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LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler never called former offensive coordinator Mike Martz inflexible, but the inference could be made based on struggles from 2011 coupled with the current state of the offense, which now seems reliant on input from a variety of sources.

Cutler called the current situation at Halas Hall “a breath of fresh air” Wednesday after the club’s second session of organized team activities, and explained how his history with quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates -- whom he worked with in Denver -- plays a role in the construction of the new offense.

“I think Jeremy has a really good feel for what I like to do and what I don’t like to do,” Cutler said. “There were plays out here today (where) I told them, ‘I don’t like them. Let’s think about getting rid of them.’ He’s fine with that and (new offensive coordinator Mike) Tice is fine with that. So it’s a give and take, and that’s a breath of fresh air around here; being able to give ideas. Everyone gives ides and let’s pick the best ones that work for everybody.”

There's an enhanced sense of optimism among Chicago Bears fans following the additions of Brandon Marshall, Michael Bush and others, but quarterback Jay Cutler isn't ready to celebrate offseason moves just yet.

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CHICAGO -- Quarterback Jay Cutler says his right thumb is fine and he can't wait to return to lead a significantly upgraded Bears offense.

Cutler said he's recovered from offseason surgery to repair the fractured thumb. He suffered the injury late last November against San Diego while making a tackle on Antoine Cason, who had just picked off the Bears quarterback.

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LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Three months into his tenure as Chicago Bears' quarterbacks coach, Jeremy Bates sees little difference in Jay Cutler from the time the two worked together in Denver.

"He's still the same quarterback," Bates said Sunday. "He's got a great arm. I think the experience of any profession or anything you do, you grow with it, both good and bad. But he's definitely matured as a player because he's had both good games and bad games. You get better every game. The more experiences, the more snaps, you're always going to get better at your craft.'

"I think he's got great talent. He's a Pro Bowl quarterback. I'm excited to be with him."

Cutler enjoyed the finest season of his career while working with Bates and former Broncos and current Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan. In 2008, which ironically turned out to be the final year in Denver for all three, Cutler passed for 4,526 yards and 25 touchdowns en route to earning his first, and so far only Pro Bowl selection. The hope is Cutler can one again reach a Pro Bowl level with the help of Bates, plus the change in offense under Mike Tice and the addition of such weapons as receiver Brandon Marshall, who Bates also coached during his time with the Broncos.

"He loves football," Bates said of Cutler. "He's super intelligent. He can make all the throws. He's athletic and he comes to work every day.

"(Marshall) is a big target. You like to have to those big targets. He's a hard-worker, can get in and out of cuts. It's going to be fun to have those two together again."

Bates spent three years on the Broncos' staff from 2006-2008, where he spent time coaching both quarterbacks and wide receivers. He then jumped to the collegiate level to team up with Pete Carroll at USC and followed the head coach to Seattle where he served as offensive coordinator for just one season. Upon being let go by the Seahawks, Bates spent last year out of football, which made him eager to reunite with Cutler when the opportunity to join the Bears presented itself in early February.

"This is a great, historic franchise," Bates said. "At the same time, I tell my receivers and quarterbacks in the meeting that if you can't beat them, join them. We (Seattle) lost (to the Bears) in the 2010 playoffs. I'm just very fortunate to be with a great staff, great ownership and good players."

So what could we possibly have done to deserve this sentence of six months in professional sports hell? Which of the sporting gods did Chicago offend to bring about this karma? I grew up accepting the Cubs were cursed, but not the Bears and Bulls, too. Since November, though, a one-two punch to the civic groin has left us face down and semi-conscious in an alley. The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in June of 2010; then seven months later the Bears advanced to the NFC Championship game. Looked like smooth sailing. Maybe Jay Cutler spraining his knee was a tip-off we were about to enter a nuclear winter.

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The Chicago Bears are down one spot to No. 11 in the latest preseason edition of the ESPN.com NFL Power Rankings.

Despite slipping one notch in the first post-draft rankings, the Bears are still considered in the top half of the league. They acquired Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall in a trade with the Miami Dolphins, and picked up running back Michael Bush in free agency to complement Matt Forte, who has yet to sign his franchise tender which would guarantee the all-purpose rusher approximately $7.7 million in 2012. Forte has been absent for the start of the teams' offseason workout program and there have been no indications that he plans to attend the Bears' veteran mini-camp in mid-June without having agreed to a new long-term contract.

