LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Major changes that should upgrade both sides of the ball will be on display publically for the first time Friday when the Bears kick off training camp with a 3 p.m. practice in Bourbonnais.

The offense will be radically different with first-year coordinator Mike Martz operating the same high-octane system that was dubbed “The Greatest Show on Turf” during his heyday with the St. Louis Rams.

New offensive coordinator Mike Martz watches Jay Cutler throw a pass during minicamp in May.

Martz will continue to work closely with quarterback Jay Cutler, who experienced mixed results last year in his first season with the Bears. Cutler threw for the second most yards (3,666) and third most touchdowns (27) in franchise history, but led the NFL with a career-high 26 interceptions.

Martz has marveled at how well Cutler has digested the offense, telling ChicagoBears.com: “We’ve thrown everything at him and he’s handled everything exceptionally well. He’s a student of the game, and I think he has an affinity for what we’re doing. 

"I have the utmost confidence in him. I don’t blink with him, and he can do things that I’ve never seen anybody do before. He’s got some very special qualities.”

The progress of the passing game will be monitored very closely in training camp. While some outsiders may not have faith in a promising group of receivers led by Devin Hester, Johnny Knox and Devin Aromashodu, Martz has said that he’s confident the wideouts can be the strength of the team.

Another primary area of interest in camp will be the offensive line. Well-respected NFL coach Mike Tice was hired to tutor the unit, which features a mix of veterans and youth.

The development of 2008 first-round draft pick Chris Williams at left tackle is vital. Six-time Pro Bowl center Olin Kreutz has been cleared to practice after recovering from offseason surgery on his lower leg.

Key position battles will occur in training camp and the preseason at left guard, where Johan Asiata will try to hold off Josh Beekman and others; and right tackle, where Frank Omiyale hopes to cement a starting job next to right guard Roberto Garza.

The Bears bolstered their offense on the first day of free agency by signing versatile running back Chester Taylor and bruising tight end Brandon Manumaleuna.

After serving as a complementary back to Adrian Peterson the past three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Taylor will share the workload with Matt Forte in Chicago. Like Forte, Taylor also excels as a receiver, which is a requirement for running backs in Martz’s offense.

Forte appears primed to rebound after being slowed a bit by knee and hamstring injuries last season. During offseason workouts, he exhibited the same quickness and burst he displayed in 2008 when he set Bears rookie records with 1,238 yards rushing, 63 receptions and 1,715 yards from scrimmage.

Manumaleuna will look to make up for lost time after sitting out OTAs following arthroscopic knee surgery. One of the NFL’s top blocking tight ends, the 6-2, 295-pounder was a key contributor in Martz’s offense in St. Louis from 2001-05 and played in a similar system with the Chargers the last four seasons.

Tight ends traditionally haven’t been featured in the passing game under Martz, but the veteran coach has vowed to utilize Greg Olsen in that role. Last season the 2007 first-round draft pick led the Bears with 60 receptions (for 612 yards) and eight touchdowns.

On the other side of the ball, the Bears bolstered their pass rush by landing the top free agent available in defensive end Julius Peppers. Selected to five Pro Bowls in eight seasons with the Carolina Panthers, the 6-7, 283-pounder has registered 81 sacks since entering the NFL in 2002, the third most during that span.

Julius Peppers recorded 25 sacks the past two seasons with the Carolina Panthers.

Peppers recorded 14½ sacks in 2008 and 10½ in 2009. No Bears player has compiled at least 10 ½ sacks in back-to-back seasons since Rosevelt Colvin had 10½ in 2001 and 2002.

Peppers’ presence should create more opportunities for veteran Tommie Harris, who in recent seasons has not performed at the same level he did in 2005-07 when he became the first defensive tackle in Bears history to be selected to three straight Pro Bowls.

Another player to watch in training camp will be defensive end Mark Anderson. Faith in Anderson contributed to the Bears’ decision to say goodbye to veteran starters Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye.
New defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli believes in Anderson and will try to mold him into an every-down contributor.

Peppers isn’t the only key addition on defense. The unit will also benefit from the return of star middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, who suffered a season-ending wrist injury in last year’s opener in Green Bay.

Getting hurt as early as he did last year allowed Urlacher to rehabilitate his injury during last season, which enabled him to spend the offseason focusing solely on preparing for the 2010 campaign.

The most intriguing position battle on defense figures to be at strongside linebacker, where Pisa Tinoisamoa returns from a knee injury to challenge Nick Roach.

Upgrading the secondary was a major offseason priority, and the Bears accomplished that by trading for veteran safety Chris Harris and drafting safety Major Wright and cornerback Josh Moore.

The secondary performed well in OTAs with Harris at free safety, Danieal Manning at strong safety, Charles Tillman and Zackary Bowman starting at cornerback and Corey Graham lining up at nickel.