Will Cutler be here next year?

[noonthirtyjoe]

Just give me your best guess and/or tell me what you would like to see happen. Me? I would like Cutty to play 2 more years while we groom his replacement. That is what I would like to see happen. What I think will happen = I think someone takes Cutlers contract off our hands next year. Just a gut feeling but I don't see him here next year because of the money and age. He is not what we need during a rebuild and this coaching staff wants to get younger at the QB position so the QB can grow with the young team. This is not a anti Cutty thread as I like and respect Jay. I think we pretty much ruined a great QB. This is a what is best long term thread as our coaches might see it. How do you fellas see this playing out?

 

[NCChiFan]

My guess is yes. And I don't think it will easy to find a replacement. We have so many holes we going to draft one? With many teams drafting a head of us that are also interested in drafting a QB and the fact the QB class looks pretty weak. I'm worried we may end up with 3 more years of Cutty.

 

[cubzzzfanincali]

Unlikely he gets moved, but not out of the question. He could probably still fetch maybe a lower first if we could somehow find a Carson Palmer trade-like partner. I doubt we will get that lucky.

Regardless of if he is here or leaves, the Bears HAVE to draft a QB somewhere in the draft. Even teams with great QBs draft them, there's no reason for us not to.

 

[anotheridiot]

he is only on a series of one year deals after this year, 10 million of his 2016 salary was guaranteed 3/12/2015, the other 6 million guarantees 3/17/2016 as well as his 2.5 million dollar roster bonus per season that hits when the nfl year turns, so he would have to get moved or released before that to only be on the hook for 10 million if they have in fact given up and not the full 18.5.

Just the facts men, I would hate to see another Jared Allen debacle paying the big part of the salary so he can play elsewhere.

 

[JoeyTourettes]

Yeah he's going to be here for all the reasons the OP stated. 10M has already been paid, the salary cap goes up and there isn't anyone to replace him. 18TD 8ints with 2 games left is pretty good. Zero multiple pick games this year= Good. Tied for second in the league with 3 comeback winning drives.
There are Good/Great QB's with poor records over the past few years...and I think that is a big reason why many want a change at QB...
Brees is 12-17
Rivers is 13-17
Carr is 9-21
Josh McCown has a 2-17 record the past 2 years. (many wanted to keep him?)

Regardless if you trade, dump, move him...you are looking at multiple 5 win seasons with his replacement. In a league where Yates, Cassel, Fitzpatrick, McCown, Gabbert...and a 40 year old Hasselbeck are "starting" quarterbacks, you can't dump Cutler. You simply can't.
There aren't enough QB's to go around in the NFL, and I don't see a bonafide can't misses in this draft at the 7-10 pick where the Bears will be.

Spend on Defense, get some more OLine help... AJ (tagged) & White... could be a quicker turn around with Jay... you're not getting that with a rookie or any of the names or similar above.

I think the bigger question is how long Gase is still the Bears OC? The Past 3 weeks might have shifted the list of Head Coaching candidates- Gase will still be considered, but the bloom might be off the rose just a little. Hopefully he stays and He and Cutler can continue what they've started this year. A full year of AJ and White could produce something special.

 

[richig07]

He's had a very good year. Most weeks throwing to the likes of Josh Bellamy and Marquess Wilson as his top WR's. Missing another key receiving piece in Forte and Martellus for a very good chunk as well. He's going to throw over 20 TD's with a chance of throwing single digit INT's. A QB rating that currently sits in the 90's. CMP% over 63%. Injuries aren't an excuse in the NFL, for the most part. However, I think he has played pretty darn well.

At this time last season, I was saying the same thing. "We had a great young QB, and we ruined him by getting him beat to shit behind horribly incompetent pass protectors. Along with asking him to do way too much while throwing to a pair of kick returners as his top WR's in his first three seasons here."

Now? He looks like a very solid QB, who has finally grown from a lot of the adversity he's faced. I think last season humbled him in a big way. He finally saw that he can't continue to do things the same way he always has, and still be a starter in this league.

The last few weeks have really mucked up what I thought was a successful season. Very frustrating, after we thought we may have finally gotten over a hump in beating Rodgers in Green Bay on Thanksgiving. I thought we'd beat SF and WSH. Get to 7-6 and make things interesting, playing MIN tough in a big game for a WC spot. Definitely wasn't the case...