The Bears attempted to upgrade their pass rush last weekend at the NFL draft by selecting Boise State defensive end/linebacker Shea McClellin in the first round at No. 19 overall. McClellin is expected to jump into a rotation at defensive end that includes perennial Pro Bowler Julius Peppers and veteran Israel Idonije, who returned to the team on a one-year deal.

In the second round, the Bears moved up five spots to grab South Carolina wide receiver Alshon Jeffery at No. 45. The hope is Jeffery, one of the top wideouts in the country in 2010, turns out to be a perfect complement for Marshall and another big target for quarterback Jay Cutler. Temple tight end/H-back Evan Rodriguez is also projected to be a contributor to the offense his rookie year, according to Bears general manager Phil Emery. The Bears hardly utilized the tight end in the passing game last season, but that is expected to change under new offensive coordinator Mike Tice. Rodriguez views himself in the mold of New England pass-catching tight end Aaron Hernandez, which if true, means the Bears got a steal in the fourth round. Tice must now figure out how to incorporate all three of his tight ends -- Rodriguez, Kellen Davis, Matt Spaeth -- into the game plan.

When you add up all the Bears' offseason transactions, it's clear that on paper the offense projects to be much stronger in 2012, just as long as the key components stay relatively healthy. For that reason alone, the Bears appear to be in a much better position post-draft than a year ago, which justifies their top-15 ranking.

As for the rest of the NFC North, the Green Bay Packers held firm at No. 3 while the Detroit Lions slipped two spots to No. 9. The rebuilding Minnesota Vikings checked in at No. 31.

Never has the NFC North's transition been more visible than on the final day of the 2011 regular season. On a snowy day at Lambeau Field, the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions combined for 103 passing attempts and 1,000 passing yards.

By the time the Packers secured a 45-41 victory, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford had exceeded 5,000 yards passing for the season and Packers backup Matt Flynn had convinced the league he was a starting-caliber quarterback. Where once we could have expected the teams to grind out a classic Black and Blue game, they instead combined for a total of 37 carries. No running back made it to the modest total of 50 yards.

We've spent some time this offseason noting what we could politely call a tilt toward the passing game in both Detroit and Green Bay. We've discussed the Chicago Bears' seeming ambivalence about signing tailback Matt Forte to a long-term extension, and we've pointed out the Minnesota Vikings' uncertainty as tailback Adrian Peterson rehabilitates his shredded knee.

If you looked at this division through a traditional lens, you could consider running back a significant draft need for at least half of the division, if not all of it. But the NFC North's frenzied quarterback acquisitions over the past few years have brought us to a precipice. Are we ready to jump off, once and for all, into the world of Air and Space? Or will our teams step away from that ledge and rebalance their personnel, if not their scheme, to double back on the running game?

As the NFL continues its push toward passing supremacy, it's hard to imagine any NFC North team making anything other than subtle changes. Why take the ball out of the hands Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler or Stafford? And why not give Christian Ponder every chance to take the next step in his development?

This offseason, we've heard the Vikings speak often about seeking more playmakers for Ponder. We've watched the Bears sign Michael Bush as insurance against Forte's possible absence, but otherwise the Bears have worked to fortify their passing game with the acquisition of receiver Brandon Marshall and private meetings with many of the draft's top receivers, from Michael Floyd to Stephen Hill to Alshon Jeffery.

The Lions are the case study here, followed closely by the Packers. Injuries to Jahvid Best, Mikel Leshoure, Kevin Smith and the brain tumor of Jerome Harrison left them little choice but to rely on Stafford's arm last season. They finished 2011 with the second-fewest rushing attempts in the NFL, managed 71 rushing first downs (No. 29 in the league), according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Stafford told reporters this week that "everybody on our team would like to be a little more balanced than we were last year." It's reasonable to think they will be if Best and/or Leshoure are available full-time. But a serious commitment to improve would almost certainly require a draft investment. Best (concussion) has not been cleared for football work, Leshoure (Achilles) is coming back from a serious injury for a running back, and Smith has had difficulty staying healthy throughout his career.

How much do the Lions value that balance? We should find out over draft weekend. Again, most of us would look at their roster and toss question marks all over their backfield. But in 2012, how important is it to have an established and traditional No. 1 running back?

