The Chicago Bears are coming into offseason workouts with Jay Cutler as the starting quarterback, but head coach John Fox may have Jimmy Clausen compete to start in training camp and this comes after trade rumors followed Cutler this year, but after the draft it looks like Cutler and Matt Forte will not be traded and now they have some new weapons in Kevin White and Jeremy Langford.
Cutler was mentioned in trade speculation all offseason after he was benched last year for Jimmy Clausen, but the Bears never came close to pulling off a deal. According to Pro Football Talk, the Bears "dangled" Cutler to the Tennessee Titans before the NFL draft in an attempt to get Marcus Mariota, but the team was not interested. Now Cutler is moving forward with the Bears and he will have the chance to rebound after a tough 2014.
John Fox said earlier in the offseason that Cutler and Clausen would compete for the starting job, but it sounded more like coach speak than a full decision. Cutler is making over $15 million this season and that means he likely will be the starter no matter what happens.
Cutler was benched last year as a last ditch effort for Marc Trestman to save his job and clearly that did not work. ESPN Chicago reports that Fox said that Cutler will come into offseason workouts as the starter and that means he should be on top of the depth chart in training camp.
Matt Forte has come up in trade rumors this offseason, as he is coming into the final year of his contract in Chicago. According to ESPN Chicago, Forte said that his absence from offseason workouts is "not" about his contract situation, although he is hoping to get an extension from the Bears. The team picked Jeremy Langford this offseason and drafted Ka'Deem Carey last year and that could push Forte out depending on how the season goes.
Last year Forte had a big season with 1038 yards on the ground and a career best 102 receptions, but he is coming into the last year of his deal and is going to be 30 by the time the season is over. Forte could be traded, as the Dallas Cowboys said they are still in the market for an RB, but right now it looks like he will be in Chicago for the 2015 season.
Cutler is making a ton of money and has a big contract, so he likely will get every chance to win the starting job if Fox opens the competition. Fox said that Clausen will come in as the backup after getting re-signed, but that he will get the chance to work with the first team offense in camp. Earlier in the offseason Cutler was mentioned in trade speculation, but his contract makes him tough to move, as part of his 2016 salary has already been guaranteed.
Cutler did not have a great 2014 overall, but he did put up strong numbers despite the overall bad play of the Bears offense and that means he could be ready to rebound. Adam Gase comes in after working with Peyton manning in Denver and that could be huge for Cutler after he set career highs in touchdowns and completion percentage last season.