Rex Grossman: The Best Option for the Chicago Bears

After the Chicago Bear the city loves to hate signed a one-year, incentive-laden contract worth $3 million with that same team, Lovie Smith can say it once again, at least for now: “Rex is our quarterback.”

Or maybe it’ll be Kyle Orton, who is close to a similar deal. We’ll stay away from that debate for now.

Naturally, this is an issue Bears fans are divided on. Some would gladly pay the money to buy that contract out and make sure Rex leave town (yes, you Jay Mariotti and Greg Couch). Others feel the Bears didn’t have any other choice. I am following the latter idea.

Seriously, who else was Jerry Angelo going to go after? Daunte Culpepper? Cleo Lemon? Billy Volek? Josh McCown? How about Vinny Testaverde? Maybe Trent Green? Guys who are either past their prime, are still developing, or have no business being in the NFL.

If any of the above players, or any other quarterback on the free agent list, was running the Bears offense in 2008, I can almost assure you that they would be about as effective as Brian Griese was last year or worse.

The media and the fans would jump all over Angelo for signing him and Smith for playing him. As if the city needs to add yet another quarterback to a conversation its fans are all too familiar with.

Don't even think about the draft.  Chicago’s offensive line did nothing to help Grossman's cause, and it is now in a state a rebuilding with Reuben Brown and Fred "Dumb Penalty" Miller gone.  That needs to be addressed first because a bad quarterback will only get worse if his blockers aren't doing their jobs.

Whatever the case, next season will be do-or-die for Grossman.

Being described as unhealthy and ineffective for most of his career, he has yet another chance to prove that he is deserving of not only the Bears’ starting quarterback job, but also a place in the NFL. The team has put their faith in Grossman.

It is now the fans’ turn.