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Quarterback Jay Cutler is happy to see the Chicago Bears have made protecting their quarterback a priority after adding to the offensive line through free agency and with two draft picks.

The Bears, who gave up 49 sacks last season, which was fifth in the NFL, invested $17.7 million in guaranteed money in left tackle Jermon Bushrod and added guard Matt Slauson, who started 48 games the past four seasons for the New York Jets, during free agency. The Bears then picked Oregon guard Kyle Long with the 20th overall selection and Louisiana Tech offensive tackle Jordan Mills in the fifth round of the NFL draft.

"(The coaching staff is) going to make sure everyone knows their assignments and we are protected," Cutler said Monday on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN Chicago 1000. "Bushrod is a huge addition and we drafted some guys and some of the guys we had last year have to step in and play well. It's definitely a point of emphasis. We're not going to let the quarterback get hit. We're not going to go into games unsure about protections. Everything starts there, and I think (new offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Aaron) Kromer is doing a great job with getting those guys up to speed with exactly how they want these things done."

With seven offensive linemen coming off the board before the Bears made their pick, Cutler said he wasn't sure what his team had planned with their first-round selection.

"I watched the first round and linemen were going off the board left and right so I wasn't too sure where we were going to go," Cutler said. "We have some holes defensively, we have Bushrod through free agency so I wasn't for sure about the pick. Like any quarterback I'm pretty selfish so anytime they pick somebody on offense it's going to make me smile."

NFC North teams added dozens of intriguing young players over the weekend. They filled glaring holes and added to already-established strengths. Some areas remain weak, of course, while other selections created new storylines we hadn't anticipated.

So here's my post-draft plan. We'll use this post to lay out the unfilled holes and new storylines and then circle back over the next days and weeks as needed. I'll also sprinkle in some interesting and/or offbeat stories that emerged from the draft but would have been buried if I had posted them over the weekend.

Issue: The Green Bay Packers continued signaling potential change at left tackle.
Analysis: Coach Mike McCarthy said in March that the team needed better play from its left tackle position, manned last season by Marshall Newhouse. Then the Packers went out and drafted Colorado's David Bakhtiari and Cornell's J.C. Tretter in the fourth round. Bakhtiari has played left and right tackle; Tretter played tackle as well but might project as a guard. Saturday, McCarthy left all options open at the position -- including moving right tackle Bryan Bulaga back to the position he played at Iowa. McCarthy also said he is "really counting" on Derek Sherrod, the Packers' top pick in 2011 who hasn't played since breaking his leg late that season, to compete for the job. Don Barclay, who started four games last season at right tackle (plus another two in the playoffs), is also in the mix. Suddenly, the Packers have six legitimate possibilities to compete for the left and right tackle spots if they want. Moving Bulaga isn't as easy as it sounds, and there is something to be said for leaving him at a position he has excelled at. But it's telling that the Packers are even considering it.

Issue: The Packers drafted 11 players, but none of them were safeties.
Analysis: General manager Ted Thompson said afterwards that he has faith in incumbents M.D. Jennings and Jerron McMillian, who will compete to play alongside Morgan Burnett. We'll see if the Packers feel compelled to kick the tires on a veteran. Among those available are Quintin Mikell, Kerry Rhodes and Gerald Sensabaugh. Historically, the Packers' approach has been to evaluate younger incumbents first before seeking veteran replacements elsewhere.

Issue: None of the Minnesota Vikings' nine draft choices play middle linebacker.
Analysis: We should note that the Vikings used a seventh-round pick on Penn State's Michael Mauti, who has been projected as a middle/inside linebacker by some. But Mauti is recovering from his third career ACL tear and can't be counted on to fill any sort of significant role. Internal candidates include Erin Henderson, the strong-side linebacker whom the Vikings have said could play inside if needed, and 2012 seventh-round pick Audie Cole. The elephant in the room is veteran Brian Urlacher, who was reported at one point this spring to have had conversations with Vikings officials. Urlacher isn't anything close to the profile of the player general manager Rick Spielman typically brings in, but this is an extenuating circumstance. Remember, the Vikings used their nickel defense on 58.9 percent of their snaps last season. Whomever plays middle linebacker for the Vikings could be off the field for two of every five snaps.

