Editor’s Note: This will likely be the last column about Jay Cutler to appear on this blog after the last 9 years of intense conversation and debate. I’d like to thank Jay for everything he gave this organization. He played the toughest game on earth, played it broken half the time, and then had to deal with a city and media that never gave him a fair shot. I wish him nothing but success moving forward. -JH.
Brad Biggs just couldn’t help himself, couldn’t hide his bias. In a story that was supposed to be about praising new Bears quarterback Mike Glennon, the Tribune reporter decided to take two shots as Cutler as he prepares to leave town – questioning his leadership and production.
The Bears didn’t win enough games with Cutler. He didn’t put up monster statistics. But Cutler was a good quarterback for a team that has never had good quarterbacks and now we all have to go back and see how the other half lives.
Jay Cutler will exit Chicago without any appreciation for how he played for the Bears.
Before the Bears were able to trade for Cutler, the Minnesota Vikings and Washington Redskins were both pursuing him hard. The Vikings thought they had him. Washington fell short only because the Broncos preferred Kyle Orton to Jason Campbell. The Bears won and the other two teams still don’t know what their long-term solutions are at the position.
Including trades, the Vikings have spent three first round picks, two more fourth rounders and gone on two Favre watches to try and get a quarterback. Since 2009, their QBs have topped 20 touchdowns just once. They’ve gone from one great year with Brett Favre to the likes of Donovan McNabb, Christian Ponder, Joe Webb, Teddy Bridgewater and now Sam Bradford.
The Redskins spent three first round picks to trade for a sure thing in Robert Griffin III. That came after they traded for Donovan McNabb. They’ve also had Campbell, John Beck and Rex Grossman start before Kirk Cousins took over the job at the start of last year. And now, it’s not much of a secret that Cousins wants out of town to go to the 49ers.
Do we have to go through the 49ers QB history since they lost Jeff Garcia? Or how about the 16 or so other teams who have had a revolving door while the Bears have been able to head into every season with Cutler?
Finding a good quarterback is tough. Replacing one can take a decade. Something we, as Bears fans should know very well but seem to have forgotten completely.
Biggs insinuated Glennon’s leadership is going to be better than Cutler’s, even though we’ve never really seen Glennon in a pressure situation against a blitzing Dom Capers defense with no blocking. Cutler is and has been well-respected in the locker room and, as the guys who are getting rid of him are very quick to point out, has been elected team captain the last two years. Cutler’s leadership is questioned because his teams haven’t won. Saying Glennon will automatically be better without realizing his teams went 5-13 is just blind.
Biggs also said if Glennon were even 80% Matt Ryan the Bears would be “on a better path” – a comment displaying zero thought outside of his and the Trib’s anti-Cutler agenda.
Twelve months ago, Falcons fans were just as split about Ryan as Bears fans have been about Cutler. 80% of Ryan is Cutler’s 2015 season butRyan has had the likes of Julio Jones, Tony Gonzales and Roddy White, while Cutler has threw to Josh Bellamy, Marquess Wilson and Marc Mariani.
Yes Cutler throws too many interceptions. No, the Bears haven’t won enough games. But as inconsistent as Cutler has been at times, he’s still been arguably their most consistent player since he came to the team in 2009.
If you don’t think bringing in Cutler was a good move for the Bears, look around the league. He will be missed by this organization.
