The Chicago Bears are currently rebuilding their front office before determining the fate of several players on the roster. The team has officially announced the hire of Ryan Pace as their new general manager while they continue to search for a new head coach. Right now the only thing in the corner of quarterback Jay Cutler is his high-priced contract, one that many teams are shaking their heads at. However, as the Bears consider whether or not to shop the quarterback, the draft could determine the fate of Cutler.
Cutler has a contract that does not match his stats which is why Chicago is considering moving on from him and why there is a lack of a market surrounding his name. Cutler is set to earn $16 million in guaranteed money in 2015 which is due on March 13. He also has another $10 million in guaranteed money with his $16 million salary in 2016. He is not cap friendly and not winning games. However, for teams that fail to get a quarterback in the draft, could Cutler be the best option.
Several teams will be battling for Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston in the draft and only two will win. Most mock drafts have the Tampa Bay Buccaneers taking Mariota and several teams battling for Winston. So for the teams who miss out on both prospects, could they make a move for Cutler?
Realistically, only a few teams would make the move. The Tennessee Titans need to replace Jake Locker and they currently have Ken Whisenhunt who has been responsible for turning around both Kurt Warner and Philip Rivers. He could do wonders with Cutler. The Washington Redskins are also looking for quarterback help, getting linked to one in the draft.
The Cleveland Browns could be interested as they attempt to figure if it is wise to keep Johnny Manziel or re-sign Brian Hoyer. As of now, the Browns do not have an offensive coordinator after the departure of Mike Shanahan, so if the team is going to make a move they will wait until they hire a new coach who can determine if Cutler is worth the deal.
The New York Jets and Buffalo Bills also have quarterback issues and could take a look at Cutler. The issue is that both teams are undergoing changes on the coaching staff and front office and will not make a decision on player personnel until those positions are filled up. That could run the Bears close to their March deadline of having to pay Cutler.