Issue: The Vikings used a fifth-round pick to make Jeff Locke the first punter drafted.
Analysis: In the past five years, four punters have been selected with a fifth-round pick or higher. All four became their team's primary punters in their rookie seasons. There is every reason to believe the Vikings plan for Locke to replace veteran Chris Kluwe, perhaps as soon as they get a look at him during their rookie minicamp this summer. I know that Spielman said Locke was brought in "to compete" for the job, but that competition will be short and one-sided. NFL teams don't use draft picks on specialists unless they are certain they want to make a change.

Issue: The Detroit Lions didn't draft an offensive tackle after the departure of both 2012 starters.
Analysis: Riley Reiff, the Lions' top draft choice in 2012, will start at left tackle. The Lions' right tackle could be Jason Fox or Corey Hilliard. That still leaves the Lions thin along the line, especially at right guard if rookie Larry Warford isn't ready to step in right away. Regardless, Lions general manager Martin Mayhew made clear the Lions need to add more depth. "We're really young there so we'll look at some veteran guys there I think over the next few weeks."

Issue: The Lions didn't draft a receiver until the sixth round (Virginia Tech's Corey Fuller), but they almost….
Analysis: According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Lions told Michigan's Denard Robinson that they planned to draft him with the No. 136 overall pick. Mayhew had spoken before the draft about Robinson's potential as a "slash" player from the backfield and/or slot receiver position. Robinson, however, was selected at No. 135 by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Eventually the Lions used the No. 166 overall pick to select Notre Dame's Theo Riddick, who is not as explosive as Robinson but is a good receiver out of the backfield in his own right. Ultimately, the Lions finished this draft thin at the traditional receiver position given the injury rehabilitations of Nate Burleson and Ryan Broyles.

Issue: The Chicago Bears did not draft a quarterback, seemingly leaving Josh McCown as the primary backup to Jay Cutler.
Analysis: The Bears figured to be a candidate to draft a quarterback in part because of coach Marc Trestman's expertise in developing them and in part to end the cycle of searching for a veteran backup each year. In the end, the Bears couldn't justify drafting one given their limited number of picks. (They started with five and through trades finished with six.) Said general manager Phil Emery: "Things would have to line up perfect to take a quarterback with five picks." McCown was relatively impressive during a two-start stint to end the 2011 season, but overall he has played in a total of six games over the past five seasons. I wouldn't call this the Bears' most pressing need, and the Bears signaled as much with their draft results.

Issue: The Bears feel better about their tight end situation than most draft pundits.
Analysis: Many draft analysts thought the Bears would draft Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert if they had a chance, but they passed him up Thursday night in favor of offensive lineman Kyle Long. Eifert went one pick later to the Cincinnati Bengals. It's true that Eifert would have been a luxury pick given the free-agent acquisition of tight end Martellus Bennett, but in the larger sense he would have been another weapon for quarterback Jay Cutler's make-or-break season.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Saturday’s fifth-round choice of Louisiana Tech offensive tackle Jordan Mills is just the latest in a series of moves the Chicago Bears have made to overhaul the offensive line -- clearly the weakest unit on the team last season in the eyes of general manager Phil Emery.

The Bears are set at left tackle with Pro Bowler Jermon Bushrod.

On the right side - it’s a different story.

Veterans J'Marcus Webb and Jonathan Scott are expected to battle it out for the starting right tackle job, but neither is assured of a spot long-term. Webb and Scott are signed through 2013.

Mills is a versatile player who lined up primarily at tackle at Louisiana Tech, but also spent time at guard in 2009. At 6-5, 315 pounds, Mills has the size to play offensive tackle in the NFL, however, the Bears do seem determined to plug in larger bodies inside at guard.

“I’ll play anywhere, left side or right side.” Mills. “I told my coaches I’ll play anywhere they need me. Wherever they need me to win, I’ll be there. Like I told my coaches, if they need me at H-Back to lead block, I’ll do that.”

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ESPNChicago.com continues its Bears draft preview series with a look at the quarterbacks.

Pre-draft visits and formal meetings at the NFL combine and various college all-star games indicate the Bears aren't looking to use a pick on a quarterback.

Then again, maybe the team's perceived lack of interest in the position could be viewed as a smokescreen.

As it stands now, the Bears could go into the season with three quarterbacks on the roster in Jay Cutler, Josh McCown and Matt Blanchard. Having lost Jason Campbell in free agency, the team could certainly get by with McCown as the primary backup to Cutler.

