Headed into the 2010 campaign, Chicago is comfortable for a change with the incumbent starter at quarterback, Jay Cutler, but after that, all bets are off on who they’ll choose to rely upon if Cutler goes down to an injury this year.

The Bears had hopes that Caleb Hanie would prove to be that guy, and while he had a decent showing last night against the Chargers (10-17, 148 yards), he also left the field with his arm in a sling, and could end up missing a significant chunk of time with an injury to his throwing shoulder.

Chicago Sun-Times beat writer Sean Jensen speculated after the game that several quarterbacks on the open market right now may pique the interest of the Bears, especially if Hanie’s injury proves to be worse than originally thought.

Those quarterbacks include Jeff Garcia (Eagles), Josh McCown (Panthers), JaMarcus Russell (Raiders), Todd Collins (Redskins), and Brian St. Pierre (Cardinals).

Of those five, McCown and Collins would likely be the most attractive candidates, given their familiarity with offensive coordinator Mike Martz and his system. McCown worked out with Chicago earlier this year, and has expressed significant interest in playing with the team.

The Bears also have rookie quarterback Dan LeFevour (Central Michigan) on the roster, but at this point, it’s expected that he’ll be third on the depth chart when the season begins, regardless of who the team chooses as Cutler’s backup.

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