LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Today marks the latest installment of a regular feature on ChicagoBears.com. Senior writer Larry Mayer sits down with general manager Jerry Angelo to discuss the most pressing issues involving the Bears on the first and third weeks of each month during the offseason and every Wednesday throughout the season.

This unique feature will provide you with inside information directly from Jerry that you can’t get anywhere else. Jerry will candidly discuss relevant issues affecting the Bears that avid fans are most interested in.

LM: How does the Jay Cutler trade affect the way the Bears are preparing for the draft? For instance, will you stop doing as much research on prospects who are projected to be top-10 picks and focus on the players who are more likely to be available at No. 49?

Even after acquiring quarterback Jay Cutler from the Broncos for first-and third-round draft picks, the Bears still have eight choices in this year's NFL Draft.

JA: We will focus on our second-round pick, which is No. 49, as well as our other seven picks. With those eight picks in this year’s draft, we will have more time to really evaluate players we project will be there in those rounds where we’re picking. I like the fact that we have seven picks between Rounds 3 and 7. I feel we will find some good players that will help our football team.

LM: Having traded away your first- and third-round choices to acquire Cutler, how many future starters are you realistically hoping to land with your eight picks?

JA: Good question. Given we just started our meetings with our scouts and coaches, it’s hard to say right now. But what I’ve been able to see thus far, I think three potential starters would be realistic. And when I say potential starters, I’m saying within the first three years of their career. When we give a player a final grade, that grade reflects what that player will eventually be. It’s rare for rookies to come in like Matt Forte and do what he did.

LM: What’s your philosophy about drafting for need versus selecting the best player available? Last year it seemed that the Bears needed a tackle and running back, and they addressed those positions with their first two picks. This year it seems like wide receiver is the No. 1 need. Do you identify a couple of need positions and then choose the best player available from that pool? How does that work?

JA: It works pretty much like you stated. You determine your needs and the positions you want to create more competition and depth. Once that’s been established, then you try and determine in what rounds you’re going to address those positional “needs” and “wants.”  Usually the best player on our board should facilitate one of our needs, because you usually have three to four needs going into any given draft.

LM: Switching gears a bit, it’s been said that Earl Bennett struggled to get on the field last year as a rookie due to his inability to pick up the Bears offense. How is he doing now?

JA: First I want to say that when a player comes in as a rookie, he’s usually coming in as a backup. In Earl’s case as a receiver, there’s an inordinate amount of learning that goes on because as a backup he has to learn all the receiver positions, not just one like at other positions. His is different. He had to learn everything, from the “X” to the “Z” to the slot, and that takes time for anybody. Earl’s a very bright person, and he did eventually learn all three. But it wasn’t until the midway part of the season where he got real comfortable. Had he came in as a starter and just had to learn the one position, in all likelihood he would have been fine early on. That’s not to say that he might have been ready by Day 1. But it certainly would have been much more accelerated given the fact that he only had to learn one position. He’s a very bright player, and I want to make sure that our fans know that we see Earl as a potential starter. Last year with veterans like Marty Booker and Brandon Lloyd here, we felt it best that Earl just learn from them. 

LM: How will having learned all three positions as a rookie last year benefit Earl this season?

JA: He’ll have a much better base going into the season because he knows all three positions. Now we can line him up anywhere we want and feel comfortable with him at any of the three. Athletically, he can do all three of the positions; probably some better than others, but he can do them all. Now it’s up to the coaches to determine once we get our starters on the field how they complement one another.