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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."

INDIANAPOLIS -- Even though Jeremy Bates lasted just one season as Seahawks' offensive coordinator, it didn't stop his former boss Pete Carroll from giving the new Bears' assistant coaches a glowing review Friday at the NFL Combine.

Carroll and Bates worked together at USC for one year before both moved onto Seattle in 2010. Bates, however, was let go following the 2010 regular season due to reported philosophical differences. But their past parting of the ways did not prevent Carroll from hailing the Bears' decision to hire Bates earlier in the month.

"He's got great depth to him about the system that he's been around," Carroll said. "He really, really knows it. In particular, with Jay Cutler, they kind of grew up together in the system and they really hit it off and were effective when they were together.

"I think it's a great move for Chicago, a great move for Cutler and a great move for Jeremy as well. It's going to work out great for them. I don't know if they'll understand the depth of it until they see those guys work together. I just know through our stories and our communication about things like that, they were really on the same page. So I think it was a great pickup for Chicago."

Bates and the rest of the Bears' assistant coaches are off-limits to the media during the Combine.

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler said Monday he's excited the team hired Jeremy Bates as its quarterbacks coach, and Cutler said he hopes the revamped front office will add some offensive weapons.

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The Chicago Bears have reached an agreement with Jeremy Bates to become their quarterbacks coach.

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CHICAGO -- It's going to be a busy upcoming week at Halas Hall as the Chicago Bears attempt to begin filling the vacant spots on their coaching staff. Just to recap, here is where we stand as of Sunday afternoon:

• The Bears want Perry Fewell to be the new defensive coordinator -- a fact that’s been obvious since the season ended -- so the job is his for the taking. The only hold up may be Fewell, who remains somewhat undecided about his next move, according to people familiar with the situation. Perhaps some of that uncertainty may be related to possible (but not guaranteed) head coach openings in Carolina and Jacksonville. For example, if Jack Del Rio leaves for USC, Fewell would probably be a candidate for the Jaguars' job considering he coached the Jacksonville secondary from 1998-2002. However, it's not a slam dunk that Del Rio or Panthers coach John Fox will go elsewhere, so holding out for one of those positions may prove to be pointless.Fewell also met with the Giants and has a strong relationship with Tom Coughlin, but Romeo Crennel and Dick Jauron have also been rumored as possible defensive coordinator hires in New York. Fewell will interview with the Bears on Monday, and may feel like he can't pass up an opportunity to work in such a familiar and comfortable setting. Since the Bears’ defensive staff is currently re-evaluating certain aspects of their scheme, Lovie Smith probably wants a new coordinator in place as soon as possible.
• What a wild weekend on the Jeremy Bates watch. First, he was reportedly headed to Seattle with Pete Carroll. Then just a few hours later, he was back in play for the Bears. It's never been a question about the Bears wanting to add bright, young minds like Bates and Jedd Fisch to the staff. The issue has been in what capacity. Can the Bears bring Bates to Chicago as quarterbacks coach, and not as offensive coordinator? How would that dynamic play out between Bates, Jay Cutler and a different play caller? Would such a set-up even work? If not, then the Bears have a tough decision to make. Whose happiness is most important at Halas Hall? As for Fisch, he was the Broncos' wide receivers coach in 2008, so it's not like he can only work with quarterbacks. Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal seemed to do fine when Fisch was their position coach. Bates is scheduled to interview with the Bears early next week.Mike Martz wants the job of offensive coordinator and would make Smith very comfortable. But it's still unclear how Martz would mesh with certain players, especially Cutler, who he publicly criticized earlier last season. That might sound silly and petty, but it's the reality of the situation.If Green Bay loses to Arizona, then maybe the Bears re-visit earlier talks regarding Tom Clements.
  
  Either way, things should become clearer once Carroll officially takes the Seahawks job and begins to assemble his staff. At least then we'll find out how Carroll really feels about Bates.

CHICAGO -- Jeremy Bates may not be headed toward a reunion with Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen. Citing league sources, Mortensen reports the Seattle Seahawks have targeted USC head coach Pete Carroll to replace Jim Mora, who was fired earlier Friday, and that Carroll is trying persuade Bates to follow him up the coast to Seattle.

Here are the two big problems facing the Bears:

Seattle can offer security. If Carroll gets the job, he will likely receive a four- or five-year deal. On the flip side, Lovie Smith has one season left to turn things around at Halas Hall. If he doesn't, how can Smith possibly survive? What would happen to Bates if Smith left after 2010?

Seahawks owner Paul Allen has deep pockets, and is committed to putting a winning product on the field regardless of the cost. Although the Bears are not frugal when it comes to the roster, they do not overspend for assistant coaches.

The Bears do have Cutler, but is that enough?