Only after the second preseaon mess game, did the Bears realize that they needed a more credible backup and ponied up to get Todd Collins.  Gutierrez never appeared in a game.

Other players cut were former Northwestern wide receiver Zeke Markshausen and defensive lineman Maurice Evans.  Two more players will need to be dispatched between now and Tuesday afternoon.  Any chance the could cut Lovie and Jerry?  You can’t blame a guy for asking, can you?

The Bears added veteran QB Todd Collins to back up Jay Cutler.

After Saturday night’s disappointing loss to the Oakland Raiders on Saturday, the Bears saw enough to go out and sign veteran quarterback Todd Collins to be Cutler’s backup.

Not sure if the 5 first-half sacks of Jay Cutler or the second-half performance of Dan LeFevour that served as the tipping point to have the Bears commit some guaranteed money, but Collins should be thankful that he waited to sign.  Maybe if he waited until after the Cardinals game this Saturday, he could get even more up-front cash?

Collins is set to report to Halas Hall for at least six figures and if he cracks the opening day roster, he could be getting something in the $1 million range.  It’s a good thing considering what life insurance costs these days.  Collins has some experience running the Martz offense, but you have to question his intelligence.  Did he watch the game on Saturday?  The dude is gonna get himself killed!

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Gutierrez, who was with the Kansas City Chiefs last season, was an undrafted free agent from Idaho State. He spent 2007 and 2008 with the New England Patriots. The 26-year-old appeared briefly last season with the Chiefs, throwing one pass in the regular season.

Gutierrez, 26, has good size at 6-4, 230 pounds, and drew solid reviews for a while out of New England, which has done a solid job developing backup quarterbacks.

Gutierrez comes in after Collins, Huard and Green rejected the Bears and apparently Josh McCown couldn’t get out of his UFL contract.  The impending signing is telling in a few ways:

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The 15-year veteran quarterback turned down an offer to sign with the club after he was offered a contract for the minimum salary Monday. Backup Caleb Hanie is sidelined with an AC joint sprain, leaving the Bears with only starter Jay Cutler and rookie sixth-round pick Dan Lefevour, who struggled mightily in practice Monday.

Collins’ agent Brad Blank explained that the Bears would not offer a small signing bonus or guarantee any money, and the 38-year-old Collins feared he would just to be a camp arm and be cut in a matter of weeks. NFL.com’s Jason La Canfora first reported the development Tuesday morning.

First of all, what kind of signing bonus do you need to offer a veteran backup?  About $150k from what I’ve heard.  Alligator arms McCaskey couldn’t come up with that?

Collins is at least the third quarterback to say no thanks to the Bears, as Trent Green and Damon Huard couldn’t be coaxed out of retirement.

Maybe they should hire a search firm?  This is becoming a theme around Halas Hall.  First they couldn’t find an offensive or defensive coordinator, now they can’t get a backup QB.  What the heck is going on up there?

In the meantime, enjoy Todd LeFevour in the second half of Saturday’s preseason tilt with the Raiders and pray nothing happens to Cutler in the first half.

Caleb Hanie's shoulder injury has Bears on prowl for vet QB.

With Caleb Hanie injuring his shoulder in the preseason opener against the Chargers on Saturday night, the Bears are suddenly very shorthanded at the quarterback position.

Hanie saw extensive time Saturday after starter Jay Cutler was pulled after a successful 8 snap series that led to a field goal and staked the Bears to a short-lived 3-0 lead.  Hanie left the game in the third quarter with a shoulder injury and was seen in a sling around the campus of Olivet Nazarene on Monday.  He is confident that the injury is not too serious:

“I’ve never missed any games, so if I have to miss a game this is new territory,” Hanie said. “I’m not worried about losing my (No. 2) job. That’s not even a worry for me. What I have is not a season-ending injury, not half-season, not even beginning of the season. I am definitely not worried about losing my position.

“The MRI was just precautionary. I don’t show any signs of structural damage. I expect (the MRI) to come back positively negative.”

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So, how do the Bears rate???  In a word…SHITTY!!!  I guess the Bears will have some work to do to improve their ratings when updated rosters and ratings are released during the season.  Here are some highlights after the jump:

Jay Cutler contols the huddle in this screenshot from Madden '11.

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Don't expect Mike Teel to do more than what you see here, hand off in practice. (Photo courtest of AP via Seattle Post Intelligencer)

Don’t get too excited Bears fans.  There is no veteran QB help coming to Halas Hall.  Instead, they signed Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots castoff Mike Teel.  Here’s the scoop from the best in the business, the Trib’s own Brad Biggs:

The Bears have agreed to terms with free agent Mike Teel on a contract, and he is expected to sign his contract on Wednesday, a league source confirmed. The Bergen Record first reported the news.

They become his third team in two months as Teel was released by the Seattle Seahawks on May 21 and then claimed off waivers by the New England Patriots. They cut the Rutgers product three weeks ago.

The move has the fingerprints of new personnel director Tim Ruskell on it. Ruskell was the general manager in Seattle when the Seahawks drafted Teel in the sixth round in 2009. Teel spent last season on the Seahawks’ roster as the third quarterback but did not play. In the preseason, he completed 20-of-41 passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns. As a senior at Rutgers in 2008, Teel passed for 3,418 yards with 25 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

The 6-3, 230-pounder joins a crowded group behind starting QB Jay Cutler. Caleb Hanie served as the backup last season and is entering his third year. The Bears drafted Central Michigan record setter Dan LeFevour in the sixth round.

So when you go to bed tonight, say a prayer for Jay Cutler because if he goes down, there’s nothing proven backing him up.

BEAR DOWN!!!

Could Josh McCown be headed to the Bears?

The Bears wrapped up Rookie Minicamp and the biggest news that came out of it was offensive coordinator Mike Martz and his frank comments.  Among them was that the Bears need to get a veteran QB to back up Jay Cutler:

“It would always help, that’s for sure,” Martz said when asked if he would prefer a quarterback he has worked with before. “It doesn’t have to be. A good player is a good player. It’s just harder for them to learn, basically. A veteran has been through several systems, usually, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Jon Kitna had been through a bunch of systems. It would give him a leg up and make it easier, especially if he joins us late, but a good player is a good player and we’ll make it work.”

Many have speculated that Marc Bulger might be a good fit, but I think he’s got his sights set on trying to compete for a starting job.  Meanwhile, Josh McCown, another former Mike Martz pupil, is letting it known that he is ready to come in and accept a backup roll with the Bears.  This from ESPN Chicago’s Bears Blog:

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