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Jay Cutler

NFC Notes: Bucs, Panthers, Saints, Cutler

December 27th, 2014 at 12:24pm CST by Ben Levine

Wide receiver Louis Murphy agreed to a three-year extension with the Buccaneers yesterday, and the 27-year-old is thrilled to be sticking around Tampa. The former fourth-rounder said as much to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times:

“I believe in this team, I believe in coach Lovie (Smith), I believe in the organization. I believe in all the guys in that locker room, regardless of what the record says. I believe we’re going to be contenders in the future and I want to be a part of it. I want to see it turn around.”

Murphy, who currently has 31 catches for 380 yards and a pair of scores, reflected on his tumultuous tenure with the Raiders, Panthers and Giants:

“My dad always told me growing up when preparation and opportunity meets, it equals success. So this year, I wrote it on my bathroom wall. Early on in the game, you can drop a ball and say, ‘Oh, I’ll get another chance at this.’ But with the road that I’ve taken and the road I’ve had to go through, I said, ‘No, I’m not going to let anything slip through the cracks.’ And that’s the mind-set I’m going to keep from here on out.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes out of the NFC…

  • ESPN.com’s David Newton is skeptical about the return of two key Panthers (on Twitter): running back DeAngelo Williams and defensive end Greg Hardy.
  • Saints wideout Marques Colston isn’t thinking about next season. When asked by Nick Underhill of The New Orleans Advocate whether he’s consider returning for less money, the receiver responded that he’d cross that bridge when he comes to it (Twitter link).
  • The Saints will enter the offseason over the salary cap, but veteran guard Jahri Evans isn’t worried about his team’s predicament. “(The front office) will figure a way to figure it out. That’s what those guys get paid to do,” he told Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com. “I don’t see myself going anywhere.”
  • The Giants have yet to reach out to defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul regarding an extension, tweets ESPN’s Josina Anderson. The lack of communication is not a concern, however, and Anderson notes that the team will start the process following the season.
  • If one head coach could help turn around the play of Jay Cutler, ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio believes it would be the man who drafted him: Mike Shanahan. Of course, that would depend on the Bears keeping the embattled quarterback and not shipping him off to another franchise.

NFC Links: Colston, Cutler, Bucs, Packers

December 24th, 2014 at 8:23pm CST by Ben Levine

ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett explores a couple reasons why Marques Colston‘s future with the Saints is uncertain. The 31-year-old’s production has dropped the past three seasons, and he’s set to make $7MM in 2015. Of course, the veteran wideout could agree to a pay cut, and that would certainly make teammate Drew Brees a happy camper.

“First of all, I think he’s gonna be here for a long time,” Brees said. “But just as I talk about him as a player, as a person, as a teammate and all those things, he’s everything you would want. Everything you would want. And I’ve been lucky to have him for nine years, and I’m gonna be lucky to have him for a few more.

“I mean he’s a mainstay. There’s not any person who I’ve ever played with who has been more steady, more consistent in every way. He’s the consummate teammate.”

Let’s take a look at some other notes from around the NFC…

  • Despite making only four appearances this season, the Saints still claim they haven’t given up on second-round pick Stanley Jean-Baptiste. Both coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said they knew the cornerback would be a project, and they continue to echo that sentiment. “When we made that selection, we kind of understood exactly what we were receiving from an experience standpoint,” Payton said (via Triplett). “I like what I’ve been seeing from him. … For us, we like a lot of the characteristics we value in that position, and he has them. I think with the selection there were certain things we understood regarding him, and you have to have a vision. I think we had that.”
  • Jay Cutler will return as the Bears starting quarterback this weekend, and the embattled star says he’ll be playing for “the guys that have been in the huddle all year long.” As Michael C. Wright explains, Cutler understands that there could be some drastic changes within the organization this offseason. “I think you’ve just got to prepare yourself that anything could happen,” Cutler said. “That’s kind of what I’m prepared for. I mean, everyone could stay. Everyone could get axed. You just never know what direction it’s going to go. You just have to stay open-minded and know that things happen for a reason.”
  • The Buccaneers haven’t been particularly good recently, but that hasn’t prevented Mason Foster from wanting to stick around. The linebacker has battled injuries, and ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas says there’s no guarantee the 25-year-old will return. However, if it were up to Foster, he’d make Tampa Bay is permanent home. “I definitely want to stay in Tampa,’’ Foster said. “Both my sons were born in Tampa. I’ve got a lot of ties down here, and I love Tampa. It would be great. It would be amazing to stay here. But football is a business so you know there’s a chance you won’t be here.’’
  • Packers cornerback Davon House has missed the last two games as he tries to recover from a fractured right scapula. The upcoming free agent understands that his season may be over, and that means his tenure in Green Bay could also be finished. “I’m still not cleared, so if the season were to end this Sunday I played my last game as a Packer probably,” House said (via Weston Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press Gazette). “You have to be real in my shoes. You have to be real. It’s my fourth year. It’s not guaranteed I’ll be back in March, so it’s a chance I played my last game. Is that highly (likely), no? But it’s still possible.”

