Fansided
Fansided

Jay Cutler Slowly Altering Chicago Bears Draft Plans

By Erik Lambert

facebooktwitterreddit

Oct 4, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) gestures before a snap against the Oakland Raiders during the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Despite his weekly turnover, Jay Cutler did what he (probably) set out to do on Sunday against the Oakland Raiders.  Sure, the most important part was get a win but another was doing everything in his power to show head coach John Fox and GM Ryan Pace  that he can be the quarterback of this Chicago Bears football team beyond 2015.

Gutting it out on a bad hamstring, throwing for 287 yards without Alshon Jeffery or Kevin White, and leading a 4th quarter comeback to get the team its first victory of the year certainly has a way of changing perceptions.  Then again this should be something new to anybody.

Cutler has a history of being tough.  Despite what so many heard after a knee injury he suffered in 2011 during the NFC championship game, Jay is anything but soft.  He’s endured a serious pounding in a Bears uniform since he arrived six years ago.  Everything from concussions to broken fingers, to groin, ankle and hamstring problems have knocked him out of games but every time he always seems to bounce back faster than doctors or even Nostradamus could predict.

Remember the Meadowlands Massacre?  For those who chose to blot it out, it was a game in 2010 against the New York Giants during which Jay was sacked 10 times, suffering a concussion in the process.  It was hard to believe he might play again that season.

Two weeks later he was back out on the field for more and ended up guiding Chicago to the playoffs.  Nobody remembers that.  Why?  Apparently because the guy doesn’t smile enough on game days.

Regardless, this latest display of grit and determination by the 32-year old quarterback really made the job for Fox and Pace more difficult.  Recent rumors have indicated that the Bears are in the process of positioning the team to take a quarterback in the draft next April.

However, history does show that when Cutler has a running game and the defense can actually get some stops as it did this week, he’s good enough to make some plays and win the game.  From 2010 to 2012, when he had both, he was 27-13 as a starter.

On top of that, there is the rapport with offensive coordinator Adam Gase to consider. It still hasn’t been fully explored, leaving the true potential of this offense in a thick fog.  Not to mention what with Jeffery and White both out with injuries as well.

Perhaps it might be prudent to give him more time to immerse himself in the scheme, all the while giving Pace free reign to use his growing stash of draft picks to reload the rest of the roster.  It would lessen the pressure of getting a quarterback right away and allow them to wait for the best opportunity.

Certainly a lot to think about over the next few months.

Next: Chicago Bears: 5 Possible Draft Scenarios At Quarterback

More from NFL Mocks

Home/NFL News