But given Cutler's uncertain status with the Bears long term, the club should at least start preparing for the possibility of starting the 2014 season with a new quarterback at the helm, whether it's a free agent or developmental player acquired in this year's draft. Cutler enters the final year of his contract in 2013, and there's no guarantee the team will feel inclined to extend him after the season.

Interestingly, new coach Marc Trestman -- a noted quarterback guru -- and general manager Phil Emery have used measured responses throughout the offseason when questioned about Cutler. Emery once called Cutler a "franchise quarterback," but the coach wouldn't shower such effusive praise.

"I'm excited to coach Jay," Trestman said at the NFL combine. "I've had a couple of opportunities to talk with him on multiple levels, and (I'm) excited to work with him in all facets of the game. I really am. He's an extremely bright guy. He loves football. He's got a great skill set. So we've got to work hard to provide him the resources (we) can to maximize his ability, and that goes into everything we're doing in all three phases with the personnel department and with our coaching staff."

The Bears added protection along the offensive line this season in new starting left tackle Jermon Bushrod and guard Matt Slauson, and nabbed yet another receiving target for Cutler in tight end Martellus Bennett, which shows the team's commitment to building around the quarterback so he can succeed.

Now it's Cutler's turn.

The next 10: 11. Sean Renfree, Duke, 6-3, 219; 12. Ryan Griffin, Tulane, 6-4, 216; 13. Jordan Rogers, Vanderbilt, 6-1, 212; 14. Colby Cameron, Louisiana Tech, 6-2, 212; 15. Marqueis Gray, Minnesota, 6-3, 240; 16. Alex Carder, Western Michigan, 6-2, 220; 17. Brad Sorensen, Southern Utah, 6-4, 229; 18. James Vandenburg, Iowa, 6-3, 226; 19. Ryan Aplin, Arkansas St., 6-1, 199; 20. Dane Krist, Kansas, 6-4, 232.

Position grade: C-

Analysis: During the team's marathon interview process to find a new head coach, multiple sources mentioned Emery wants the new head man to get after Cutler from a motivational standpoint to coax the best from him. Last season when the team struggled offensively, resulting in part of the firing of Lovie Smith and the majority of his staff, multiple members of that staff described the quarterback's relationship with coaches and players as tumultuous.

When Cutler suffered a concussion in the first half of the team's loss to the Houston Texans on Nov. 11, multiple members of the former staff hoped Campbell would step up and perform well enough to relegate the starter to a backup role. But in Campbell's lone start the following week at San Francisco, he suffered six sacks and tossed two interceptions during a 32-7 pounding. The drama that took place in 2012 won't be tolerated this season under Trestman, who mentioned that Cutler realizes at this point in his career -- which coincidentally is the final year of his contract in Chicago -- his own mortality in the NFL. So under new direction, Cutler should flourish and play perhaps the best football of his Chicago tenure in 2013. Still, the team needs to be thinking about the future at quarterback.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The breakneck pace of practice emerged Tuesday as the most pronounced difference in the Chicago Bears so far under the direction of new coach Marc Trestman, but the change was welcomed, according to several players.

During team drills, the offense broke the huddle, ran the play, repeated and repeated. The defense did the same during what seemed like a highly rushed, yet strangely crisp practice at the Walter Payton Center on Day 1 of the club's three-day voluntary minicamp.

"It was faster," quarterback Jay Cutler said. "We were in and out of the huddle. I think we wanted to create (as much of a) game-line atmosphere as possible; a lot of plays in and out. We want to put pressure on guys. We want to put pressure on the quarterbacks mentally and the defenses getting after them."

During meetings prior to the start of practice Trestman wrote on a board that the No. 1 goal for the workout was "to practice fast." The idea, the coach added is "to try to develop how we want to practice, a tempo of practice where we could keep our players safe, keep them off the ground and make sure we can get them to the next play safely get competition between the (starters on offense against the starters on defense."

"It's very clear we have a fast football team," Trestman said. "Practicing fast will help us with the muscle memory to play fast all the time. (Tuesday) was a good start for that."

Strangely, the players liked it.

"It's high paced, and we're getting a lot of things done in a short period of time," defensive tackle Henry Melton said. "It's got a different feel to it. I liked it."

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LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Entering the final year of his contract, Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler watched the monstrous amounts of money being tossed to players at his position this offseason, and joked "it doesn't make me mad."

