A few weeks ago, I wrote that everybody needed to calm the eff down about the Bears’ offseason. It was early. There was time to do things, time to acquire some pieces that would make this team better. Just because they hadn’t done anything yet didn’t mean they weren’t going do anything. I preached patience.

And this patience payed off yesterday, as they not only have a franchise quarterback in Jay Cutler*, but they signed Orlando Pace to a three-year, $15 million deal. Pace is certainly not the player he was, but his signing should at least, in part, shore up some of the offensive line holes the Bears became saddled with this season.

*Some people outside Chicago think the Bears got absolutely raped by Denver on this trade. And while there is some validity to that, trust me: No one here cares about losing some first-round draft picks. A good lot of the Bears talent in the draft has come from later rounds, and guys like Rex Grossman and Cedric Benson come to mind when I think of Bears first-round picks. I’ll sacrifice a few of them to actually have a competent quarterback behind center for the first time since I’ve been alive. If you’re not a Bears fan, you don’t know our plight.

So where do the Bears go from here? With Cutler in place, I think it makes a hell of a lot sense to go get one of those aging, yet talented receivers that are available: Torry Holt or Marvin Harrison. If Kyle Orton was still this team’s quarterback I don’t know if it makes sense money wise. But that changes with Cutler. Couple one of those guys with Devin Hester going deep and Matt Forte in the backfield, and the Bears’ offense could actually be good.

This, friends, is something to look forward to.