There’s been, with good reason, a lot of optimism about the upcoming Bears season. And while I believe the Bears have made the right moves to set themselves up for a successful 2009 campaign, I’m even more excited about the way they’ve set themselves up down the road.

The most obvious point is the addition of Jay Cutler. Enough has been said about him this offseason, so I won’t belabor the point. However, it can’t be repeated enough that the Bears believe they’ve found the solution at Quarterback. The days of training camp battles and coin-flip starters are hopefully put to rest. At 26 years old, Jay Cutler is effectively penciled in the start at Quarterback for the next decade.

However, the Bears have also begun to manufacture a nice, young core around the centerpiece of Cutler.

Matt Forte is only 23 and, should he take another step forward this year, could be a franchise running back in the mold of Philadelphia’s Brian Westbrook. The Bears should, however, take steps to preserve him. Giving more carries to backup Kevin Jones (only 26 himself) is a step in that direction.

As for the receivers, Devin Hester is the aging vet of the group at 26. Should he finally take the step toward becoming a legitimate #1 receiver this year, it should help open the field for the likes of Earl Bennett (22), Juaquin Iglesias (21), and Johnny Knox (22). Should one or two of those options turn into viable pass catchers, the Bears should count their blessings. Also, don’t forget that Tight End Greg Olsen is only 24, and should be one of the best in the league.

The offensive line finally got younger as well. 2008 first-round pick Chris Williams (23) essentially red shirted last year and should finally begin to fulfill his promise as the premier tackle of the future. 26 year-old Josh Beekman showed some promise at left guard last year, but it seems the team is grooming him to take over for Center Olin Kreutz when his deal is up following the 2010 campaign. The Bears also found some versatile depth with free-agent signings Frank Omiyale (26) and Kevin Shaffer (29).

The offense is set up very well, in my opinion. And with the rate that the Bears replenish their defense through the draft, we should be very optimistic about this team’s future. I’m high on several young defenseman including cornerbacks D.J. Moore (22), Zackary Bowman (24) and Corey Graham (23); defensive linemen Henry Melton (22), Jarron Gilbert (22), and Marcus Harrison (25); as well as linebackers Marcus Freeman (23), Nick Roach (24), and Jamar Williams (25).

Don’t be surprised if five years from now several of these players have worked their way into the starting lineup.