But in assessing his own situation, Cutler knows the deal.

"You've got to win games to earn those contracts," he said Tuesday, just minutes after the club's first voluntary minicamp at the Walter Payton Center. "There are some big numbers being thrown out there. You can't get ahead of yourself. I'm in my last year obviously. I'm sure everyone knows that. So we'll play it out and see how it goes."

Set to earn $8.47 million in 2013, Cutler enters the offseason with his fourth offensive coordinator in five years in Aaron Kromer since joining the Bears in 2009 through a trade with the Denver Broncos. Despite playing just four seasons with the Bears, Cutler leads the franchise in passer rating (81.9), and completions (1,034) and ranks second in touchdown passes (82), passing yards (12,292) and completion percentage (59.6).

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Scoop Jackson examines whether Jay Cutler is ready to become the face of the Bears franchise.

Read the entire column.

The Chicago Bears announced Friday they agreed to terms with veteran quarterback Josh McCown on a one-year deal to serve as a backup to Jay Cutler.

Read the entire story.

» NFC Eight in the Box: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

A look at whether each NFC North team has been a winner or a loser in free agency.

Chicago Bears: A hot start in free agency netted left tackle Jermon Bushrod and tight end Martellus Bennett. The Bears had been trying for five years to find a genuine left tackle, and Bushrod's arrival should boost the faith of quarterback Jay Cutler. Bennett, meanwhile, gives the Bears the kind of pass-catching tight end they once had in Greg Olsen. But Bushrod and Bennett accounted for most of the salary-cap space the Bears had budgeted to use, and now they are nibbling the edges. Overall, however, the Bears improved two important positions, making them winners in free agency.

Detroit Lions: The NFC North's most active offseason team has added three new starters in running back Reggie Bush, defensive end Jason Jones and safety Glover Quin. Bush will have a big impact on balancing the explosiveness in the Lions' offense, and Quin will pair with the returning Louis Delmas to give the Lions their best safety duo in recent memory. The Lions have improved as many positions as they could have given their tight salary-cap situation.

Green Bay Packers: It's difficult to win when you don't play, and general manager Ted Thompson is notoriously reluctant to compete financially in the market. He allowed receiver Greg Jennings to sign with the Minnesota Vikings and didn't make a good enough offer on running back Steven Jackson. But the Packers have made the playoffs in four consecutive seasons by following a similar approach. These days, their focus is on saving enough salary-cap space to re-sign quarterback Aaron Rodgers and linebacker Clay Matthews. The Packers won't find two players better than that on the free-agent market.

Minnesota Vikings: In essence, the Vikings traded receiver Percy Harvin for Jennings, along with a first-, third- and seventh-round draft pick. They won't replace Harvin's unique skill set, but that's not a bad recovery. The Vikings are also in a better spot at backup quarterback with Matt Cassel rather than Joe Webb. But they don't have a middle linebacker after bidding farewell to Jasper Brinkley, and they remain thin at cornerback after releasing Antoine Winfield. The Vikings remain a work in progress this offseason. They haven't won or lost yet.

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler said Wednesday it appears he'll be entering the 2013 season on the last year of his contract instead of landing an extension.

Read the entire story.

CHICAGO -- Odds are Martellus Bennett will love Chicago. Whether the city loves him back is entirely up to him.

Known for his eclectic tastes, the Chicago Bears' new tight end will have his fill of good restaurants, art galleries and lucrative opportunities to show off his expansive personality in Chicago.

No one ever signs with the Bears and laments their time here, at least off the field.

Read the entire column.

The $8.45 million salary cap charge associated with the franchise designation placed Friday on Chicago Bears defensive tackle Henry Melton definitely limits what the team can do in upcoming free agency, but the move should be viewed at this point as merely a temporary placeholder for cap space.

The situation remains fluid.

By tagging Melton, the Bears essentially widened the window to negotiate a long-term deal by the NFL's July 15 deadline, which is exactly what the club did in franchising running back Matt Forte last March, before signing him to a new four-year deal last summer. So before the Bears strike a more cap-friendly deal with Melton, it's expected the team will make other roster maneuvers through restructures and cuts to free up money to sign its own free agents while clearing the way to make additions once free agency rolls around March 12, the start of the new league year.

With the new salary cap for the 2013 season now officially set at $123 million, the Bears operated approximately $12 million under the cap before franchising Melton on Friday. The latest move leaves the Bears approximately $3.5 million under the salary cap, which is in the neighborhood of what it would take to sign the 2013 rookie class.

