Chicago Bears' Offseason State of the Union

In a little more than a month, the Chicago Bears will open up training camp in Bourbonnais, Illinois, under the guidance of new head coach John Fox.

Fox will not be the only new face stepping onto the fields on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University in late July. Joining the new head coach will be a handful of new assistant coaches, including offensive coordinator Adam Gase and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.

New general manager Ryan Pace will have his first opportunity to watch his team practice in front of fans at training camp, and the Bears will have over 40 players participating in their first training camp with the team.

Pace has been busy this offseason trying to improve a Bears team that went 5-11 last season, but there is no way of knowing how much the team has improved until it steps out onto the practice field later this summer.

During organized team activities (OTAs), players were not allowed to tackle and only wore helmets with jerseys and shorts without pads. Once training camp begins, players will be practicing in full gear.

Where does the team currently stand in the weeks leading up to the start of training camp? We explore that ahead in the Chicago Bears' offseason state of the union. 

Passing Offense

Matt Marton/Associated Press

At this point in Jay Cutler's nine-year career, it is pretty easy to know who he is as a quarterback. He has a strong arm and can make some incredible throws down the field, but he struggles with his decision-making and has a tendency to turn the football over.

Former head coach Marc Trestman was labeled as a "quarterback whisperer" and was expected to maximize Cutler's potential, but the former first-round pick was benched last season near the end of the year in favor of Jimmy Clausen. That start in late December was Clausen's first since 2010, but he suffered a concussion in the team's loss to the Detroit Lions, and Cutler was thrust back into the lineup the following week.

Cutler showed some flashes early in Trestman's offense, but the inexperienced head coach struggled to adapt, and the offense crumbled around Cutler last season.

After Fox was hired this offseason, he talked about having to rebuild Cutler's confidence this season.

“I think maybe he got to the point where he lacked confidence a year ago,” Fox said back in March, according to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune. “To build that back up, it’s going to take time, daily. It takes trust, like any relationship.” 

To help build Cutler's confidence, Fox brought Gase with him to Chicago after the two worked together in Denver. Gase is considered to be one of the league's young rising stars in the coaching world, but he is the fifth different coordinator Cutler has had in Chicago.

"Is it five [coordinators]? That can't be good, right?" Cutler joked earlier this offseason, according to Melissa Isaacson of ESPN.com.

Some coordinators like Mike Martz were able to get some productivity out of Cutler, but all of them failed to improve the former Vanderbilt standout's decision-making. So far this offseason, Cutler feels good about the direction the offense is heading under Gase.

"I feel great about the offense we’re in right now," Cutler said last week, according to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times. "I know the guys like it. I know the receivers like it. [Tight end Martellus Bennett] is going to love it when he gets involved in it. We just have to keep heading in the direction we are going and keep studying. We are not where we want to be yet."

This isn't the first time Cutler has spoken highly about the scheme he is playing in, but unlike former coordinators Ron Turner and Mike Tice, Gase is a proven NFL offensive coordinator.

There is no way of knowing whether Cutler can be successful in Gase's system until he actually steps out onto the field in the regular season, but Gase has a proven track record, and Cutler does feel comfortable in the system.

No one should expect Cutler to be able to flip a switch and instantly become a better quarterback under Gase, but if the young coordinator can tailor the offense to fit Cutler a little better, the team has a chance to be successful this season.

Rushing Offense

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

Matt Forte (left) will carry the brunt of the load on offense in 2015, but guys like rookie Jeremy Langford (right) will be also be used.

Cutler will still play an integral part in Chicago's offense this season, but Fox stated earlier this offseason he wants to take some of that pressure off his quarterback by utilizing the running game, according to Campbell:

"

Football-wise, there are things you can do in coaching to minimize some of the exposure. Playing defense. Playing complementary football is going to be something that helps. I liken it a little bit, not being critical, to Tony Romo. I think there had been different things said. I know Tony personally. He’s a tremendous competitor. I thought he had one of his better seasons a year ago with that same kind of build-up. With success comes confidence.

"

The Dallas Cowboys limited some of Tony Romo's exposure last season by running the football over 500 times, and the Bears could look to run the football heavily in 2015 to take some pressure off Cutler.

Running back Matt Forte rushed for 1,038 yards on 266 carries with six touchdowns in 2014, but he felt part of the reason why Chicago's offense failed last season was because it did not run the football enough.

"We definitely didn’t run the ball nearly enough last year, and it hurt, and as evidence we were 5-11," Forte said, according to Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times.

As a team, the Bears ranked 30th in the NFL in total rushing attempts in 2014 with 355. Chicago ranked 24th in 2013 with 404 attempts and finished the season 8-8. In Lovie Smith's final year with the team in 2012, the Bears ranked 10th in the NFL with 470 rushing attempts and finished the season 10-6.

Leading the league in rushing attempts does not make a team an instant Super Bowl contender, but it does help bring more balance to an offense. 

