Martz just fine with Bears' wide receivers

The Bears' young wide receivers didn't getting any respect a year ago and, despite their improvement over the course of the 2009 season, they're still not well thought of.

But new offensive coordinator Mike Martz likes what he sees.

"Boy they've got some speed," Martz said, "and that really is kind of a diamond to me. They can be a real strength of this football team.

"When I went to St. Louis (in 1999 as offensive coordinator) from Washington, (critics said) Isaac Bruce was too skinny. They weren't real happy with him. He was always hurt.

"They drafted this little guy, Az Hakim, and they didn't know what they were going to do with him. And Ricky Proehl was a slow white guy. That's three-quarters of 'The Greatest Show on Turf.' "

That group helped Martz and the Rams score more than 500 points three years in a row, almost 33 per game, a feat unprecedented in the NFL.

"I think there's plenty of talent here," Martz said. "I'm real excited about their speed and the potential.

"We'll give them every opportunity to explore that and not make a definition on what any one of those guys can do, but let them prove to us and put no limits on them."

All on board: General manager Jerry Angelo denied rumors that he wasn't as gung-ho about the hiring of offensive coordinator Mike Martz as was coach Lovie Smith.

"The more we talked about it, the more we worked through it and used the same process for every candidate; I was 100 percent on board with Lovie's decision, and for the right reasons," Angelo said.

"We said we wanted to make change. Mike Martz brings a change in our offensive style. It brings a change for everybody, for our coaching staff; it will be a change for our players, and it will be a change for us as personnel.

"But it will be a positive change. He comes in with a very good track record and a wealth of experience, and we're real excited about the prospects."

Change in the air: Tight end usually is a position that doesn't factor much into a Mike Martz offense, but he says that will change with Greg Olsen around.

Olsen led the Bears last season with 60 catches and 8 TDs, along with 612 receiving yards.

"In the past, we've always had these big, physical tight ends who really we tried to utilize in the running game and (then) as pass blockers and (finally) as wide receivers," Martz said. "Greg is different. (He) is more of back in the era with the Kellen Winslows.

"When you can get a defense with normal personnel with Greg in the game, and then move him like you would a receiver in the slot and get him matched up on linebackers and safeties, it's going to be a mismatch.

"Greg has such great body control and is a fluid route-runner. There are so many things that he can do, which is something I've not experienced yet."

Making a connection: Mike Martz has a reputation for being demanding, especially on his quarterbacks, but he said Jay Cutler understands his methods.

"The connection that we had on an intellectual level was so much fun for me," Martz said. "And his expectations for himself are extremely high.

"That was one of the great things about meeting with him. This guy's all about winning now. He's frustrated that he's not at an elite level."