One play into Wednesday’s full-team Chicago Bears scrimmage session confirmed the most interesting bit of progress at Halas Hall still three months before the 2009 season opener.

Jay Cutler glided back into a seven-step drop, set his feet in a pocket protected by left tackle Orlando Pace, and peered downfield where wide receiver Devin Hester had gotten a step on his defender.
For aesthetic purposes, ignore for a moment that cornerback Zack Bowman was limited in how physical he could get with Hester in this non-contact drill.
But that is beside the point.
The point that will be driven home whenever the Bears’ offense takes the field from now until September came in the way Cutler’s arching spiral hit Hester in stride and landed gently in his hands. And the way Hester kept running to the end zone like it was a play he would go home and watch on “SportsCenter.”
All Hester had to do was get a step. The ball was there, easily within reach, right where the playbook said it should be. All he had to do was catch it, tuck it and run with that rare speed of his.
When the Bears keep saying they have confidence in their rather pedestrian corps of wide receivers, this is why. When general manager Jerry Angelo continues to espouse the theory that the quarterback makes the receiver, and not the other way around, this is why.
“As good as advertised,” tight end Desmond Clark said of Cutler.
But that was not the only thing obvious on display Wednesday during organized team activities.
1, Pisa Tinoisamoa will have to earn his starting job at strong-side linebacker.
Linebackers coach Bob Babich wanted to make one point perfectly clear.
“Nick Roach is the starting (strong-side linebacker) and there’s competition,” Babich said. “We feel good no matter who ends up starting at that position.”
Tinoisamoa has more experience than Roach and, based on his first six seasons in the league with the Rams, projects as a better player. But the Bears will work him along slowly and let the matter become clearer during the preseason as it should.
Tinoisamoa reflected the delicate nature of the competition when he addressed how Roach and injured former starter Hunter Hillenmeyer, whom Roach beat out last year, welcomed him.
“They’ve been super generous and nice to me ... but I don’t think it’s right for me to say something about the situation,” Tinoisamoa said.
2, Suddenly, linebacker might be the Bears’ deepest position.
Babich almost couldn’t contain himself pointing out Jamar Williams—remember him—had intercepted three passes in the five previous days. Williams is the perennial backup to Lance Briggs who never has gotten a fair shot to prove himself as a starter in three NFL seasons—and barring injury won’t get a chance in his fourth. But Williams is good enough to start on many NFL teams.
Add Roach and Hillenmeyer, who didn’t practice because he still is recovering from surgery to repair a sports hernia, and that’s a No. 2 linebacking corps full of guys who each have starting experience. Rookie Marcus Freeman also looks like a keeper, perhaps clouding the future of ’08 draft pick Joey LaRocque.
3, Tight end might be the second-deepest position.
No Bears receiver may benefit more from the Cutler Effect than tight end Greg Olsen, who must consider 75 receptions and 10 touchdown catches a realistic goal. Reliable veteran Clark still can get open downfield and showed off his good hands during a nice catch during team drills. Then there’s newly signed free agent Michael Gaines, the imposing third tight end who looked like he was wearing shoulder pads Wednesday and should make third-and-short much less daunting this season.
4, Josh Bullocks is the team’s most experienced safety and means business.
Don’t assume Bullocks was switched quietly to strong safety from the free safety spot he has primarily played during his first four NFL seasons simply to supply depth. The way Bullocks sees it, he is there to challenge returning starter Kevin Payne—who’s a big hitter but still could improve his feel for the game.
“Me learning strong safety is actually going to pay big dividends for me in the long run,” he said.
As the Bears search for the right safety combination among Craig Steltz, Corey Graham, Payne and Bullocks, Bullocks’ 49 NFL starts can’t be overlooked.
5, The atmosphere is back.
The novelty of Cutler’s first public practice two weeks ago hadn’t worn off. It was June 3, but the energy and excitement level of a typically mundane practice was palpable. One player compared it to spring football at a big-time college football program. The players feel the buzz and discuss the anticipation level of training camp. The anticipation level of training camp. Which is only 57 days away.