Forte will still be the team's featured back this season, but Fox likes using multiple running backs on offense.

"We’ve always been believers in kind of a 1-2 punch and rolling guys through there, whether it’s the D-line; a wave of those guys to stay fresh," Fox said, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com. "I’ve always had the approach the same thing with running backs."

2014 fourth-round pick Ka'Deem Carey spent all of last season as Forte's primary backup, but he only carried the football 36 times for 158 yards. In order to add more competition to the position this offseason, Pace signed Jacquizz Rodgers and Daniel Thomas in free agency and drafted Michigan State's Jeremy Langford in the fourth round of this year's draft.

Those four running backs, as well as 2014 undrafted free agent Senorise Perry, will be competing for playing time this offseason. Rodgers is a seasoned veteran who excels on third down, while Thomas is an underachieving former second-round pick who has shown flashes of his potential as a between-the-tackles runner.

Langford and Carey are young, inexperienced runners, but both could make a big impact in 2015. Langford has the quickness and speed to get to the outside, while Carey can pound the football as a north-south runner.

Perry appeared in all 16 games last season on special teams and could stick on the roster as specialist.

The Bears have not discussed how many running backs they want to keep on the roster in 2015, but judging by what Fox has said this offseason, the backup running backs will play a big role on offense behind Forte this season.

Defense

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

New defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has already received praise from many of his players this offseason.

The Bears consistently had one of the league's best defenses during Smith's tenure as head coach in Chicago from 2004 to 2012, but the defense went off the rails under former defensive coordinator Mel Tucker between 2013 and 2014.

The team finished 31st in the league in points allowed per game in both of Tucker's seasons with the Bears, and after cleaning house this offseason, Chicago signed Fangio to take over the defense in 2015.

Fangio was the defensive coordinator in San Francisco from 2011 to 2014, and his defense was consistently one of the league's best during that time. He is regarded as one of the best defensive coordinators in the game, and he has already earned the respect of many of his new players this offseason.

“Vic is the ultimate defensive coach,” said linebacker Sam Acho, according to Jahns. “He loves defense. He loves schemes, and he’s a great teacher. That’s what I love about him. He understands the game. He understands how to teach it to us as players on a very basic level where we can play on a high level."

Fangio has been successful in the past because of his ability to create mismatches and confusion, and outside linebacker Pernell McPhee raved about Fangio's creativity earlier this offseason.

“He is very creative,” McPhee said, according to Jahns. “It might not look like it sometimes because of the schemes, but [it’s] really aggressive. So every time, when I think about it, even when I watch the practice film, I’ll be like, ‘Damn, this guy is really creative.’”

During the veteran coordinator's time in San Francisco, his defense never ranked lower than fifth in the league in yards allowed per game or any lower than 10th in points allowed per game. He did have an extremely talented group of players in San Francisco, but Chicago has some young players who can develop into stars under Fangio.

McPhee spent the first four years of his career with the Baltimore Ravens as a situational pass-rusher, but he will be leaned on heavily this year as a full-time player.

Young players like cornerback Kyle Fuller, linebacker Christian Jones and nose tackle Eddie Goldman are all players who could maximize their potential playing for Fangio, while veterans like former defensive end-turned-linebacker Jared Allen and cornerback Tim Jennings could find new life in Fangio's scheme this season.

The Bears lack the necessary talent to be a top-five defense in the NFL this season, but Fangio's addition alone should help the defense be much better than it was under Tucker.

Defensive Position Battles

Matt Marton/Associated Press

Fangio's addition this offseason has made the Bears a much better team on defense, but many positions are still wide-open as the team heads into training camp.

Allen, Lamarr Houston, Willie Young and David Bass are all transitioning from 4-3 defensive ends to 3-4 outside linebackers this offseason, while 2014 draft picks Ego Ferguson and Will Sutton are moving from 4-3 defensive tackles to 3-4 defensive ends.

The position change for Allen has not necessarily been easy, but he has embraced the new challenge.

“When a guy like [Fangio] comes in and he thinks you can be successful in his defense, you give it a try,” Allen said, according to Jake Bartelson of ChicagoFootball.com. "I think it was refreshing from the standpoint I’ve been able to re-learn some of the game of football.”

Even though Allen has embraced his new role this offseason, there is no guarantee he is a starter at outside linebacker this season. McPhee appears to be a lock at one of the outside linebacker spots, but the other spot will be an open competition among Allen, Houston, Young, Bass and Acho. 

Along the defensive line, Ferguson and Sutton are competing with veterans Jeremiah Ratliff and Jarvis Jenkins for playing time on the outside at the 5-technique defensive end position.

Ratliff has the ability to play both inside at nose tackle and outside at defensive end, and his starting role will be determined by the play of Goldman at nose tackle in training camp. If Goldman can secure the starting job at the 0-technique, Ratliff will be one of the starters at defensive end, leaving Ferguson, Sutton and Jenkins to battle for the other starting job.