"We want to score as many points as we can," coach Jim Schwartz said at the NFL scouting combine. "Whether you do it running or passing, it doesn't matter. I think you want to try to get the ball in playmakers' hands."

In the end, the Lions might be best-served by pursuing a more modest goal: Being in position to capitalize against imbalanced defenses. Dictating a game on the ground might well be an NFC North artifact.

"If teams take the approach of playing the pass first," Schwartz said, "we should be in the position of having running backs who can make them pay for that."

Yes, there is a more than reasonable argument to be made that you don't need an elite running back when you have elite quarterbacks and receivers. A competent running back who doesn't miss the obvious yards might well suffice.

I don't know if the Lions, or the Packers for that matter, will invest a high draft pick in a running back. None of us do. But is it necessary? Probably not, at least not in our new Air and Space division. Soon we'll know how far off the cliff we've fallen.

The Chicago Bears believe they have remedied roster deficiencies at backup quarterback by re-signing veteran Josh McCown and acquiring Jason Campbell through free agency to back up Jay Cutler.

With four signal callers on the current roster, the prospect of adding a quarterback in the NFL draft seems remote. So don’t expect the Bears to go down that path. In fact, it’s not even likely the team will add a proverbial camp arm.

“We feel real good about our quarterback position now,” Bears coach Lovie Smith said.

That certainly wasn’t the sentiment toward the end of 2011, when ineptitude behind Cutler derailed what should have been a playoff season. After starting 7-3 with Cutler at the helm, the Bears lost five of six down the stretch when the quarterback suffered a season-ending thumb injury in a Nov. 20 win over the San Diego Chargers.

Smartly, the Bears leaned on hard lessons from last season in opting to take experience over youth when they brought aboard Campbell and re-signed McCown.

“Each year you learn something,” Smith said.

In 2012, it won’t be a new or inexperienced backup quarterback.

The next 10: 11. Kellen Moore, Boise State, 6-0, 197; 12. B.J. Coleman, Tennessee-Chattanooga, 6-3, 234; 13. Case Keenum, Houston, 6-1, 208; 14. Austin Davis, Southern Mississippi, 6-2, 219; 15. Darron Thomas, Oregon, 6-3, 220; 16. G.J. Kinne, Tulsa, 6-1, 234; 17. Aaron Corp, Richmond, 6-4, 215; 18. Tyler Hansen, Colorado, 6-1, 222; 19. Patrick Witt, Yale, 6-4, 225; 20. Jacory Harris, Miami, 6-3, 203.

Position grade: A.

Analysis: It’s anticipated that teams will take quarterbacks with the first and second picks for the first time since 1999, Cleveland and Philadelphia selected Tim Couch and Donovan McNabb at No. 1 and No. 2. Obviously everyone knows how the careers of Couch and McNabb widely differed, but Luck and Griffin III appear poised to enjoy successful careers. The new rookie salary structure makes it much more advantageous than in years past to take a gamble on a quarterback early. So there’s a good chance this class of quarterbacks could produce a few starters. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. predicts that five or six quarterbacks could be off the board by the end of the second round.

For those of you who keep track of such things, let it be known that ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer has made an about-face on the future of Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler.

It was only a year ago when Dilfer said that poor mechanics would limit Cutler's career until he committed to fixing them. "He could be an elite player in this league, but he won't be until he dedicates himself to dealing with the basic things that will bring out and maximize his potential," Dilfer said. "They tend to show up, the laziness with his mechanics, the flaws show up, late in games, red zones, critical downs, tight games."

In this recent "QBs on the Clock" video, Dilfer named Cutler as an NFL quarterback most likely to step into elite status.

"I think Jay Cutler is going to blow up this year," Dilfer said. "I saw so much last year. I think once I saw it in person, being at 'Monday Night Football.' Watching his demeanor. The body language changed. The toughness. The talent has always been there. I saw him pay more attention to detail."

Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. chose Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, pointing out: "I've loved him since high school."

I realize you are split on the value of outside analysis, but I think we can agree we found out how good Cutler can be last season. Dilfer might have said it with more flamboyance, but especially after the acquisition of receiver Brandon Marshall, I expect many outside analysts to hop on the Cutler bandwagon in the coming months.

