The Bears should have brought in a real QB for the 2008 season.   Neither Kyle Orton or Rex Grossman is the QB needed to lead the Bears anywhere this season as they are both limited players that need a strong running game for support.  That won’t happen this season unless Matt Forte is the real deal because Cedric Benson is more worried about getting drunk than improving as a football player.  Kyle Orton wrestled the starting job away from Rex Grossman late in the year and he did a good job of managing the game.  He’s a smart guy but that’s his best asset as his arm in below average and he’s not very mobile.  Orton played in 3 games (all starts) last season for the Bears and he completed 43 of 80 passes (53.8%) for 478 yards with 3 TD passes and 2 interceptions (73.9 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 5 times for a loss of 1 yard (-0.2 ypc).  If Orton is the starting QB the Bears will likely have to limit the playbook as he doesn’t have the arm to complete long passes down the field.  He has now played in 18 games (all starts) in his NFL career and he has completed 233 of 448 passes (52%) for 2,347 yards with 12 TD passes and 15 interceptions (62.2 QB Rating).  He also has carried the ball 29 times for 43 yards (1.5 ypc).

Rex Grossman has the physical tools to be a good QB but he isn’t the smartest player around.  In the face of a pass rush he often just throws the ball up for grabs resulting in game changing pickoffs.  Grossman does have a strong arm and his strength is throwing the bomb but he isn’t good at throwing the short stuff.  Grossman played in 8 games (7 starts) last season for the Bears and he completed 122 of 225 passes (54.2%) for 1,411 yards with 4 TD passes and 7 interceptions (66.4 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 14 times for 27 yards (1.9 ypc).  Grossman is a hit or miss QB and he has been that way his whole career.  It does not look like he will improve any time soon as he still makes mistakes that rookie QBs make.  Grossman has now played in 32 games (30 starts) in his NFL career and he has completed 489 of 900 passes (54.3%) for 5,907 yards with 31 TD passes and 33 interceptions (70.9 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 52 times for 76 yards (1.5 ypc) with 1 TD run.  Shame on the Bears for not trying to change things up at QB this season.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 2008 SEASON:  D