The Chicago Bears are coming into the offseason after making major changes and now that reports have come out that the team is not going to trade Jay Cutler after rumors about Colin Kaepernick interest, the team can focus on free agency and names like Eddie Royal, Percy Harvin, Antrel Rolle, Terrance Knighton and Jordan Cameron have all come up as potential options.
--UPDATE: The team has reached an agreement with Antrel Rolle. Adam Schefter reports the team has signed Rolle to a three year deal.
The talk about Cutler getting traded started after he was benched in Week 16 of the season, but now it appears the team is ready to keep Cutler. According to ESPN.com, Chris Mortensen reports that the team expects to have Cutler as the starting quarterback this season and part of it has to do with the fact that the majority of his 2016 salary will be guaranteed on Thursday. Pro Football Talk reported on some interest in Kaepernick earlier in the week but the 49ers came out to say that he is not being shopped.
According to ESPN Chicago, Antrel Rolle has visited with the team and now Eddie Royal is also coming in for a visit. The team is likely to add a wide receiver after trading Brandon Marshall to the Jets this offseason. Terrance Knighton could be a potential option with Stephen Paea leaving for the Redskins, as Pro Football Talk reports that he is a target for the team.
Knighton is visiting with the Redskins, but they have added Paea and Ricky Jean Francois already for the defensive line. Percy Harvin was released by the Jets and also could be a potential target. Royal could be a nice depth option to help replace Marshall even though they are different types of receivers. Royal had 62 catches last season and seven touchdowns and in his career he has 25 TD catches in 98 games.
Cutler's status had been speculated about since he was benched during the season and so far this offseason Fox has been mum about his future status. The new report is not official and while there is a chance he could get traded, it looking unlikely now that free agency has opened. The Rams appeared to be a target, but they added Nick Foles, while the Texans have added Brian Hoyer and that takes them out of the mix.
According to Michael C. Wright at ESPN Chicago, Cutler's future was likely tied up in money and his contract, as he has $10 million of his salary for the 2016 season guaranteed Thursday. Cutler has been getting ripped in the media by anonymous sources, with ESPN Chicago reporting that former members of the Lovie Smith and Marc Trestman coaching staffs have come out to say that Cutler cannot win championships. Some questioned his work ethic and his leadership skills as a quarterback. The Bears may keep him and find out if that's true under a new head coach in John Fox.
Cutler is set to make over $15 million this season after signing a seven year deal last offseason. Cutler was signed by the former regime of Phil Emery and Trestman and that could lead to Fox and Pace making a major move. Cutler was the highest paid player in football last season, but he was benched in Week 16 for Jimmy Clausen and now he could be on the move. Wright reports that he thinks the Bears will give Cutler "one last shot", but that a chance of a trade is possible.