Latest On Jay Cutler; Titans Interested?

December 21st, 2014 at 10:03am CST by Rory Parks

Speculation as to where Jay Cutler will play in 2015 has been running rampant for some time, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds a new twist to what promises to be one of the more interesting sagas of the offseason. Conor Orr of NFL.com, citing Rapoport, writes that the Titans have begun their due diligence on Cutler and could be a major player for the ex-Vanderbilt star if the Bears decide to trade him. Rapoport tweets that, as soon as Cutler was benched in favor of Jimmy Clausen, the Titans began doing their homework, asking players about Cutler and preparing research.

Chicago, of course, was considering dealing Cutler even before he was benched. If Cutler were to be traded, he would prefer to land in Nashville, where he shined at the collegiate level for four years (even if his Commodores did not). Since the Titans currently hold the No. 1 pick in 2015’s draft, a potential Tennessee trade for Cutler could have a significant impact on the other clubs at the top of the draft board. Heisman winner Marcus Mariota is currently viewed as the draft’s top prize, and if the Titans are not in the running for him, the teams directly behind Tennessee could stand to benefit.

One obvious snag that has already been discussed at length is the cap hit that a Cutler trade would force the Bears to absorb. As Orr writes, Cutler is owed a guaranteed $15.5MM next season, and if he is still on the team’s books on March 12, 2015, an additional $10MM of his 2016 salary locks in. However, the cap ramifications are not insurmountable, and former NFL agent Joel Corry has already taken a detailed look at how a Cutler trade could work.

Needless to say, the fact that the Titans, and perhaps other teams, have looked into a Cutler deal does not mean it is going to happen. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports wrote earlier this morning that Cutler is expected to return to Chicago in 2015, though the current Bears’ coaching staff is not. But the Bears will almost certainly look to gauge interest in their oft-disappointing signal-caller, and they may find a match with Tennessee.

 

East Notes: RGIII, Eagles, Cutler

December 21st, 2014 at 8:43am CST by Rory Parks

It was not long ago that the respective futures of Robert Griffin III and Jay Gruden in Washington were in doubt. After one strong game against the Eagles on Saturday night, that no longer seems to be the case. Following a last-minute, 27-24 victory over their playoff-hopeful division rivals, Washington’s head coach and quarterback are set to return for 2015.

As Jason Reid of the Washington Post wrote just hours after the team’s victory, “Jay Gruden and Robert Griffin III are expected to return next season.” Reid went on to note that Washington’s reliance on the on the run game and DeSean Jackson allowed Griffin to be more comfortable in the pocket than he has been all season, which could have created a blueprint for the team’s success moving forward.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk adds that there was never any real doubt among the Washington administration that Griffin would be back, as the team continues to hope that he can be the franchise quarterback it once anticipated. So, as Florio writes, “the only remaining question is whether they pick up his eight-figure option for 2016 by May 3. If the goal is to support him, they either need to exercise the option or extend his contract.”

Now for some more noes from the league’s east divisions:

 

NFC Links: Gore, Cutler, Griffin, Sanchez

December 20th, 2014 at 4:51pm CST by Rob DiRe

49ers‘ running back Frank Gore has seen a decline in his play this season, and his future in San Francisco is in question. Aside from his rookie season and injury-shortened 2010, Gore is on pace to post career lows in yards, attempts, touchdowns, yards per carry, and longest run. He has also been phased out of the passing game, with career lows in targets, catches, and receiving yards.

