Jay Cutler a Bear through 2013

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For years now we have watched from Michigan as the Chicago Bears put together teams that were superb on defense, but lacking on offense. Some years those teams would go to Super Bowls. Deep in my memory is a game the 85 Bears had in the Super Bowl with a quarterback called Jim McMahon. He was more of a personality and leader than he was a quarterback. Sadly, McMahon turned out to be the best of the lot for generations to come until Jay Cutler arrived in town.

Does anyone remember Rex Grossman playing for the Chicago Bears in the Super Bowl? Of course you do and if you are a Bears fan and a lot of us from Michigan are (we have to root for someone when the Lions are losing all the time), you had to face the inevitable beating that would take place because Rex was not going to get the job done.

It is strange how Jay Cutler just erupted last year in Denver. For us full time Lions fans and part time Bears fans it hurt because the Lions took an undersized linebacker in Ernie Sims in the 2006 draft while Jay Cutler was still on the board.

The Denver Broncos presented a team playing out of the spread and passing practically every down, not because they wanted to, but because their defense was so bad they were constantly behind. Jay Cutler began to pile up big numbers making a star out of rookie Eddie Royal.

Alas, the losses also piled up and the new coach brought in a defensive philosophy and Jay hit the road.

Jay Cutler makes the decision to stay a Bear

Everyone expected Cutler to simply dominate as a Bear. After all, the Bears still had a great defense and an excellent rookie running back in Matt Forte, a player they picked up in the second round (this hurts too; he was drafted right in front of the Lions pick).

What most experts including the Squibster forgot was that Chicago had no passing game to start with and was going to use return specialist Devin Hester at the primary wideout position, a gamble at best.

Still it is easy to see now that Jay Cutler is an excellent quarterback with a quick release and an accurate catchable ball. It will be Chicago’s job to get him some big time talent at the receiver position in the future.

It’s fair for me, fair for the Bears,” Cutler said of his two-year contract extension worth $30 million overall, including $20 million guaranteed.

Fair to say nobody’s complaining about Cutler’s decision-making today.

Partly for salary cap reasons, Cutler will receive some of the new money this season. He now will earn $16 million for 2009 spread between a signing bonus and base salary, according to sources. That largesse more than makes up for the $12 million roster bonus due in 2011 that Cutler couldn’t count on because of ongoing NFL labor strife that hastened the extension.

“Every player in the league is concerned about whether there will be a lockout or what’s going to happen,” Cutler said. “I’m happy with this.”
source

Jay Cutler is a happy Bear and will remain one for a long time!

Photo source Newscom

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