Could we be seeing the last of Jay Cutler in a Chicago Bears uniform?
The better Josh McCown looks, the more expendable Jay Cutler becomes in Chicago. With Cutler now 30 years old and injury prone, there are whispers that the Bears may not want to commit huge dollars to Cutler.
The Bears could Franchise Cutler, but according to Around The League, Bears GM Phil Emory doesn’t seem keen on that idea either.
“With the franchise tag being so high for the quarterback position,” Emery wrote during a fan Q&A on the team’s official website, “to use it and not sign the individual to a long-term deal hurts the team because you lose the ability to prorate the amount of guaranteed salary over the length of the contract.
“Proration lowers the salary cap number in relation to that player’s contract. Obviously the lower the number in relation to the salary cap, the more players you can sign to help your team reach its goals.”
With the Bears looking at a mid first round pick, and a $16.2 million salary for franchising Cutler, the Bears may be preparing to draft a quarterback.