In the secondary, the two cornerback jobs appear to be secure with Jennings and Kyle Fuller penciled in as starters, but the nickelback spot is wide-open. Veterans Alan Ball and Tracy Porter are set to compete with Demontre Hurst, Al Louis-Jean, Jacoby Glenn, Qumain Black and Bryce Callahan for the nickelback job in training camp and the preseason.

The free safety position is set in stone with veteran Antrel Rolle pegged as the starter, but Ryan Mundy will face competition from Brock Vereen and Adrian Amos for the starting strong safety spot.

With so many positions still wide-open on defense, the battles in training camp at outside linebacker, strong safety and along the defensive line will be something to keep an eye on in the coming weeks and months.

Rookies

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Chicago's top two picks in the draft, wide receiver Kevin White and Goldman, are both expected to be starters this season at their respective positions.

White was drafted to give Chicago a speedy deep threat who could take over games, and he impressed during OTAs.

“He’s a great player,” said receiver Alshon Jeffery, according to Finley. “He’s an explosive player. We can’t wait for the season. What he’s going to do on the field is going to be great.”

While White is known for his ability to take the top off a defense with his speed, he also plays well in the short-to-intermediate passing game. He has strong hands and is not afraid to play physical.

He participated in the team's rookie minicamp and OTAs, but he was not present for the mandatory minicamp last week, according to Chicago Bears radio network sideline reporter Zach Zaidman:

"

#Bears WR Kevin White was not on the practice field for the first day of minicamp. John Fox says the rookie is day-to-day.

— Zach Zaidman (@ZachZaidman) June 16, 2015"

Fox was asked about White's status moving forward and whether he expects the rookie to be ready for training camp next month.

“Yeah, I do,” Fox said, according to ChicagoFootball.com's Arthur Arkush. “Part of the offseason is getting ready for the season and any decision we make is going to be with the player’s best interest in mind.”

Assuming he is healthy once training camp begins, White is expected to be listed as the team's No. 2 receiver behind Jeffery. 

On the other side of the football, Goldman has impressed this offseason.

"You can tell he's been coached well," said Ratliff, according to Campbell. "He came in with great feet for a big man, great speed. And his hands? You don't have to say anything to him about that. He knows what he's doing there. I've got to say I'm impressed with him."

He's projected to start the season at nose tackle, and the young lineman has the ability to collapse the pocket and apply pressure to the quarterback, but he can also be a force against the run.

White and Goldman are both expected to start this season, but third-round pick Hroniss Grasu could push veteran Will Montgomery at center, while Amos could push Mundy for the starting strong safety job. Langford will have a chance to earn a role on offense in training camp, and sixth-round pick Tayo Fabuluje could become a valuable reserve offensive lineman with a strong showing this summer.

Coaching Staff

Matt Marton/Associated Press/Associated Press

Adam Gase (left) is one of the league's most highly touted offensive coordinators, while John Fox (right) gives the team a proven head coach.

After Fox was hired by the Bears in January, he assembled one of the most talented coaching staffs the Bears have ever had.

Gase is considered to be a rising star in the NFL coaching ranks, and MMQB's Robert Klemko recently listed the young offensive coordinator as the top head-coaching candidate in the NFL. The Bears interviewed Gase for the head-coaching job this offseason before ultimately deciding to go with Fox.

He also had interviews with the Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers, Buffalo Bills and Atlanta Falcons this offseason for their open head-coaching positions.

Most of Gase's success in the NFL up to this point has come with Peyton Manning under center, but if he can help improve Cutler's decision-making this offseason, he will once again sit atop many teams' wish lists next offseason.

Gase is not the only coach on Fox's staff who could get some head-coaching consideration next offseason. In addition to listing Gase as the top head-coaching candidate in the NFL, Klemko also listed Fangio as the 18th-best candidate. 

"Has thrived running a variety of schemes with a variety of personnel," Klemko wrote about Fangio. "In NFL circles, he’s considered one of the most respected defensive strategists."

While Gase and Fangio are the big names on the staff, guys like wide receivers coach Mike Groh, offensive line coach Dave Magazu and defensive backs coach Ed Donatell are some of the league's most highly respected position coaches.

Trestman's staff in 2013 and 2014 featured a lot of unproven coaches, but Fox's current staff is filled with coaches who have a proven track record.

The Bears have had talented head coaches like George Halas, Mike Ditka and Smith, as well as talented coordinators like Buddy Ryan and Ron Rivera in the past, but the team has never had a coaching staff with this many well-regarded coaches before.

The Bears have a lot of talent on their roster, and it will be up to Chicago's talented coaching staff to get the most out of them this season.

Statistical information courtesy of NFL.com unless otherwise noted. 

Matt Eurich is a Chicago Bears Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and a member of the Pro Football Writers of America.

Follow @MattEurich