Chicago
Bears

Bears Team Report

Updated: February 09, 2012 03:02 EST

Running back Matt Forte is the Bears' only unrestricted free agent on either side of the ball who is important to their future or would attract much attention on the open market.

Bears president and chief executive officer Ted Phillips has already said Forte will not be available, and it's an almost certainty that he will receive the franchise tag, unless new general manager Phil Emery is more generous than predecessor Jerry Angelo. During last season's training camp, Forte reportedly received a long-term offer from the Bears that included $14 million in guaranteed money, which he chose not to accept. Forte then went out and produced his best season ever, leading the NFL in yards from scrimmage through 12 weeks. But he suffered a season-ending sprained knee early in Week 13 although was healthy enough to play in the Pro Bowl.

With Forte as the featured runner and quarterback Jay Cutler back from the fractured right thumb that ended his season after 10 games, the Bears are in great shape at those two positions.

The rest of the offense needs work.

A strong draft won't be enough to elevate the Bears' offense to a championship level, so it's likely they'll have more than a passing interest in several unrestricted free agents next month.

If they aim to upgrade at wide receiver - and anyone who saw them play last season would advise them to do so - they'll have plenty of targets in free agency. The Bears might not have the NFL's worst group of receivers, but they're in the discussion.

The good news is that there are six wide receivers who topped 1,000 yards in 2011 currently scheduled to hit the open market on March 13, including Steelers restricted free agent Mike Wallace (72 catches, 1,193 yards, eight touchdowns). And there are three more that finished with between 900 and 1,000 yards.

Some will re-sign with their own team before free agency begins, and others may stay put after receiving the franchise tag, but receiver-poor teams like the Bears will have an opportunity to upgrade immediately.

The Patriots' Wes Welker (122 catches, 1,569 yards, nine touchdowns) probably isn't going anywhere, and ditto for Wallace. But that still leaves the Chiefs' Dwayne Bowe (81-1,159-5), the Saints' Marques Colston (80-1,143-8), the Chargers' Vincent Jackson (60-1,106-9) and the Bills' Stevie Johnson (76-1,004-7).

All those numbers look even more spectacular considering that Johnny Knox was the Bears' leading receiver with 727 yards last season. And Knox is still in the early stages of rehabilitation from the back surgery he needed after the gruesome hit he took in Week 15.

Knox and Roy Williams, an unrestricted free agent who probably won't be back, tied for the team lead among wideouts with just 37 catches, well behind running back Matt Forte's 52. No one else on the team caught more than 27 passes.

Tight end Kellen Davis' five touchdown catches were as many as the next two Bears combined. Davis, who got his five scores on just 18 catches, is also an unrestricted free agent.

Now that Mike Martz is gone, the Bears may decide, under new offensive coordinator Mike Tice, to join the rest of the NFL in this wacky, razzle-dazzle gimmick called, "throwing the ball to the tight end."

Bears tight ends Davis and Matt Spaeth caught a total of 25 passes last season. A total of 17 tight ends caught more than 50 passes last season. Ten of the 12 playoff teams had a tight with more than 50 catches, and the Patriots had two.

There isn't as much free-agent talent available at tight end, but the Packers' Jermichael Finley (55-767-8) and the Redskins' Fred Davis (59-796-3) are four-year veterans who should have a lot of productive years remaining.

Offensive line remains a Bears weakness. The healthy return of 2011 first-round offensive tackle Gabe Carimi will help, but it might not be enough.

Saints Pro Bowl guard Carl Nicks is the cream of this year's unrestricted line crop, and New Orleans might not have an abundance of loot left over after signing quarterback Drew Brees to an expected long-term deal. The Saints also have a decision to make on free-agent wide receiver Colston, but Nicks is probably a higher priority considering he might be the best guard in the NFL.

Left tackle is more of a concern for the Bears than guard, and the Chargers could cut Marcus McNeill, who was injured for much of last season. His replacement, Jared Gaither, is unrestricted and would also be an upgrade. So would Buffalo left tackle Demetrius Bell, but the Bills may not let him get away.

Quality left tackles don't come cheaply. But if the Bears were able to land one in free agency, and if Carimi stays healthy and plays to his potential, a former trouble spot could become a team strength.

--New Bears quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates' biggest claim to fame is the positive relationship he has with the team's most important offensive player, Jay Cutler.

"I'm very excited to be working with Jeremy Bates again," Cutler told the Bears' website. "We got the right guy for the job."

With Bates as Cutler's position coach in Denver in 2008, the quarterback was voted to his only Pro Bowl, throwing for a career-best 4,526 yards, with 25 touchdowns, 18 interceptions and a passer rating of 86.0. Cutler also established Broncos' passing records for completions (384), attempts (616), yards and 300-yard games (eight) that season. He was sacked only 11 times while operating an offense that ranked second in the NFL in total yards.

"His history with Jay was a big thing," coach Lovie Smith said on the Bears' website. "And not just history with Jay but a good history, a productive history with him helping Jay as a quarterback.

