Trading for Jay Cutler was simple. Whether the Bears would benefit from acquiring talented and troubled Plaxico Burress is more complicated.

The one thing Jerry Angelo shouldn't have to concern himself with as he mulls the potential ramifications is public opinion. Just because off-the-field issues prompted Angelo to cut ties with Tank Johnson and Cedric Benson doesn't make the Bears' general manager hypocritical for pursuing Burress.

That the Bears have been burned by bad behavior in the past doesn't mean they should quit doling out second chances.

Every situation is different. Angelo was justified in ridding himself of two players whose on-field performance didn't outweigh their personal woes. Benson was a bust before his career ran aground on the rocky shoals of Lake Travis. As for Johnson, anyone who leaves loaded guns around young children deserves to be fired.

Both players displayed poor judgment again and again, leaving Angelo no choice but to release them. Burress is different for a lot of reasons. He wasn't drafted by the Bears . The team likely will not have to invest in him long-term. He is a balloon on a string. He can lift the offense to new heights or Angelo can cut the cord.

Acquiring Burress means the Bears also must acquire the baggage of a man who shot himself in the leg with an unregistered handgun at a Manhattan night club in November. Burress' trial on federal gun charges has been delayed. He also faces a possible suspension from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

The 6-5 ex-Giant would give Cutler a can't-miss target and an ideal compliment to Devin Hester's speed.

Having twice been suspended for violating team rules, Burress and his legal woes could be the kind of distraction the Bears don't need.

This is as much about the locker room than the field. Burress hasn't always been the best teammate. With so many new players needing to come together for the Bears offense not to disappoint, however, the question becomes whether Burress will make a positive or negative impact. Cutler hasn't taken a snap yet. The offensive line has been reshuffled. The receiving corps is raw. How these pieces fit together will in large part determine the success of the Bears next season.

ONE BULLET IN THEIR POCKET

Leaders must emerge. Roles must be embraced. Whether Burress will help or hinder the critical chemistry experiment is the biggest question that must be answered before Angelo makes the biggest decision of the offseason.

Unlike Browns receiver Donte Stallworth, who killed a man in a drunken-driving accident, Burress was the only victim of his crime. He branded himself a clown for life by discharging his gun into his thigh. Cue the Barney Fife jokes as Burress approaches the most important season of his career.

If he acknowledges how important this season is for him, it could work out for the Bears . Burress most likely will sign an incentive-laden contract that he hopes will set him up for a multiyear deal before the 2010 season. That means he'll be motivated to make an impression on and off the field.

There is still a potential for conflict. If he has a productive season, for example, there will be pressure to sign him to a long-term deal. What if Burress wants big money and Cutler goes public about wanting Burress to remain his favorite target? It could divide the town. It could divide the locker room.

INVESTMENT OPTIONS

Angelo invested two first-round picks, a third-round pick and quarterback Kyle Orton in Cutler. Acquiring a Pro Bowl-caliber receiver would help protect that investment. It is Angelo who keeps insisting that quarterbacks make receivers rather than the other way around. What if despite Cutler's presence and talent, the Bears only lead the league in dropped passes, blown assignments and the inability to get off the line of scrimmage against physical defenders?

The absolute worst-case scenario for Angelo and his theory would be for Orton to exploit the skills of Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal in Denver and outperform Cutler. The ultimate irony has Orton earning a trip to the Pro Bowl while Cutler keeps the Bears' streak of 23 years without a Pro Bowl quarterback alive.

Nobody is suggesting building a team around players with character questions. Look how that has worked out for the Raiders and Bengals. If you believe you have a solid core group with the veteran leadership needed to be successful you can add a player or two who has made mistakes in the past. The Bulls didn't regret signing Dennis Rodman even though he was the generation's quintessential problem child. The result was three championships.

If Angelo believes Burress can make a similar impact, he shouldn't let Tank Johnson and Cedric Benson stand in his way.