Come To Think Of It: Should The Bears Pursue Plaxico Burress?

So the Chicago Bears got their stud quarterback, Jay Cutler. And they have signed a couple of free agent offensive linemen, most notably Orlando Pace.

But, in a sport where the question is always "what have you done for me lately?", Bears fans want weapons for Cutler to throw to.

Now, the Bears do have a pair of capable tight ends in Greg Olson and Desmond Clark. Olson, in particular, should become more of a focal point for the offense now that we have a strong-armed QB in place.

Another target for Cutler will be Matt Forte, who actually led the Bears in catches last season with 63. And Earl Bennett may become a target for Cutler, who is familiar with him. But we're talking about someone who couldn't even get on the field last year.

Let's face it, there is a real need to upgrade the wideout position. Devin Hester is a speed threat who may be able to actually get more balls his way now that he has a QB who can throw the deep ball. But he's a converted kick returner, and the cupboard is relatively bare after that, unless you happen to like Rashied Davis.

The Bears brought in a couple of free agent receivers last offseason, and that didn't turn out too well. So let's all say goodbye to those contestants, and send them a nice parting gift for playing the game. 

Meanwhile, we need to get another receiver or two for Cutler to play catch with.

Cutler will certainly miss throwing to the likes of Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal.

So what should the Bears do? Well, the obvious name on most Bears fans lips these days is former Giant Plaxico Burress. But before you salivate at the thought of having such a talented and true No. 1 wideout on the team, consider these facts.

First, the Giants said goodbye to Burress without having anyone like him to take his place. That should tell you something.

Second, he is likely faces jail time. If he gets a plea bargain agreement, he will almost certainly have to spend some time in the slammer. And that also means that he will be suspended for at least four games this season.

His next court hearing is scheduled for June 15 in a Manhattan Criminal Court. He and attorney Benjamin Brafman are hoping to reach a plea agreement before that time.

After going through the troubles of a Tank Johnson and Cedric Benson, I don't believe the Bears are of the mind to accept another player whose talent far exceeds his common sense.

Therefore, the team has three options: Sign one of the other remaining free agent wide receivers still on the market, trade for one, or draft one.

Regardless of who they may bring in, I think the Bears absolutely have to draft a receiver with their second round pick for development sake, not for immediate help.

Perhaps Mohamed Massaquoi of Georgia or Brian Robiskie of Ohio State would fit the bill.

But don't count on a receiver selected in the second round to be of much immediate help to the Bears. Over the past 10 years, only one receiver drafted in the second round went on to have a 1,000 yard season. Only four percent have made the Pro Bowl.

I recognize that the Bears need a safety, a pass rusher, a cornerback and offensive line help. But now that the Cutler deal has gone down, the focus has to be on helping the offense. And that makes sense, because when you have a weapon like a Jay Cutler at your disposal, you don't want to load it with blanks.

On the trade front, Pro Bowler Anquan Boldin could be available. But while he's been linked to many clubs, the Bears haven't been one of them, and they don't have the running back that the Cardinals desire in return, unless they wish to trade Forte, which isn't going to happen. The latest rumor has him going to Miami for Ricky Williams.

Another potential trade candidate could be Ocho Cinco, who forfeited a quarter-million dollar bonus by refusing to participate in Bengals camp. But he is always unhappy and could be too disruptive for the Bears. And he is not even on the trade market as of now.

In the free agent market, Torry Holt and Marvin Harrison are still available. Harrison  only played in five games last year during the regular season due to injury. When healthy he has very good speed, quickness and hands. 

But he is 36 years old and durability is a huge concern. If I were the Bears, I would say thanks, but no thanks.

As for Holt, he caught 64 balls for 796 yards in 2008, but would have had better stats if he wasn't phased out by the Rams late in the season. He turns 33 in June.

While the Bears might be hesitant to offer the years that Holt desires given his mileage, he would certainly be effective as an underneath option to the speedy Hester. Holt has been linked to the Titans.

Lance Moore is a restricted free agent, but the Bears would likely have to give their second round pick to the Saints to obtain him.

While immediate help is limited, the Bears do need to do something to bolster the receiver corps. Sure, the Bears have excited their fan base with the Cutler deal, but what have they done for us lately? Come to think of it, isn't that always the question?