Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton Represent the Chicago Bears' Biggest Dilemma

Well, it's almost that time. Football is in the air, and quarterbacks are put in positions to define themselves. They will either be a Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Michael Vick...oh wait, never mind...or they are a Ty or Koy Detmer. Both Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton will show the NFL what they are this season.

Rex Grossman came into the league with high hopes of being an elite quarterback. His career was put on hold for three years when a torn ACL and ankle injuries sidelined him. He came in his fourth year and lead the Bears to the Super Bowl.

While showing signs of a great, dependable quarterback that puts up awesome numbers, he also showed another side of his play—the Mr. Hyde version. In nine games, Rex threw for an average of 221.33 yards, with no picks and 17 touchdowns...very impressive stats.

In the other eight games, he threw for 172.88 yards, six touchdowns, and 20 interceptions. He shows he can be a Manning-caliber quarterback, but also showed many signs of weakness.

Rex Grossman has three problems: mindset, decision-making under pressure, and an offensive line that allows for their quarterback to get hit too much. In 2007, he had, as we all know, a miserable season. Grossman responded to the situation by saying, "What can they do? They can't cut me."

This next season is the defining moment in his career. He will either show us the side that throws no picks and 17 touchdowns, or he stays where he is...at the bottom, fighting for a starting job.

Kyle Orton was a fourth-round draft pick by the Bears and was expected to sit behind Grossman his first year. Rex got hurt in the preseason, so Kyle had to fill in. While in his first year, he had a 10-5 record. That was a record for a rookie in the franchise.

While that sounds impressive, he had the lowest passer rating (57.9) of any quarterback in the NFL with over 224 pass attempts. He has shown no signs of being a great quarterback.

He has been consistent every season he plays...consistently mediocre. This too is his moment; will he stay down and be mediocre, or will he be a late bloomer?

With all this said, who is the Bears' better choice at this position? Rex Grossman, the Jekyll/Hyde player, or the consistently better than Hyde Kyle Orton? The Bears should trust Grossman. If he gets the protection he needs, the Rex who has the potential to be an elite quarterback shall return.