Rex Who?

Today, within thirty minutes, the Chicago Bears traded for Jay Cutler and signed Orlando Pace, two Pro Bowl-caliber players. While these moves are surely upgrades from last season, I wonder: Are the Bears now a contender in the NFC?

It may be too early to tell - but at this point, I don't see why not.

Jay Cutler has a greater resume, better mobility, and a far superior arm to that of his predecessor, Kyle Orton. This trade was a no-brainer for Chicago. As long as I've watched football the Bears have lacked a premier quarterback. Until now.

As for the tackle position, the Bears are replacing their worst offensive lineman with one of the league's best. John St. Clair allowed 9.75 sacks last year for the Bears, ranking 30th among left tackles. Pace, on the other hand, tied for 3rd, allowing just two sacks. Talk about no-brainers....

These additions aren't the only thing the Bears have going for them, though.

Last year's class of rookie running backs was outstanding. They were so good, in fact, that three rookie backs rushed for over 1,000 yards - none of which were named Mendenhall, none of which hail from The University of Arkansas. One could argue that the best of the bunch played for the Bears - and rightfully so.

Their young back, Matt Forte, was solid last year. Okay, maybe solid is an understatement. He was great. Very few rookie backs can step into a starting role, touch the ball 369 times, make it through a 16-game schedule, and most importantly, produce at a high level. Actually, that's quite a feat for anyone.

Forte led all rookies in touches (by far), total yards, and total touchdowns. One thing that Jay Cutler didn't have in Denver was a dependable running game. A good running game takes pressure off the passing game. And for a big-armed quarterback like Cutler, it can pay huge dividends. Remember what Brett Favre was like when he had good backs in Green Bay?

There's another thing Jay Cutler was missing in Denver: a good defense. When a defense can hold the opposition to only a couple scores, there is much less pressure on the offense. And less pressure on the offense can translate into greater flexibility when both calling and executing plays.

Defensively, the Broncos have been abysmal the past two seasons - Cutler's two seasons as a full-time starter. As the offense developed, the defense deteriorated in Denver. And although the Chicago defense -- for the first time in years -- was only average in '08, they're still a solid group. I have faith in any unit that features Tommie Harris, Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher.

Still, some won't be sold on the Bears. They'll point to their lack of offensive weapons. But as I discussed with someone the other day, Trent Dilfer (who wasn't exactly a HOFer in his own right) won a Super Bowl with Qadray Ismail and Jermaine Lewis at wide receiver. Or, how about Drew Brees? None of us knew who Marques Colston was coming out of Hofstra. And for that matter, who thought Lance Moore and Devery Henderson would combine for 1,700-plus yards and 13 TDs last year? Yet the Saints continue to have one of the most explosive offenses in the league.

For some teams, a couple tight ends and a dual-threat back can make up for whatever is missing at receiver. I believe Chicago can be one of those teams.

The nucleus of this club is only a couple years removed from a Super Bowl appearance. And they got there with Rex Grossman. I'm not picking them to win the NFC just yet, but if recent history has taught us anything it's that any team can come out of the NFC. I mean, c'mon, if the Arizona Cardinals can go 9-7 in the pathetic NFC West -- scoring only one more point than they allowed last year -- and win the conference, anyone can do it.

The Bears were 9-7 last season as well, they've dramatically improved their offense, and as we all know, defense wins championships. And this team surely knows how to play defense. While they may still be a few years away, they've absolutely made a statement today with these big-time acquisitions. I would bet on the Bears winning the division this season.

Another thing I would bet on is Jay Cutler. He'll prove to be a winning quarterback this year. He may not light up the fantasy scoreboards right away, but he should have an impressive season.

Lovie Smith won't be missing his old buddy, Rex Grossman. That's for damn sure. Because after all, Jay is his quarterback. And I don't think anyone will question that decision.