The Chicago Bears may look at a Jay Cutler trade after the team starts Jimmy Clausen in Week 16 and after the season teams like the Oakland Raiders, NY Jets, Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins, Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans could be interested in making a move, as Cutler is one of the better quarterbacks in the league despite the way he has played this season.
The Bears opted to start Clausen after the team lost again last week and it came with Cutler leading the league in turnovers and interceptions. Cutler just signed a massive seven year deal as a free agent this past year and now just 14 games into that contract he has been benched. Marc Trestman is on the hot seat as head coach and now he could possibly be on his way out with the way things have gone in 2014. Cutler handled the decision with class and was respectful of the decision while talking with reporters.
Cutler added that he wondered if his time in Chicago was over, but he hoped that would not be the case. Adam Schefter at ESPN.com reported that the Bears will likely look into a Cutler trade, but the decision on whether to move on or not has not been made yet. Cutler is the highest paid player in the league this season at $22.5 million and that makes this decision even more stunning. ESPN.com reports that many veteran players are confused and frustrated at the move, as it comes off that the whole thing is being blamed on Cutler.
Many said that is not the case and while no one argues that Cutler is having a great season, many in the locker room wonder why the decision was made this way. Clausen was a former draft pick of the Panthers and he has not started a game in a number of years. The Bears are 5-9 this season and Cutler has 24 turnovers along with 18 interceptions. Many called for Eli Manning to get benched during a tough season last year, but the Giants stuck things out.
Cutler may outlast Marc Trestman here, but for arguments sake, let's say he is traded, teams like the Jets, Redskins, Miami Dolphins, Titans, Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles all could be interested. The Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers also could be in the mix and what happens also will depend on who has the top picks in the NFL draft. Whatever teams get Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston will not be looking to make a deal, but the ones that miss out surely could look at making a move.
The Raiders like Carr, but he is just a rookie and that is no certainty, while the Buccaneers clearly will be making a change after the way this season has gone. The Titans could look at Cutler, as he has roots after playing at Vanderbilt, while the Redskins nearly traded for Cutler back when he was traded to the Bears and could look at that again. If Joe Philbin is out in Miami, Ryan Tannehill could be done as well and that could lead to interest in Cutler.
