And now for our first Jay Cutler check-in

Let's first make a conscience effort not to get too swept away by all the positivity flowing out of Bears camp. It's easier than ever this year: Chicago's Bears optimism is always sky-high come Bourbonnais, but Cutler takes it to another level. Seemingly everyone this year is drinking the orange and blue kool-aid.

All I'm saying is that we have to be guarded. These are still the Bears. If I didn't know them letting me down, I wouldn't know them at all. But the city will have none of it, apparently. Expectations are at an all-time high. It's getting to the point that I'm sort of worried someone will try to assassinate Lovie Smith if the Bears start off 3-2.  Only three days into training camp, and my dad is already sure Zack Bowman will be a Pro Bowl corner.  This is what we need to avoid. Tone down those expectations a bit, people. That way, no one gets too hurt.

Aw, screw it.

SUPER BEARS, SUPER BOWL. SUPER BEARS, SUPER BOWL.

The Cutler-Bennett connection

The Bears receivers are unproven, yes, but it's not like Daryl Drake is throwing out a whole crew of Rashied Davises. Earl Bennett, Juaquin Iglesias, Brandon Rideau, and Johnny Knox are young. They have upside. They could, potentially, be good. Man cannot be judged on his Madden rating alone. Hester's a 71!? You may as well chop off my right thumb, EA.

The best bet to make a leap (not to be confused with The Leap) this year looks like Earl Bennett. He's drawing rave reviews out of camp so far (who isn't!?), and has some invoking the memory of Bobby Engram.

And that's exactly what the Bears need.

Before the draft, Stompy said the Bears didn't need to go after a home run hitter, just an OBP guy. Engram was perfect in that role. Maybe Bennett can be too.

Drake seems to think so.

Bennett is working at flanker and is moved into the slot on occasion. Drake called him a possession receiver who ''has some deceptive ability to get downfield.'' What slowed him down last year, as a 21-year-old, was having to learn all three positions at one time. Had the Bears only lined him up at flanker and left him there, he could've tackled that pretty quickly because he's a bright guy.

Hurray for smart people!

Cutler and Bennett go way back, of course. They killed it together at Vanderbilt. Here's video evidence. The summary on this is "Jay Cutler and Earl Bennett take down UT in 4 plays". Somewhere in that stadium, Clay Travis is torn.

Who says his teammates don't like Jay Cutler?

Via the Trib.

Forte is participating in the NFL Players Association's fantasy football league and drafted Cutler as his quarterback, keeping their relationship on solid ground.

The "keeping their relationship on solid ground" ending made me laugh. Also: Gould drafted Aaron Rodgers. So when the Bears are up six in Week 1 and Gould misses a 30-yard field goal with 2 minutes left in the fourth quarter, we'll know why.

Wildcat

The Wildcat swept the NFL last year. In Hester, the Bears have perhaps the best player ever to run it. They need to figure this out.

And hey, at least they're working on it in camp.
 

Just don't throw the ball to Jay and it'll be all good.