However, I still think we're headed in a solid direction and have a good coaching staff to boot. I want to see Jay build off of what he did this season, and perhaps with a healthy AJ/K White. Paired with some better line play, and Miller's second year in the offense. He can really make some noise.

If you look at the DET, MIN at home, DEN, SF and WSH games. This team, really was just a few bounces away from being in a position to make strides towards a playoff berth in these last two weeks. Next season, a few players and improvements could be the difference in those type of games.

We're paying Jay his guaranteed money for one more year. I think you have to keep him around and see what we can do in Fox's second season. I look forward to watching Cutler and this team next year.

I'd like to see that, and if the team still doesn't start looking like contenders. Then, that's where I'd likely opt to draft Cutler's eventual replacement and have him sit one year under him.

 

[richig07]

I think the bigger question is how long Gase is still the Bears OC? The Past 3 weeks might have shifted the list of Head Coaching candidates- Gase will still be considered, but the bloom might be off the rose just a little. Hopefully he stays and He and Cutler can continue what they've started this year. A full year of AJ and White could produce something special.

Losing Gase and/or Fangio would be a huge blow to next season, IMO.

Cutler has had such a revolving door of OC's, most of which were quite incompetent. This defense has had such a disgusting run of incompetence at the helm since Lovie/Marinelli were shown the door. This year felt like we were getting some traction going on both sides, finally. Following a season in which we did nothing but free fall from September and on.

I like a lot of what Gase did with Cutler this season, and I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes next year. Fangio had the D showing signs of life, and while they certainly blew a few leads late. They also came up big in many spots where the D under Tucker would have completely crapped their pants. AKA... GB/Rodgers inside the 10 with the game on the line in Lambeau.

Both are highly respected coaches around the league. Hope we don't lose them. They haven't even really had a chance to properly show what they're capable of yet.

 

[noonthirtyjoe]

I for one am not sold on Gase but I understand that his play calling would be different with a full squad of healthy players.

 

[anotheridiot]

I for one am not sold on Gase but I understand that his play calling would be different with a full squad of healthy players.

I am not sure about that, I actually think the running game would improve. Make no bones about it, Fox and Gase do not want to have a quick strike offense that puts the defense right back on the field. Its committing to the run so actually having receivers that need to be covered and Jay picking the guy that is not surrounded by three DB's that will keep the safeties away from the box and allow for the 5 plus minute drives and controlling the pace. Yes, a big strike to White for an 80 yard score would clearly open up the running game, but this is not going to change from a run first offense unless they do not do their job and score so they play catch up the rest of the game.

You are actually looking at their perfect scenario meaning a quarterback throws less.

 

[wood20ks]

Cutler is definitely back next season.......

I'm not into college football, so I would not know what's out there and I have not seen a list of qbs in the freeagency either.To get one of those,I'm sure we'd either have to cut or trade him.And I don't see that happening......

 

[beardown07]

Cutler isn't going anywhere.

 

[anotheridiot]

Cutler is definitely back next season.......

I'm not into college football, so I would not know what's out there and I have not seen a list of qbs in the freeagency either.To get one of those,I'm sure we'd either have to cut or trade him.And I don't see that happening......

But thats the thing, nobody is expecting to get a Mariani or Winston to take over day 1. You still need to spend a relatively high pick to get a QB to train. Some of us were looking at Hundley last year, the Packers took him. You know he is not replacing Rodgers any time soon, but they will prep him to step in when needed, then deal him if he is not, like they dealt flynn. As soon as we start talking about taking a QB early, the you know who's say its a wasted pick because we have a franchise guy. Three more years of Jay, then what? Be in the same boat we are in not having a guy ready to step in? Can we see some Fales in these meaningless games? A series or two? anything? Probably not, it gets blown up immediately that he is a replacement.

 

[AmericanTebowFan]

I'd be stunned if they try to get rid of Cutler. Fox seems to like Cutler a lot. Cutler really earned the respect of Fox with how hard he worked to come back so quickly from the hamstring injury. Fox likes tough players.

Cutler has also had the best season of his career with a very solid 92.3 passer rating, and he's done it with an injured receiving corps. His play has been very consistent this year, a huge difference from previous years. He's made a lot of progress under Fox/Gase and I think he will continue to build on that next season.