But what about their own free agents such as linebacker Brian Urlacher or guard Lance Louis? What about filling needs in free agency?
The Bears want to bring back Louis, defensive end Israel Idonije, defensive tackle Nate Collins (a restricted free agent), reserve cornerback Kelvin Hayden, offensive tackle Jonathan Scott and linebacker Nick Roach. The Bears have also indicated a desire to bring back Urlacher, provided the price is right.

The current cap situation created by franchising Melton makes none of that possible, let alone potentially bringing in outside free agents, which is why the team's latest move with the defensive tackle should be viewed merely as a placeholder for cap space.

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» NFC Eight in the Box: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Welcome to Eight in the Box, an NFL Nation feature that will appear each Friday during the offseason. This week's topic: How each NFC North team needs to address the quarterback position.

Chicago Bears: First, the new coach Marc Trestman must decide whether he thinks Jay Cutler is the team's long-term starter. Cutler's contract expires after the 2013 season, giving the Bears a chance to move on if Trestman is disappointed. Assuming he is not, the Bears must get Cutler signed to an extension over the next 12 months or be forced to use their 2014 franchise tag on him.

Of more immediate concern is Cutler's backup. Jason Campbell is a pending free agent, but the Bears might not want to devote the $3-$4 million in cap space it would require to re-sign him. Josh McCown, the 2012 third-stringer, could be an option.

Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford's $20.8 million cap figure needs to be lowered, and talks are underway on a contract extension. Regardless, he is the Lions' long-term starter. Backup Shaun Hill, 33, is signed through the 2013 season. He is a favorite of the coaching staff and is unlikely to be replaced by Kellen Moore, the 2012 third-stringer.

Green Bay Packers: Starter Aaron Rodgers' 2013 compensation of $9.75 million is well below market value and will lead to contract talks, but there is every expectation that he will play his entire career in Green Bay. Backup Graham Harrell played sparingly last season and could conceivably be challenged by 2012 draft choice B.J. Coleman.

Minnesota Vikings: Team officials have committed to Christian Ponder as their unquestioned starter, buoyed by his strong performance at the end of last season. Ponder will need a more consistent season in 2013 to generate "franchise" status, but the Vikings will give him every opportunity.

Backup Joe Webb will be forced to win his job back, probably in a training camp competition against a veteran to be acquired. Webb was thrown into an admittedly tough position as a surprise playoff starter, but his performance still cast doubt on whether he should be entrusted with the role moving forward.

There has never been a question about Jay Cutler's natural ability, but former NFL general manager and president Bill Polian believes the Chicago Bears quarterback has the intangibles to be great as well.

"He wouldn't be the type of quarterback he is without the intangibles," Polian, now an ESPN analyst, told "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN Chicago 1000 Wednesday. "Just stop and think about this: What was he surrounded with at Vanderbilt? I saw him as a sophomore ... in the Swamp take Florida to the wire and come back about three or four times in that game. It took a miraculous play by the Gators, who were then in the top 10 in the country, to win the game.

"This is a guy who's done a lot with a little throughout his career. And his receiver corps -- it's no secret -- his receiving corps in Chicago has not been stellar during his time there. I don't know why people would question the intangibles. He's done a lot with a little throughout his career."

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INDIANAPOLIS -- Having once called Jay Cutler a franchise quarterback, Chicago Bears general manager Phil Emery sees no problem with the new coaching staff taking a more measured approach in its assessment of the veteran player.

Speaking at the NFL scouting combine on Thursday at Lucas Oil Stadium, Emery also declined to discuss the possibility of a new contract for Cutler, who in 2013 enters the final year of his deal.

"The No. 1 thing is that our team wins and that Jay improves, and all of our players improve," Emery said. "I know this: our coaches are excited to work with Jay. So whether it's a matter of semantics where I'm calling somebody a franchise (player) and (the coaches) haven't said that, I'm OK with that. I know in their heart they're here to work with Jay and help Jay become a better player, and the leader on our team that helps us wins football games and wins championships."

Entering the final year of his contract, Cutler -- despite playing just four seasons with the Bears -- leads the franchise in passer rating (81.9), and completions (1,034) and ranks second in touchdown passes (82), passing yards (12,292) and completion percentage (59.6).

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