Chicago Bears Training Camp: Five Hot Issues

Now, be honest. When you saw the word "hot" in the title, you were hoping for photos of scantily-clad women, weren't you?

Well, no such luck.

But I will reveal to you some of the hot issues affecting the team as it prepares for a win-or-else season.

Lovie Smith is as optimistic as ever, in fact, he's full of it. Um, optimism, that is. But is that optimism warranted?

Sure, the Bears improved in the offseason, signing three major free agents, most notably Julius Peppers. But other teams did not exactly stand pat, either.

Perhaps the most interesting question revolves around their new offensive coordinator. Mike Martz brings much anticipation, but also some trepidation amongst Bears fans, as does his QB Jay Cutler.

Here at Olivet Nazarene University in sleepy Bourbonnais, IL, the Bears are preparing for what could be a make-or-break season for GM Jerry Angelo and head coach Lovie Smith.

So let's go around camp and find out what the most pressing issues are.

No . 1: Does the Bears' Offensive Personnel Suit the Mike Martz Offense?

One of the biggest challenges and yet one of the reasons for optimism on this Bears team is the arrival of Mike Martz as offensive coordinator. But there have been several signs already that the organization may be tying his hands somewhat.

We all know that Mike Martz loves to pass and only runs as an after-thought. Yet Lovie Smith continues to say the running game will be a big part of the offense.

Likewise, tight ends catching the ball and a Martz-led offense don't usually mix together well. Yet Jerry Angelo insists it is because Martz has never seen such an athletic group of tight ends before.

Hogwash!

Martz has always said the TE's No. 1 priority is to block. If he can't put his hand on the ground, and Greg Olsen is not very good at this, then he has no place in his offense.

He has even said no TE, not even Tony Gonzalez, would have a place in his offense unless he can block. Period. I doubt that Martz has changed his philosophy.

If they are going to feature Olsen as TE, how will the blocking of Brandon Manumaleuna be utilized? This should be interesting to watch.

Furthermore, when signed, Martz said he envisioned using Devin Hester in the slot primarily. But Smith quickly rebuffed him and said that Hester would continue to be a featured receiver going deep.

Martz also heavily criticized Jay Cutler while serving as an analyst for the NFL Network. Now he has to work with the kid. Is there any rancor between the two for the unflattering comments? Well, not outwardly in camp, so far. But who knows what will surface when mistakes happen?

Another concern is that the Martz offense requires precise passing and crisp receiver routes. That precise passing thing didn't work out too well for Cutler last year, and Hester is not what anyone would call a precise route runner.

Likewise, Martz prefers the five and seven step drop, and the rolling pocket is not in his bag of tricks. This requires solid blocking and the Bears offensive line did not perform well last year, until they started moving the pocket with Cutler.

It is too early to tell if the move of Chris Williams to protect Cutler's blind side will be a success.

Oops, Frank Omiyale just jumped offsides again.

Finally, the Martz playbook is said to be complicated. Can a guy like Hester catch on quickly? It makes my head hurt just thinking about it.

No. 2: Will Brian Urlacher and Tommie Harris Be Healthy and Productive?

So far, Urlacher looks to be in terrific shape and ready to go. Of course, there has been no hitting and remember, he looked great last year at this time also.

Urlacher's return is being touted as one of the keys to the Bears' defensive improvement this year. But even if he does stay healthy, at age 32, and after missing an entire season, will he be as productive as he used to be?

Meanwhile, Tommie Harris routinely sat out selected practices in recent years to rest his aching knee. So it was worth noting that he participated fully in two practices last Saturday, including the evening session in full pads, while other veterans, including Urlacher, sat out.

Still, Harris has a lot to prove, as he hasn't been a force since 2005. If he can create pressure from the inside, it will help newly signed Julius Peppers.

No. 3: Will the Pass Defense Be Improved?

In the offseason, the Bears signed Chris Harris and drafted Florida's Major Wright in an effort to improve the safety position. But Harris got hurt and Wright may not be ready, and now he's apparently injured too.

There are two main elements to improving the Bears pass defense this year: the expected pass rush from Peppers, and the pass coverage provided by the cornerbacks and safeties.

While we assume Peppers will be good for double digit sacks, the Bears have issues at the cornerback and safety positions.

In training camp so far, pass coverage has struggled. That was particularly true in coverage, where Chris Harris was immediately sidelined by the injury, while Zack Bowman and Charles Tillman were having trouble with their new positions.

If early camp is any indication, the Bears may not feel that Wright is ready to step right into the starting rotation yet, even if his injury isn't serious, as the Bears lined up for their first full-pads practice of the summer with holdovers Danieal Manning and Craig Steltz as starters.

During last Saturday night's full-pads practice, Bears receivers had their way with the secondary. Their first-team secondary did not manage an interception, and cornerback Zack Bowman dropped the only real opportunity.

No. 4: How Does Julius Peppers Look?

As the biggest offseason signing of the free agent market, everyone is eager to see Peppers play. And so far, he hasn't disappointed.

In his matchups with Frank Omiyale, he has dominated. Omiyale, however, isn't that good, and it's early of course. Still, Peppers has played on both sides of the line during practice and looks to be fit.

Will the pressure of the contract get to him? From what I heard, as he was talking to a group of reporters, he doesn't think so. "I've been in that position my entire career," he said. "I know what that's like and I'm fine with it."

Meanwhile, what the heck was Lovie talking about when he said the Bears' acquisition of Peppers means more blitzing? Only three teams blitzed more than the Bears did last season.

No. 5: Does Lovie Have a Greater Sense of Urgency?

The answer to that question is no, at least not outwardly.

The offseason free agent signings may indicate that the Bears know this is a make-or-break season, but Lovie seems as defiant as he was the day of the ill-fated press conference.

In fact, Lovie is bordering on delusional when talking about his club, and he doesn't seem the least bit fazed by reports of his impending demise.

If anything, he won't even admit that this year is any different, saying, "I feel the same pressure every year."

Of course, when you have a crystal ball, why worry? If he must have one, for he actually told reporters, “I feel like I know what's going to happen in the future.”

And if you lose again this year, Lovie, I feel like I know your future, and it won't be in Chicago my friend.