Heading into the 2009 season, the enthusiasm among Bears fans is nearly palpable. Outside the fan-base, though, the malign for the receiving corps is equally as fervent. It's as polarizing a discussion as they come, and we can be pretty simplistic in explaining it to people who haven't been paying attention. For one side, you just say "Jay Cutler." On the other, you are required to say, "the Bears have no receivers. Who is he going to throw to?" For me, the latter statement is quite annoying. I'm not saying the receivers are great. They aren't by any stretch. To say they have none and Cutler will be left with no one to throw to, though, is asinine.
Greg Olsen is a solid tight end, Devin Hester is a legitimate deep threat and Matt Forte is a premier pass-catching running back. So there are three weapons Cutler can use immediately. Next, he'll look to his collegiate teammate who was the Bears' third-rounder last season, Earl Bennett.
Thus far, the reports on both Cutler and Bennett from camp have been positive.
- Sunday, Cutler completed his first 12 passes -- the streak was broken when Forte dropped a pass. For the entire day, he completed 18 of 23 passes.
- Monday, Cutler drove the team down the field in the two-minute drill. The drive ended in a field goal, but he nearly completed a spectacular touchdown to Bennett.
- Most importantly, Cutler and Bennett have reportedly shown a very solid rapport with each other -- knocking off the rust from three years ago (when they were the Jay and Earl Show). The Bears are very confident in Bennett's ability to grow into the starting role. Last season was viewed a red-shirt year of sorts, though the Bears maintain he was ready to get on the field late in the season and didn't only because Brandon Lloyd returned from injury. Bears wide receivers coach Darryl Drake compared Bennett to Bernard Berrian, who has blossomed into a solid wideout after a modest beginning.
It's short-sighted when people want to count on third or fourth round picks at receiver when they are rookies, but if they don't do anything their rookie year, they are written off by the masses. Did Steve Smith teach us nothing? Brandon Marshall? I could go on. Bennett learned his position last year like so many before him and now this season it's his turn to show what he can do. It's best to reserve judgment until he's had the chance to prove himself on the field. And he gets to do so with a quarterback with whom he's already put up sick stats (at Vandy).
The Bears and Cutler are high on Bennett. They have just over a month until the season begins, in which time the rapport can continue to develop from where it already is.
Now, it's only been a few days of training camp, so let's not get ahead of ourselves. This isn't Manning-to-Harrison or Montana-to-Rice in the making. But, if the Bears see development from Bennett and Hester continues to grow, they'll have quite the well-rounded offense -- which takes pressure off the defense and makes the team a legitimate threat to take the NFC North, if not more.
That's the goal, and training camp is a time when teams begin to work toward their ultimate goals.
Sequestration Shuts Down The IRS
Report: Yahoo Is Bidding On Hulu
Colorado High School On Lockdown After Report Of Nearby Gunman
GOP Senator: Obama Speech A 'Victory' For 'Terrorists'
759 Bridges In Washington Have Worse Scores Than The One That Collapsed
McConnell, Paul Gang Up On GOP
Abercrombie Announces Plummeting Sales Amid Controversy
GOP Senate Candidate Calls Dem 'Pond Scum'
Britain Scrambles Fighter Jets To Escort Pakistani Plane
WATCH: Maddow Excoriates Alex Jones
Remembering The Victims Of The Tornado
Gay Teen Charged With Felonies Over Relationship Refuses Plea Deal
State Department Official Who Helped With Benghazi Talking Points Nominated To Top Post
BEFORE/AFTER PHOTOS: Schools And Medical Center Decimated By Tornado
Clinton Leads In Poll Of Key 2016 State
Palin Gets Confused
Kansas State Senator Really Worried That Reducing Taxes On Groceries Will Lead People To Buy Nothing But Groceries Ever Again
'As Madison Wrote In Article 3, Yippee-Ki-Yay Motherf***er!'
Vulnerable Dem Targeted By Bloomberg Group
Spain Spent $680 Million On A Submarine That Can't Float
Jesus Endorsed Mayor Loses To Gay Man
Report: Homeland Security Is Worried Limiting 3D-Printed Guns 'May Be Impossible'
HUGE Drop in Teen Births
LOOK: Veteran Suicides Outpace Child Gun Deaths
Hospital Prices Explained: How Charges For Medical Care Got So Crazy
Poll: Most Don't Support Spending Cuts To Fund Tornado Aid
Jon Turns Up The Heat On The Obama Administration
Are You Inhaling Pesticides With Your Pot?
WATCH: Reporter Shows How To Make Your Own AK-47
