Cutler explains his frustration

BOURBONNAIS - Quarterback Jay Cutler explained on Wednesday, the only day he talks, about his bullet pass Tuesday afternoon into the top of a VIP tent 30 feet wide of the sideline.

"It was hot out there," he said. "We're trying to make every play perfect. That's our goal offensively. Whenever we don't, I get frustrated, the older guys get frustrated, and (center) Olin (Kreutz) gets mad. It's a good thing, though, because if we're just going out there and going through the motions, then we're doing things a little bit wrong."

The frustration seemed to have more to do with the offensive line's inability to handle the pass rush of the defensive line. Cutler said he's encouraged by the performance of the skill-position players.

"The receivers have looked great," Cutler said. "It's been a big question mark for you guys (the media) for a long time, and those guys have come out and had a great camp. I think (tight end) Greg (Olsen) has done a great job blocking. That's one of the things we were kind of questioning with him. We knew he could catch the ball, we knew he could run, but we had to get him in some different facets of the game and be able to keep him in there in some blocking situations, and he has done a great job of that."

It's on again: The battle for the strong-side linebacker job is on again.

Last year Pisa Tinoisamoa won the job from Nick Roach in training camp but missed most of the season with knee injuries. Roach played very well in Tinoisamoa's absence and came to camp No. 1 on the depth chart. He hasn't done anything to disappoint, but Tinoisamoa got all the first-team snaps Wednesday night and played well.

"It's good competition," coach Lovie Smith said. "Nick Roach has played good football for us, played a lot of (linebacker) positions. Pisa has done the same. They battled throughout in training camp last year, and the same thing's happening right now. (Wednesday) night we gave Pisa some reps with the ones. Both guys we feel like are starters in the league."

Injury report: Wide receiver Juaquin Iglesias (quad), safety Major Wright (groin), cornerback Charles Tillman (ankle), safety Chris Harris (back), running back Harvey Unga (hamstring), center Olin Kreutz (sore), linebacker Brian Iwuh (knee), quarterback Mike Teel (hamstring) and defensive end Barry Turner all missed Wednesday night's practice.

Unga and Teel are expected to be out "awhile," according to coach Lovie Smith, and Iwuh won't be back soon, but the other injuries aren't considered serious.

Coming and going: Defensive end Maurice Evans was signed Wednesday, and backup punter Richmond McGee was released to create room on the roster.

Evans was undrafted out of Penn State last year and spent time in the preseason with the Giants and in the regular season with the Buccaneers but did not play. He also spent two weeks on the Panthers' practice squad. The 6-foot-2, 264-pound Evans had 17 sacks and 100 tackles in 36 career games for the Nittany Lions, including 12 1/2 sacks in 2007 as a sophomore.