I typically put my best virtual stiff arm on all attempts to project the division finish until at least after the draft, if not once after training camp. It's a fun debate whenever we have it, but I figure we should at least have a strong sense of the makeup of each roster before diving in.

So consider this post a preview to that inevitable discussion, spurred by an interesting analogy from Detroit Lions receiver Nate Burleson during an appearance this week on the NFL Network. (Video here.)

Burleson was asked if the Lions are ready to win the division. His full response:

"I think so. I don't want to sit here and tell you what we're going to do. Obviously I'm confident in the team. We lost a couple close games to Green Bay, split with Chicago, and had a good showing against Minnesota last year.

"But from an outside perspective, I think everybody looks at it like this: Green Bay is driving the car. Up front in the passenger seat is Chicago. In the back, you've got the Vikings and you've got the Lions. We're sitting there begging them, asking them, 'Are we there yet, are we there yet?'

"It's time for us to get out of the car and see who wants to drive. The division is up for anybody who wants it. We've got a tough division, and I like it."

Why are the Bears in the front seat and why are the Lions still in the restless kids' area? Perhaps Burleson was recognizing -- fairly, I think -- that the Bears had a step on the Lions last season until quarterback Jay Cutler's fractured thumb changed the outlook. Would the Lions have been a playoff team if Cutler stayed healthy? Fair question.

The Packers, who won the Super Bowl in 2010 and were 15-1 last season, will get the benefit of the doubt in most national discussions. But if the point of Burleson's response was to suggest this is a three-team race (sorry, Vikings), then I'm on board. The Lions did enough last season to be rightfully included in the discussion with the Packers and Bears. Let's see if anyone's draft changes the parameters of this debate.

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler said Tuesday he wasn't shocked when he heard the audio of former New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams telling his players to injure San Francisco 49ers players, but he did think it crossed a line.

"It didn't shock me, but it's definitely a line you can't cross," Cutler said on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. "You can't say that. You can't condone that. You can't instruct your guys to go out and play like that. Guys are going to take head shots. They're goign to take shots. They're going to hit you as hard as they possibly can. That's the game.

"Whenver you start instructing guys to take head shots and give guys concussions especially with the way the commissioner is coming down on those types of hits and concussions and emphasis on that, you're going to pay a severe penalty."

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler remains confident that Brandon Marshall won't miss any time resulting from the incident in a New York City nightclub in which he was accused of striking a woman.

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Having already been suspended for insubordination, Brandon Marshall figured he had nothing to lose. So after agreeing to a national television interview during his tumultuous 2009 season with the Denver Broncos, Marshall placed a large photograph of himself and quarterback Jay Cutler on his living room wall -- in clear view of the cameras.

Was there any better way to symbolize his displeasure with the Broncos -- and tell the world he wanted out of Denver -- than a reminder of the trade that sent Cutler to the Chicago Bears a few months earlier? "I was like, 'hey, let's make a statement,'" Marshall told ESPN 1000 earlier this year.

Most of our coverage on the Bears' acquisition of Marshall has focused on his previously boorish behavior and a recent incident outside a New York City nightclub. That's too bad, because it pushed to the background two stunning years Marshall and Cutler had with the Broncos, and it has overshadowed what, by all accounts, is the kind of football relationship that most teams only dream of assembling.

So consider this post our own blatant and staged attempt to shift the focus to football, if only for a moment while we await further news on Marshall's role in the nightclub fracas.

In 31 games together with the Broncos from 2007-08, Cutler and Marshall combined for 206 receptions, 2,590 yards and 13 touchdowns. They were so locked in that by 2008, Cutler targeted Marshall on 179 passes in 15 games. That's the highest number over the past four years in the NFL, as the first chart shows.

But to hear Cutler and Marshall tell it, their wild production was not just the product of a strong-armed quarterback and a prototypical big receiver.

"His physical abilities are second to his mental side of the game," Cutler told EPSN 1000 in January. "I've never been with a receiver that understands the game, understands why we're doing certain things [like Marshall]."

Despite their limited time together, Cutler has thrown more touchdown passes to Marshall (14) than any teammate in his career. The same is true for Marshall. Although the Bears' offense differs schematically from the Broncos', new offensive coordinator Mike Tice has traditionally allowed quarterbacks and receivers flexibility to freelance when prudent.

