Since the last time we saw them:
2008 Record: 9-7
Key Additions: QB Jay Cutler, LT Orlando Pace, OLB Pisa Tinoisamoa, OG Frank Omiyale, RT Kevin Shaffer, S Josh Bullocks, DL Coach Rod Marinelli
Key Losses: S Mike Brown, OT John St. Clair, OT John Tait, QB Kyle Orton, WR Marty Booker, QB Rex Grossman, WR Brandon Lloyd
What we now know:
Best Player: OLB Lance Briggs
Most Underrated: DE Alex Brown
Looking Forward:
Breakout Candidates: TE Greg Olsen, WR Earl Bennett, S Kevin Payne, DT Dusty Dvoracek
Looking to bounce back: DT Tommie Harris, DE Adewale Ogunleye, CB Nathan Vasher, CB Charles Tillman
Time to step up: WR Earl Bennett, DE Mark Anderson, S Craig Steltz, CB Zackary Bowman, CB Corey Graham
Strengths:
- QB Cutler, the best QB Chicago has had in decades
- RB Matt Forte who can do it all and is mature beyond his years
- An elite TE combination in Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark
- An improved OT situation with additions of Pace, Omiyale and Shaffer
- Deep DT rotation anchored by 4-time Pro Bowler Harris, coached by D-Line guru Marinellu
- An excellent LB group in Brian Urlacher, Briggs and Tinoisamoa
- K Robbie Gould is NFL's all-time third most accurate kicker
- Fairly solid depth at almost every position
- A receiving corp with no proven veteran wideouts and a lot of inexperience
- A patchwork O-Line with question marks at LG and RT
- A non-existant pass rush with aging DEs and frustrating Mark Anderson
- CB Tillman's recent back surgery which could force him to miss up to 10 weeks
- Starting CB Vasher hasn't played a full season since 2005 and depth at CB is unproven
- FS spot very uncertain with inconsistent Bullocks, unproven Steltz and athletic, but frustrating Danieal Manning battling for job
- Without a pass rush or a proven secondary, Chicago could very well be susceptible to the pass again (30th in '08)
- No backup QB with NFL experience on the roster. (Brett Basanez, Caleb Hanie)
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