"I did a lot of research and I think Jeremy is a perfect fit."

Cutler gives Bates credit for his rapid development as an NFL starter in Denver, especially his last two years with the Broncos (2007-08), when he threw for 8,029 yards and 45 touchdowns with 32 interceptions.

"He was very vital in my growth and my experience as a quarterback there," Cutler said. "The last couple years he had full control of my development and our plays coming in.

"He's a grinder. He's a guy that's going to work extremely hard to find weaknesses in defenses, and he's going to be able to present it to us in a way that we understand and will be able to make plays where we can take advantage of those weaknesses."

Bates, 35, flew to Tampa last week to interview with Smith and then met with new offensive coordinator Mike Tice at Halas Hall.

Bates began his NFL coaching career with the Buccaneers as offensive quality control coach (2002-03) and assistant quarterbacks coach in 2004. He was the New York Jets quarterbacks coach in '05 and then spent three years with Cutler in Denver. He began as an offensive assistant in '06 and then coached wide receivers in '07 and quarterbacks in '08.

Bates was University of Southern Cal's assistant head coach/quarterbacks in 2009 and the Seattle Seahawks' offensive coordinator in 2010. He was out of football last season.

Bates was a quarterback at Tennessee (1995) and Rice (1997 and 1999).

In Bates' one season as offensive coordinator, the Seahawks 23rd in scoring, 28th in total yards, 31st in rushing yards, 29th in average gain per rush, 19th in passing yards, 27th in average gain per pass and 22nd in third-down efficiency.

--The Bears interviewed former Buccaneers offensive coordinator Greg Olson for their quarterbacks coach position late last month, but he turned down their offer in favor of taking a similar job with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

On Monday the Bears hired Bates.

Olson, the Bears' quarterbacks coach in 2003, has previous experience as an offensive coordinator with the Rams, Lions and, most recently, the Bucs. The Bears were also rumored to be interested in Alex Van Pelt. He was the Bucs' quarterbacks coach the past two seasons under Olson, but they were fired along with head coach Raheem Morris and his entire staff after last season's 4-12 record.

"Did we look at other guys?" Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "Yes, we did. Every time we have an opening, I look at everybody available. I even waited to see who would be available so I could see what the pool really looked like.

"Even though we had only brought in one guy (Olson), I had been talking to a lot of guys. But in the end, it was Jeremy by a landslide."

--Smith completed his staff by hiring Tim Holt as the team's offensive line coach. He replaces last year's offensive line coach Mike Tice, who was promoted to offensive coordinator.

Holt has 17 years of coaching experience, including the last three with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Last season he was the Bucs' assistant offensive line coach after working as an offensive assistant coach for the team in 2010, concentrating most of his work on the offensive line. He joined Tampa Bay in '09 as a coaching intern, concentrating on tight ends and helping with the offensive line.

In the last two seasons, the Bucs sent two offensive linemen to the Pro Bowl, guard Davin Joseph (2011) and left tackle Donald Penn (2010). In those two seasons, the Bucs' 4.5-yard average per carry was the seventh best in the NFL.

Prior to joining the Bucs, Holt spent 14 seasons (1995-2008) as a college coach, including 10 working with offensive linemen. He began at his alma mater, Southern Connecticut State, in 1995, then at Lehigh (1997-98) and Cornell (1999-2000). From 2001-03, Holt was the offensive line coach/offensive coordinator at American International before returning to his alma mater to coach the running backs for three seasons (2005-07). Holt's last collegiate stop was Stonehill College in 2008 as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator.

Holt played offensive line for four seasons (1991-94) Southern Connecticut State and was a three-year letter winner.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "The one year he was a coordinator, he led their team to a division title, and he just ran up against a juggernaut in the Chicago Bears. We can't hold that against him." -- Bears coach Lovie Smith, discussing new quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates' one ill-fated season as an NFL offensive coordinator in 2010 with the Seahawks, whom the Bears defeated 35-24 in a divisional-round playoff game at Soldier Field on Jan. 16, 2011.

The Bears' quarterbacks coach position was initially advertised as one that would include the title of "passing game coordinator." But that will not be part of new quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates' title.

Offensive coordinator Mike Tice, who was promoted last month from offensive line coach, will handle the offensive play-calling duties. Bates and the rest of the offensive coaches will have the normal input into game-planning, but Tice will have final say.

MEDICAL WATCH

--WR Johnny Knox has begun what is expected to be a lengthy rehabilitation from the gruesome, season-ending back injury he suffered Dec. 18 against the Seahawks, which required surgery.

Two of his vertebra were fused during surgery, and Knox said the injury resulted in the worst pain he's ever felt. He has not watched a replay of the play.

Knox recently said his back is healing "good" following surgery, and he's doing "a little" light work in the gym, but he has to wear a brace until mid-March.

--RB Matt Forte played briefly in the Pro Bowl, the first action he's seen since suffering a regular-season ending sprained knee on Dec. 4.