Despite the 5-9 record, the team is not that far away. So many close losses. Improve the OL and defense a little bit, and they will be a contender next season. You don't want to start over with a new QB at this point. John Fox turns teams around very quickly. He usually turns bad teams into a contender in his second season. Let's see what he can do with Cutler next season! I bet it will be great!

 

[noonthirtyjoe]

I am not sure about that, I actually think the running game would improve. Make no bones about it, Fox and Gase do not want to have a quick strike offense that puts the defense right back on the field. Its committing to the run so actually having receivers that need to be covered and Jay picking the guy that is not surrounded by three DB's that will keep the safeties away from the box and allow for the 5 plus minute drives and controlling the pace. Yes, a big strike to White for an 80 yard score would clearly open up the running game, but this is not going to change from a run first offense unless they do not do their job and score so they play catch up the rest of the game.

You are actually looking at their perfect scenario meaning a quarterback throws less.

Some good points AI.

 

[noonthirtyjoe]

I'd be stunned if they try to get rid of Cutler.)
Ya me too, but for the first time there will be teams wanting him and there are some long term benefits to making this move. We will not be better off right away from this move but long term we might. I'm trying to look at this as business and not personally.

 

[anotheridiot]

I'd be stunned if they try to get rid of Cutler. Fox seems to like Cutler a lot. Cutler really earned the respect of Fox with how hard he worked to come back so quickly from the hamstring injury. Fox likes tough players.

Cutler has also had the best season of his career with a very solid 92.3 passer rating, and he's done it with an injured receiving corps. His play has been very consistent this year, a huge difference from previous years. He's made a lot of progress under Fox/Gase and I think he will continue to build on that next season.

Despite the 5-9 record, the team is not that far away. So many close losses. Improve the OL and defense a little bit, and they will be a contender next season. You don't want to start over with a new QB at this point. John Fox turns teams around very quickly. He usually turns bad teams into a contender in his second season. Let's see what he can do with Cutler next season! I bet it will be great!

I am pretty sure they are going to be much farther away when free agency starts.

Who else do you consider being here next season? Alshon Jeffrey and Matt Forte could both be gone. Can you really put an 18 million franchise tag on a guy that cannot stay on the field? The high hopes for MArquis Wilson emerging really did not happen. Martellus Bennet will probably want to be gone, we will probably see two new offensive tackles next year with either Long going to the left side or back to guard, I think Slausen leads the team in holding penalties, Zach Miller might have played himself out of a cheap deal. Montgomery was a one year transition center. On Defense, the secondary seemed to be a one year group with Porter and Rolle, Amos has looked good and terrible, there might not even be 20 players returning. McPhee, Goldman, Jones, Timu maybe, just had one good game, a regressed Fuller, Acho never really made an impact but might still be here. Long, Grasu, Carey, Langford, and extra first round talent in White.

I dont know, feels close but this team will be much different next year.

 

[beardown07]

I would be shocked if the Bears don't tag AJ.


Other than that, I agree that this team could look different. With that said, 2 months ago, I would've thought Willie Young and LaMaar Houston were as good as gone too, and now they look like the immediate future, so who really knows?

 

[anotheridiot]

I would be shocked if the Bears don't tag AJ.


Other than that, I agree that this team could look different. With that said, 2 months ago, I would've thought Willie Young and LaMaar Houston were as good as gone too, and now they look like the immediate future, so who really knows?

The problem with him being tagged is its gonna be 15 million to tag him. There have to be questions about if the guy just can stay on the field. Now, it might lower his suitors out there with his terrible game log this season, but I thought the best way was to try to get an extension done before the year ends, if he says no, then you swallow the tag, but at least try to get a couple team friendly years out of it.

His mind may be made up to leave too and the bears dont want to say he said no.

 

[GNG]

RG III would be a good fit in Chicago.

 

[richig07]

I for one am not sold on Gase but I understand that his play calling would be different with a full squad of healthy players.

Well, Noon... I've enjoyed your postings since the mid-2000's. However, I do have to say that the entire NFL's respect, along with Peyton Manning, Jay Cutler, etc... does go a bit farther than yours.

Just saying. These will likely be the best numbers Cutler has posted here, and he did so playing most of the year with nobody out there catching balls for him. Along with an, at best, middling O-line. If Trestman, Martz, Turner, etc... are out there calling plays. This season could easily have been a complete and total nightmare.