league in Denver.
After the Bears made the announcement of their franchise-shattering acquisition of Jay Cutler, they didn't rest. Within a few hours, they announced they had also agreed to terms with venerable left tackle Orlando Pace. I'll admit, I was overly excited about the two new Bears, as were all my Bears fans friends -- which is weird, usually at least one of us disagrees about player movement. Make no mistake about it, though. We aren't delusional. This team is far from complete and the die-hards know it.
With the team still a decent amount below the salary cap and several holes left to fill for 2009, here's what I think the Bears should do.
If you decided to visit the Chicago Tribune home page Thursday morning, you found the main story online is a countdown to when the Bears will "finally" cut Rex Grossman from the team. No, not just the sports page; the main page. It's more of a story than your latest Blagojevich news, two Illinois soldiers being killed in Afghanistan, and a discussion of President Obama's health-care plan. Grossman was apparently more newsworthy.
Attached to the "Countdown to Rex-ile" -- where it discusses fans "rehearsing" their "toasts" -- you'll find a story by David Haugh where he discusses how unfair Grossman's treatment has been in Chicago. Gee, I wonder where these fans are getting it?
The way the Bears completely outplayed the Saints in building up a 21-7 lead and then nearly lost the football game would have been fitting. This is a team that has continued to show the ability to play like an elite team in the NFL, while also showing the ability to give away games and play like a mediocre squad.
You have a team who dominated Indy in Lucas Oil Stadium and handled a hot Philadelphia team at home. They piled up 48 points against the Vikings. They played right with the mighty Titans with their much-maligned backup quarterback (Rex Grossman, as if you needed me to tell you).
Last night, the Saints nearly joined the rest of the NFC South in garnering a win against the Bears when they had no business doing so.
That's the thing with this Bears team. When you watch them every week, you see -- about 60 percent of the time at this point -- that there is an elite team hiding in there somewhere.
While those truly following the Bears' every move this offseason know the defensive backfield is a much greater concern than wide receiver, the masses are left trying to figure out who newly acquired quarterback Jay Cutler will be throwing to (the sheep can now insert, "no one!" and feel good about themselves). 
With Fantasy Football season ready to kick in high gear, FanHouse is here to preview each and every team -- one per day until we've done them all. 
When the Bears acquired 
After the Bears landed 
Who moved to the head of the NFL class during the draft? Find out with FanHouse's team-by-team 
Ever since the Bears landed 
With the draft approaching, we ignore projections and identify the dream scenario for each team in a series we call 
After the Bears made the announcement of their 
If you decided to visit the 
The way the Bears completely outplayed the Saints in building up a 21-7 lead and then nearly lost the football game would have been fitting. This is a team that has continued to show the ability to play like an elite team in the NFL, while also showing the ability to give away games and play like a mediocre squad. 
