The quarterback position is one of the many needs the Chicago Bears will look to fill this offseason.
But know that whoever steps onto the field in that role in 2017 will be replacing the quarterback who owned the farthest throw in 2016:
We want YOU to name this Hail Mary by @ChicagoBears QB Jay Cutler in #CHIvsTB.
Tweet using #NTPCutler!#FeedDaBears https://t.co/sxGWTmtAkK
— NFL Now (@NFLNow) November 13, 2016
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It turns out that this Jay Cutler heave, caught by Cameron Meredith, was the farthest in-air throw by any quarterback in 2016, according to the NFL’s Next Gen stats. Aaron Rodgers may be the king of the Hail Mary, but Cutler won the year on this front.
It was a rare Cutler highlight from a season that was a massive disappointment after how he played in 2015 when Adam Gase was the offensive coordinator.
Cutler, who turns 34 in April, is still under contract for 2017, so it’s not impossible that he could still be the guy taking snaps for the Bears next season. But, given the way things have played out, the need for the organization to move forward, and the $14 million the Bears could save against the cap by letting him go, it’s hard to see this marriage continuing too much longer.
Brett Taylor contributed to this post.