BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – Senior writer Larry Mayer sits down with general manager Jerry Angelo to discuss the most pressing issues involving the Bears every Wednesday exclusively on ChicagoBears.com.

This 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 fans are most interested in.

LM: What do you hope to see in Saturday night’s preseason opener in Buffalo?

Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler will make his Bears debut in Saturday's preseason game in Buffalo.

JA: I’d really like to see our offense move the football with a balanced attack, distributing the ball to all our weapons. That would be the ideal scenario, and that would lead to the conclusion that we have a good grasp on our personnel and our players have a good grasp on what they’re being asked to do. Defensively, I want to see 11 guys getting to the football. That’s first and foremost for me, and I know I speak for Lovie [Smith] and the coaches in saying that defense starts with attitude and effort. After that, you want to see the discipline; players carrying out their assignments and no big plays against you.

LM: I’ve heard you say that you also don’t want to see the Bears drop any passes. How important is that? 

JA: Given the velocity of Jay Cutler’s throws, the receivers are going to have to hang onto the ball. We have two seasons here in Chicago in terms of the weather. The second season is tougher for receivers, so that’s going to be very important for us. We had a few more drops than we would have liked last year. We’ve usually been pretty good in that area, but we really have to be more focused on that this year.

LM: How important are the preseason games as part of the evaluation process?

JA: They’re good because you’re simulating a real game. There’s going to be a rush of adrenaline, and how players respond in the heat of the battle so-to-speak is very important in terms of their evaluation. Some players look good “on air,” but when you put people in front of them and there’s contact, they don’t perform as well. It’s the tool that we use the most in terms of our evaluation.

LM: Individually, which players will you be focusing on in Saturday night’s game?

JA: I’m going to be watching all the players going into their second seasons: Earl Bennett, Kellen Davis, Corey Graham. I certainly want to see Marcus Harrison. Hopefully we see some good things from them and some growth. I also want to see the backup quarterbacks. That’s only a few people, but we’ve got a lot of players we’re going to be looking at and we feel good about.

LM: You mentioned the backup quarterbacks. How do you feel Caleb Hanie and Brett Basanez have performed in training camp?

JA: I feel they’ve practiced really well. They’ve thrown the ball well in all areas, short and deep. Now it’s just a matter of grasping the game plan and then employing it during the game and just seeing their poise and their ad lib ability.

LM: Rookie safety Al Afalava has been getting some reps with the No. 1 defense in camp. What have been your impressions of him?

JA: He’s a very good athlete. He’s got a good frame for the safety position, meaning he’s a thick player. He looks like a little linebacker, and that’s what you like, particularly with your strong safeties. He’s shown very good instincts and a very good ability to pick things up. If you remember, he missed most of the OTAs [because his class at Oregon State had not yet graduated], but it looks like he’s been out there the whole time. 

LM: How close is the competition for the starting left guard position between Josh Beekman and Frank Omiyale?

JA: Right now I think you could flip a coin and whichever way it lands, you’d feel good about who the winner is. They’re two different types of players. With Josh you get a quick, very aggressive, athletic player. With Frank you get a big, strong, mauling type. Even their frames are totally different, so it’s really just pick your flavor. We had success with Josh last year, while Frank really does fit the bill of what you want inside in terms of being a power guy. It’s been a great competition. Both players have handled it exceptionally well.

LM: Is it important to select a starter there in order to give the offensive line time to gel as a unit, or is that a competition that you wouldn’t mind see going until the last preseason game?

JA: That will be a coaches decision. Me personally, I think in this particular case it can go throughout the preseason because [coach] Harry [Hiestand] has done a great job of rotating the players in there with the first unit. I think there’s a pretty good familiarity with both of them. Naturally you’d like to have it decided sooner than later. But it’s more important that we have the best player at the position, and right now it’s a coin toss.