There have been several rumors about the upcoming divorce that's expected to take place between the Bears and Jay Cutler, and his actions Monday didn't help quiet them.
The 33 year-old veteran has spent eight years with Chicago amassing a less-than-impressive 51-51 record with a 85.2 QB rating. Those numbers are disappointing when you factor in the two first-round picks, and the third, the Bears gave up for him, in addition to former starter Kyle Orton. Since acquiring Cutler in 2009, Chicago has only won the NFC North division once.
After bringing in Adam Gase, through the hiring of John Fox, Cutler had one of his best years as a professional in 2015 posting a 92.3 rating. Expectations were high as Dowell Loggains took over as offensive coordinator after Gase split for Miami, but those high expectations were met with very low results when Cutler posted a 78.1 rating this season, his worst since 2009.
Add that emergence of Brian Hoyer, and Matt Barkley, and Cutler becomes the odd man out. With a salary cap hit of between $16-$21 million for the next four seasons, Jay will likely be traded or cut this off-season.
Trading Cutler is expected to be difficult with his contract, but the guaranteed money is up and it could help secure him for a team that might not want to get in a bidding war on the open market. Cutting Cutler would give the Bears flexible cap space and allow for more future moves, so it appears to be a win-win for Chicago either way. Most Bears fans would obviously like to get a draft pick in return if possible.
As much as all this makes sense, it's just speculation as of right now. Cutler's actions on Monday though, were incredibly telling.
According to reports, Monday was the last day for Chicago Bears players to speak with the media before leaving for the off-season. Kevin White, Alshon Jeffery and others took the opportunity to discuss the future and the disastrous 2016 season.
Cutler, however, was nowhere to be found.
Opting to skip the last chance to speak with the media, Cutler sent a sign to everyone that he's likely going to be finding another home next season. Cutler finished the season on injured reserve after suffering a shoulder injury in the Bears’ game against the New York Giants in November, and he would normally be one of the first to speak on such an occasion. Not on this day.
With so many questions looming over the future of the quarterback position for the Chicago Bears, Cutler's name hasn't been mentioned at all. Not only has his skill-set deteriorated over time, but he also lacks the leadership skills needed to mentor a young quarterback. That is likely why ESPN is already talking about Hoyer taking that responsibility, even though he's not even re-signed for next season yet.
The future of Cutler's career is likely to play out soon, but all signs point to an exit from Chicago.
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