Thanks, everyone, for participating in this week's edition of our Chicago Bears Twitter mailbag. Let's get started:

@mikecwright #bearsmailbag Im very optimistic that the Bears can turn things around and be competitive next year. Am I off base?

— Jason Squires (@BarberSquires) January 29, 2015

@mikecwright: I wouldn't count out the Bears because they can add on to their nucleus of talent to take the next step in 2015. But I'd be remiss if I didn't break down the reality of the situation. Of all the teams finishing last in their respective divisions in 2013, none advanced to the postseason in 2014, and five of those clubs finished in last place again. That's not to say the Bears can't bounce back in 2015. As much criticism as quarterback Jay Cutler receives, you can't take away the fact that he's still tremendously talented, and really all he needs is a coach who will force him to rein in his game. I believe John Fox is that coach, and he'll help Cutler to improve by making the Bears a run-oriented team so the pressure isn't on the quarterback to do all the heavy lifting. To me, the biggest question mark for this team headed into 2015 is the defense, which doesn't appear to be stocked well enough in terms of personnel to be able to successfully switch over to a 3-4 scheme. We don't know whether the Bears plan on going that route, but it certainly looks that way based on the hiring of Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator. If the Bears can field just a mediocre defense that can keep them in games, the offense is talented enough to take the team over the top more times than not.

@mikecwright all this smoke around talk of @BMarshall not being with #Bears next year is troubling. Gut feeling, Mike? #bearsmailbag

— Tommy Dobbs (@Tommy_Dobbs) January 29, 2015

@mikecwright: That's a tough one because Fox and the new regime probably won't tolerate the ancillary drama that Brandon Marshall might bring to the table. At the same time, I think Fox is just the right coach for Marshall, whose displays of emotion can often be misconstrued and labeled as drama. I think you'd agree with me that the Bears are a better team with Marshall than without him. But I also think Marshall and Alshon Jeffery are too similar in their respective playing styles, and the Bears need a little more diversity at the receiver position. That said, I believe Marshall is a Chicago Bear in 2015, and I see him approaching next season with a hunger we haven't seen from him in a few years because he'll want to bounce back from his rough 2014 season. So the gut says Marshall stays. But at this point, nobody really knows, including yours truly.

@mikecwright do you think the hire of Loggains is a given that Cutler will be back under center next year? #bearsmailbag

— Dustin W (@BLDN_ORNG_N_BLU) January 29, 2015

@mikecwright: I really do. I won't even sugarcoat it: Dowell Loggains and Cutler are pretty close and have wanted to work together for quite some time. The thing about Loggains is he has an easygoing personality, which is why he's been able to get along so well with players at every stop he's been in the NFL. When Cutler was coming out of Vanderbilt just before the draft, Loggains was an administrative assistant on the Tennessee Titans staff and tried hard to persuade the brass there to take the quarterback over Vince Young. Let's give Cutler credit here: He got along well with former quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh. I envision the same with Loggains. Let me also add that even though I do think Cutler will be Chicago's quarterback in 2015, this new regime won't hesitate to pull him if he's not performing or executing the offense the way he's been instructed.

@mikecwright How does John Fox start changing the locker room or team culture that seemed so toxic at times last year #bearsmailbag

— Matt roth (@mr04452) January 29, 2015

@mikecwright: This one's easy. All Fox has to do is be himself. There's a reason Fox has won everywhere he's been: His players love playing for him. Fox automatically joins the Bears with credibility, given his decorated past. Players want to win. Fox has done it consistently. So they'll listen to him, and by doing that, the culture in the locker room will change. Former coach Marc Trestman erred in not consistently holding players accountable. I don't see that happening under Fox's watch.

@mikecwright does it bother you that people ask questions that have already been asked/answered on previous #bearsmailbag?

— V (@vwiscons) January 29, 2015

@mikecwright: Not at all. It's embarrassing to admit, but there have been times I've arrived at an interview or news conference a little late and asked a question someone else had already asked. Nobody has ever been rude to me when I've done that. So I won't be rude, either.