NEWSLETTER
In a series of tweets, ESPN’s Jeff Darlington reports the Chicago Bears have started to shop quarterback Jay Cutler.
While it makes sense to try to trade Cutler, an active pursuit to unload him is formal beginning of the end. Relationship all but over now.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) February 21, 2017
This is what the beginning of the end looks like.
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And it should come as no surprise considering the rebuilding direction of the team, which was likely going to put the 33-year-old Cutler on the outside-looking-in when it came to the franchise’s competitive window.
In fact, the writing was on the wall in January when GM Ryan Pace carefully answered questions about Cutler’s future and what the future of the quarterback position looked like in the season-ending State of the Bears press conference.
Back then, Pace said he met with Cutler in what he described as a candid and transparent exit interview that occurred the Monday after the team’s season-ending loss at Minnesota. Pace added that while no decision had been made at the time, Cutler and his agent James “Bus” Cook would be the first to know what direction the team is going. And the direction doesn’t get much clearer than this. In fact, as Pace said, it sounds like Cutler may have been informed of an active trade pursuit a long time ago:
Cutler was informed of this when they began in mid-January https://t.co/5CSaZnWTkC
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 21, 2017
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So, what’s the next move? Well, it’s possible the Bears could net a late-round pick for Cutler, but Darlington provides some context through which to view the situation:
Cutler’s contract doesn’t have a no-trade clause, but that doesn’t mean Bears can trade him without his willingness to agree. Teams know it.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) February 21, 2017
Cutler is 33. He has no guaranteed money left. If non-competitive team tries to give up late pick, he can sit out or retire. Teams know it.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) February 21, 2017
In a sense, Cutler can call his own shot when it comes to his future.
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He could be able to pick his preferred destination because he holds the retirement and hold-out cards up his sleeve. For example, if the Bears were willing to deal Cutler to a team without his “willingness to agree” as Darlington put it, the team trading an asset without knowing whether Cutler is on board with the deal risks losing an asset – even if it is a late-round pick.
The rollercoaster ride that was the Jay Cutler Era is coming to a close, and the Bears are on the cusp of officially starting a new search for the ever-elusive franchise quarterback.