More than anything, that's where Cutler and Marshall figure to make their hay in 2012 and beyond -- with unspoken adjustments and collective instincts.

"It's hard to find that and sometimes it's once in a lifetime," Marshall said. "... When you take two guys and put them on the field together and they have that chemistry, that's what's almost impossible to find. I can't explain it."

Describing their past time together in the present tense, Marshall said, "We will line up there and we'll get a coverage and he will just look at me and I'll know exactly where he wants to adjust my route on. You don't find that.

"It got to a point where coaches, they didn't know what we were doing so we'll install a whole play and they'll give us a play on the front side and put me on the back side and they'll tell us just do what you all do and just make it work. We had a lot of freedom in our offense, and we made it work and the chemistry was great. It was something special."

It's a little early to project another 100-connection season between Cutler and Marshall, but I think it's safe to say they are capable of production levels unseen in Chicago in a decade or more. (At least by a Bears team.)

The Bears' streak of nine consecutive seasons without a 1,000-yard receiver is the longest in the NFL. Their last statistical season of note came from Marty Booker, who caught 97 passes for 1,189 yards in 2002.

Marshall has caught at least 81 passes in all five of his full-time seasons. In their history dating back to 1932, the Bears have had six receivers catch 80 passes in a season.

Even in today's unprecedented era of passing, it takes a lot for a quarterback/receiver duo to rack up a huge season. Health, complementary players and pass protection are all important factors.

But the chemistry that Cutler and Marshall claim to have -- and is borne out by the statistics -- is the rarest of commodities. We have a chance to watch something special from two presumably matured personalities still in their physical primes. When it's over, maybe the photograph above the fireplace will be more than just a prop.

New Chicago Bears receiver Brandon Marshall does not fear he will be suspended by the NFL for allegedly punching a woman, but his accuser wants him held "criminally responsible."

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The Chicago Bears entered the 2011 season with two backups quarterbacks with zero NFL starts on their resumes and paid the price for it. A year later they have gone from the greenest corps of backup quarterbacks to one of the NFL's most experienced.

After the signings of Jason Campbell as the primary backup and Josh McCown as the third QB, the Bears have 103 career NFL starts behind starter Jay Cutler, a drastic improvement over Caleb Hanie and then-rookie Nathan Enderle a year ago.

"It's nice that [Campbell] has started 70 contests," Bears general manager Phil Emery said Thursday. "And it's nice that he's gotten six seasons under his belt and thrown for over 60 percent, he has 74 touchdowns and he has an 82.8 passer rating. Those are all extreme positives. It's also very positive that he has the size that he has. ... Arm strength is very important because of our weather and the division that we play in. You'll notice that Jay and Jason have big arms. That to me was a prerequisite moving forward."

Campbell, a first-round draft pick by the Washington Redskins in 2005, spent the past two seasons with the Oakland Raiders, finishing with an 11-7 record in his 18 starts there. His best season came in 2009 when he started 16 games for the Redskins, passing for a career-high 3,618 yards with 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

Campbell, who will be introduced at a press conference on Friday at Halas Hall, knew heading into free agency that he would sign somewhere as a backup. Bears coach Lovie Smith is happy to have him.

"We did a lot of work on Jason Campbell when he came out of Auburn years back," Smith said Thursday. "Really liked him. I like the guy, the person, him being in the locker room. His size, his poise. His grandmother lives here in Chicago. He's got a lot of relatives here. We thought that he would be the perfect backup for Jay."

The Bears brought McCown back as the No. 3 quarterback after the nine-year veteran had a two-game stint as the starter at the end of last season with Cutler hurt and Hanie benched. He completed 63.6 percent of his passes and threw for two touchdowns and four interceptions in three games last season.

McCown, 32, has started 33 of his 50 NFL games played in nine seasons with the Arizona Cardinals (2002-05), Detroit Lions (2006), Raiders (2007), Carolina Panthers (2008-09) and Bears (2011) after entering the league as a third-round selection by Arizona in the 2002 NFL draft.

"There's a reason we brought back Josh McCown," Smith said. "He did a super job in a tough situation last year. And our fourth quarterback, Nathan Enderle, gets a chance to learn from not only one good quarterback with a lot of experience but three. We feel real good about our quarterback position now."