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Bears need to answer several questions before opener

Well, that didn't go very well.

What we learned in the all-important third exhibition game against the Cincinnati Bengals is the Bears aren't a very good football team right now.

It is worth noting the Bengals are coming off four consecutive playoff appearances and certainly posed a formidable hurdle for the Bears, so I'm stopping short of calling the Bears flat-out bad.

But the fact is, best case, they are in trouble with precious little time to find answers before the Green Bay Packers come to town Sept. 13.

Ironically, if I had to find one guy on offense who played well in Cincinnati, it would be Jay Cutler.

The embattled quarterback continues to do everything you want him to do in Adam Gase's new offense. He's protecting the football, showing his athleticism coming out of the pocket and making nice throws on the rare occasions a receiver comes open.

Expecting Cutler to do more without his top four receivers and a swinging gate at right tackle just isn't reasonable.

Before we look to the right, I think it's time to ask, just how healthy or limited is Jermon Bushrod? He wasn't the worst player on the field, but he also clearly isn't himself.

Rewind the tape a few times and you'll see moments when Bushrod just looks awkward, struggling to move the way a guy with a bad back does.

As far as the right-tackle spot, let's all hope general manager Ryan Pace will have a quick trigger finger as veterans hit the waiver wire, because there were moments in the Bengals game when Charles Leno made us yearn for Jordan Mills, until Mills showed us more of his best bullfighter's moves later in the game.

I do think we learned that Rashad Lawrence is either the third- or fourth-best receiver on the roster right now, depending on how you rank him against Josh Bellamy, and he should make the team.

If you view it objectively, Lawrence has shown more in a Bears uniform than Marquess Wilson has in two-plus seasons.

I also expect that based on special teams, Senorice Perry is now ahead of Ka'Deem Carey for a likely fourth running back spot on the roster.

On defense, the most encouraging thing I saw all night was Vic Fangio sending Mason Foster and Jon Bostic out with the first unit to start the second half with the No. 1s because Shea McClellin and Christian Jones were awful in the first.

There has been a perception throughout camp that McClellin and Jones have earned those spots, but the reality is they were just given to them because they are perceived as the best options.

Jones is a great looking prospect but looked completely lost against the Bengals.

McClellin keeps getting credit for looking comfortable and learning the position, but the reality is he has shown no signs he is physical enough to play the position or can make plays less than 5 or 10 yards downfield.

It's time to give Foster and Bostic some fraction of the chances McClellin and Jones have enjoyed.

Another puzzle I can't begin to solve is why Tim Jennings would be the sixth cornerback off the bench behind Kyle Fuller, Alan Ball, Terrance Mitchell, Sherrick McManis and Tracy Porter?

You can argue that Mitchel and McManis are the two best corners on the team right now, and I get that Fuller will be one starter and should be in spite of his underwhelming performances to date.

But how Jennings has gotten so deep in Fangio's doghouse is a mystery.

It is too early to panic or just give up on the 2015 season, but it also is too late to make significant upgrades to the talent on the roster for this season.

So far we have relied on the premise the Bears will be better this year because the coaching is vastly improved and the talent is at the least no worse.

After the embarrassment against the Bengals, we have to wonder if we're right about the talent.

• Chicago Football editor Hub Arkush can be reached at harkush@chicagofootball.com or on Twitter @Hub_Arkush.

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