With the owner's meetings this week, we're getting a little more candor from the coaching staffs than we get the entire rest of the year. This is nice...it allows us to see some of the things coaches will say when the money people aren't looking.
One of the little tidbits that has come out from Lovie Smith this week is that the Bears may be looking for a Veteran backup for Jay Cutler:
"It wouldn’t be a bad thing if we end up with a veteran," Smith said, "and that has nothing to do with Caleb Hanie."
This leads to the question, though...is this something the Bears should really be focusing on?
Smith goes on to say that it's nothing about how they feel about Caleb Hanie, the 2 year back. It's more a concern for their general depth, and the abilities for that person to mentor a relatively young Jay Cutler.
"Probably more so than any other position, you can have even an older veteran around," he said, "because unless there’s an injury, it’s not like he’s going to be physically beat up every day."
But who's out there that you'd really want to bring in as a mentor to Jay Cutler? I'm really hard pressed to come up with any name that could show Cutler some of the ins and outs, especially of the Martz offense.
The thinking isn't unreasonable though. A veteran backup would help ease some of the worry, especially since Jay Cutler's toughness sometimes leads to him, admirably, going for the extra yards. Also, while many of us tend to appreciate, even like Hanie, there hasn't been much to make us think that he's truly going to be a solid go-to guy if something does go wrong.
Jon Kitna, is, to the best of my knowledge and 8 web searches, still going to be available. He's played Martz's offense, and knows the ins and outs. He had his best years ever with Mike Martz in Detroit, and could certainly be someone you'd bring in, at least for a tryout.
Is this an admirable idea? Definitely, yes. It's never bad to have depth at the most important position on the field. But are these the things the Bears need to look at right now? The questions about what to do with the draft, or to solidify the offensive line should take precedence. Fixing the line will hopefully make it less likely anything will happen in the first place.
What do you think? Are there other names you think might fit the scheme, and the general vibe of the team? Or do you think the presence of a veteran back-up could make Cutler edgy and second guessing himself?