The Chicago Bears have had an interesting start to the offseason with a new general manager, Ryan Pace and new head coach, John Fox joining the franchise. Both hires make sense and are good for franchise but they won’t be able to make a legitimate impact until quarterback Jay Cutler is traded or cut by the Bears.
Cutler has been in the league for nine years and hasn’t accomplished anything that equals to the amount of sacrifice the Bears gave (draft picks) up to acquire him from the Denver Broncos. Cutler hasn’t won an MVP award nor has he been selected for the Pro Bowl since his last year in Denver. Cutler has been given the help he needed on offense and couldn’t take the team to the playoffs. Cutler is selfish, stubborn, ignorant and it’s unfortunate that he was resigned last season only to show why he didn’t deserve the contract. Even though he was on the team last year, Pace and Fox can change this situation.
Pace and Fox have to either trade or cut Cutler and rebuild with another quarterback in order to make an impact in the NFC North for multiple years to come. By getting rid of Cutler, they are washing their hands and getting rid of the filth that Cutler has spread through the franchise since his arrival. The first option they need to explore and SHOULD do is get rid of Cutler via trade. They need to call the Tennessee Titans and persuade them to take Cutler. The reason they should call them is because head coach Ken Whisenhunt doesn’t like grooming quarterbacks and would rather deal with a veteran. They can persuade him to revive Cutler’s career just like he did for quarterback Kurt Warner. If this deal happens, they would switch the seventh pick with the second pick in the first round of the NFL Draft. The Titans would receive Cutler and the seventh pick to help rebuild their franchise.
With the second pick in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft, the Bears should select either quarterback Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota (based on who gets drafted first) because they can turn around the franchise and represent Chicago in the way fans dream of having a quarterback to lead the team. Both quarterbacks have great skills and leadership but I would take Winston because he has the IT factor. Winston has the will and drive that would inspire the offense and defense to win games. It would be a new challenge for Fox because he hasn’t ever coached a rookie quarterback in Carolina or Denver in at the beginning of his hire. This could reenergize Fox since he just finished coaching the Broncos for the last four years. If the Bears don’t pursue this opportunity to trade Cutler, then cut him. It will benefit the franchise in the long run, but they need to make a change immediately.
No matter how good Pace and Fox are or could be for this franchise, until Cutler goes, Bears’ fans will be given false hope. Time to show the fans that the franchise really cares about winning and it starts with the quarterback.
