With the opening of NFL free agency just a little more than two weeks away, the speculation circus is already raising its curtain. And as far as Bears fans are concerned, curiosity over Jay Cutler’s status in Chicago will quickly
With the opening of NFL free agency just a little more than two weeks away, the speculation circus is already raising its curtain. And as far as Bears fans are concerned, curiosity over Jay Cutler’s status in Chicago will quickly begin to surge again.
On Tuesday evening, ESPN reported that the Bears had actively begun seeking a trade partner for Cutler, a nugget that quickly created eye-catching headlines and a frenzy of conjecture across the Internet.
But to be clear, the Bears can’t officially trade Cutler until the afternoon of March 9, when the NFL’s new league year begins. And the concept of general manager Ryan Pace exploring a trade for Cutler is far from surprising with the quarterback’s exit from Chicago more of a “when” not “if” scenario this offseason.
Cutler has already been paid all the guaranteed money within the seven-year extension he signed in 2014. So the Bears are in a position in which they can release the 33-year-old quarterback at no cost with only a modest salary-cap hit. Of course, they’d prefer to get something rather than nothing in return for Cutler, which makes the trade exploration a must for Pace.
The Bears general manager has been involved in high-profile trades before, sending receiver Brandon Marshall to the Jets in 2015 and tight end Martellus Bennett to the Patriots last March. So efforts to strike a similar deal for Cutler will be ongoing.
The NFL will gather in Indianapolis next week for the scouting combine, a forum in which Pace can continue to keep his feelers out to measure interest in Cutler.
Pace and Bears coach John Fox will meet with reporters March 1 but are unlikely to show their cards on any personnel decisions. Still, it’s widely understood that the Bears are seeking new direction at quarterback and that a separation from Cutler is likely in some way in the near future.
The veteran quarterback is due a base salary of $12.5 million next season and has roster bonuses that could be worth an additional $2.5 million. He missed 11 games last season with thumb and shoulder injuries and recently had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder.
Now comes the inevitable waiting game to see what will unfold.
