So, is Jay Cutler really retired?
What if another team needs a quarterback and Cutler is on that front office’s speed dial? And what if that team happens to be the Green Bay Packers? Would the former Bears quarterback be interested in that kind of return to the NFL?
Let’s hear Cutler go through the scenario in his own words:
As juicy as a Cutler revenge game with the Packers would be, it’s a no-go for FOX Sports’ newest NFL analyst.
Frankly, that decision would be a good decision for Cutler, because it’s a no-win situation. If he succeeds, the narrative would be about the talent around him. If he fails, it confirms every negative thing ever written. It’s unfortunate that Cutler was pushed into retirement this way, but his candor could grow on viewers as time goes on.
Over at The Athletic, Dan Durkin goes deep into film study to highlight why the Bears jumped at the chance to take Mitch Trubisky with the second pick in the draft … but also sees why he is viewed as a project. Trubisky has some positive traits and qualities in his favor, including a steady pocket presence, enough mobility to escape a rush, and a strong enough arm to make the necessary throws. Not quite a polished product, Trubisky still needs to work on reading defenses and cleaning up some of his decision-making process. The Bears have a lot to work with here, but a lot to work on, too. Maybe Cutler is right in warning the Bears not to rush him into playing time.
So, who is Trubisky going to throw to anyway? The Bears’ tight end situation looks a bit crowded at the top with free agent signee Dion Sims joining returning starter Zach Miller, but the addition of second-round pick Adam Shaheen could complicate things: SB Nation’s Christian D’Andrea believes Shaheen is one of several players who can make the leap from small school star to NFL starter. It’s not like Shaheen won’t have ample opportunities to prove himself. The Bears’ group of wide receivers has much to prove, especially with Alshon Jeffery out of the picture. And that means Shaheen could emerge as a candidate to be a favorite target of whichever quarterback is slinging the pigskin.
Shaheen could see some competition from a fellow rookie, though: Sports Illustrated’s Chris Burke offers up every team’s late-round sleeper from NFL Draft weekend. However, the Bears’ sleeper is a player who wasn’t even drafted. Burke tabs Wyoming wide receiver Tanner Gentry as that player. Because the Bears (surprisingly) didn’t draft a receiver, Gentry comes in with a leg up on the competition after racking up more than 1,300 receiving yards and scoring 14 touchdowns as a senior. For a path to NFL success, he should look no further than Cameron Meredith, the team’s receiving leader last year who was an undrafted free agent out of Illinois State in 2015.
In case you missed it, I recapped some of the Bears’ draft decisions over on CLTV’s Sports Feed on Monday night:
Over at FOX Sports, former Bears quarterback-turned-analyst Jay Cutler opens up to Doug Gottlieb on a variety of topics. Nick Schwartz provides the highlights of the interview, which include Cutler’s feelings after learning was cut, how rookie Mitch Trubisky could thrive in Chicago, the audition process at FOX Sports, and which quarterback is better than what he’s given credit for publicly. If Cutler can be this candid on gameday, he has potential to be really good in this role.
According to NFL.com’s panel of analysts, Deshaun Watson is an early favorite to win the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award. The Houston Texans traded up to draft Watson, who was the third quarterback taken in the first round. And even though Trubisky and Patrick Mahomes were drafted higher, Watson is the quarterback with the clearest path to playing time – and he has some quality offensive weapons around him. He could be a sleeper pick here if he can produce as he did in college and lead Houston back to the playoffs.
Akiem Hicks was one of the Bears’ best defenders in 2016, but this off-the-field contribution might be one of the biggest plays he’ll make while representing the Bears:
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