The Chicago Bears likely will start Jay Cutler after he was cleared to start by the medical staff against the Detroit Lions after suffering a groin injury and that puts the team in a better position to win on Sunday.
Cutler was expected to miss more time, but he made a nice recovery and now he heads into a tough divisional game against the Lions. The Chicago Bears are heading into a crucial game against the Detroit Lions this week and the while quarterback Jay Cutler may return for the matchup, let's say the team played it safe and keep Josh McCown under center and if he continued to play well, would the Bears allow Cutler to walk in free agency and keep McCown instead?
The answer is likely no, but with the way McCown played against the Washington Redskins two weeks ago and the Green Bay Packers on Monday, the team at least could have a conversation about that. At the core of the situation is the fact that the upper management did not give Cutler a contract extension heading into the season, opting for the Joe Flacco move and while the team may not end up winning the Super Bowl, they are as in the mix as anyone right now in a three-way tie with the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers in the NFC North at 5-3. Cutler has a big arm and is very talented, but if he ends up asking for too much money or signing elsewhere, McCown could step up into the fold.
While that would be a tough move for the Bears to make, McCown looked good in the game against the Packers and he also was very sharp against the Redskins coming in for Cutler. McCown passed for over 270 yards in the win against the Packers and he has passed for three touchdowns and zero picks in two games this season and while that is not a big sample size to look at, it is a realistic possibility that Cutler could leave in free agency. The win on Monday night football changed the season for the Bears, as losing a game against the Packers could have been devastating for their playoff chances after losing three of their past four games on the schedule.
McCown can handle the offense and at the very least, he can stem the tide for the Bears and while Cutler could return as soon as the Detroit Lions game according to ESPN.com, some have said being careful is the right move. If Cutler gets hurt worse after coming back, especially against a hard hitting team like the Lions, that could be disastrous for the season and with a huge contract possibly coming, the Bears will be on the side of caution.