Gore will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, and spoke to Eric Branch of SFGate.com regarding his future with the team. “If they want to bring me back, they will,” Gore said. “They’ll come to me in a respectful way. We’ll sit down, see what they want me to do. See what my role is and if I like it, I’ll sign. If I don’t, I’ll try to see what other teams think of me.”

Here are some other notes from around the NFC:

  • Joel Corry of the National Football Post takes a look at the financial implications that would take place if the Bears decided to trade Jay Cutler. Because of his contract, he writes the Bears would be unlikely to get much in return for the embattled quarterback, but writes that the Titans, Jets, Buccaneers, Rams and Texans could all have at least some interest in acquiring Cutler at the right price.
  • Despite some rumors that Washington would fire head coach Jay Gruden after only one season, the former Bengals’ offensive coordinator is confident that he will get a second season with the team, according to Conor Orr of NFL.com. “I feel good about my chances of coming back next year,” Gruden said. “I feel good about some of the core group of guys we have here and building a football team, and I think we can get this thing turned around a lot sooner than later if given the opportunity.”
  • Gruden returning is not a given, but after that the biggest question of Washington’s offseason is at the quarterback position. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com would not be surprised to see Robert Griffin III back in Washington next season, noting that his salary is fully guaranteed for 2015 (via Twitter). He writes that Gruden wants to win, and Griffin could be his best option at quarterback (via Twitter).
  • With Nick Foles closer to being healthy each week and the Eagles still in the thick of the playoff race, Mark Sanchez needs to be better, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. While he writes that Sanchez is not concerned about his own stock, the team’s playoff chances are directly related to how well Sanchez plays. Whether Sanchez’s top priority is making the playoffs or getting a starting job in 2015, he needs to be better over these next two games.
  • The Panthers will not activate defensive end Frank Alexander for this weekend’s game against the Browns, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox sports 1 (via Twitter). Alexander came off of his suspension this week, after violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Garafolo writes that the team is expected to activate him on Monday.

 

NFC Links: Cutler, Fitzgerald, Giants

December 20th, 2014 at 12:47pm CST by Ben Levine

We heard about a month ago that Vikings fullback Jerome Felton was considering opting out of his restructured contract. The 28-year-old can accept a 2015 deal worth $2.45MM (plus a $50K workout bonus), but a reduced role may force him to pursue other opportunities.

The former fifth-round pick addressed the subject on Friday (via Mark Craig of the Star Tribune):

“I’d like to come back, but I know the reality. I know they have Zach [Line] on the roster, even though I’m not getting many snaps. My salary, the number of reps I’ve gotten this year, all of that plays into it. But I’ve taken advantage of every opportunity, and I know there is a lot of good film on me out there.”

After having played at least 400 snaps the previous two seasons, the veteran has only seen the field on 148 snaps in 2014, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Understandably, Felton isn’t happy about the lighter workload:

“I’m not happy about it, but I refuse to be a negative person. I’ve stayed positive and kept working hard. It’s frustrating because I do feel I’ve played at a high level. I thought there would be a good role for me on the team, but obviously it was impacted by Adrian’s situation.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the NFC…

  • ESPN’s Adam Schefter suggests that the Bears could make history if they decide to trade Jay Cutler. According to Schefter, a team has never had to give up extra compensation to get rid of a player, but plenty of league executives believe that will be Chicago’s only hope of ridding themselves of the embattled quarterback.
  • Kent Somers of AZCentral.com says there’s a 50-50 chances that wideout Larry Fitzgerald will be with the Cardinals next season. Meanwhile, the writer believes quarterback Carson Palmer will return.
  • If the Cardinals don’t keep Palmer, they may be seeking a veteran quarterback. However, Somers can’t imagine the team pursuing Jay Cutler.
  • The Giants could undergo some drastic change this offseason, but ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano believes at least two members of the organization will be back: wideout Rueben Randle and head coach Tom Coughlin. The writer mentions that defensive coordinator Perry Fewell could potentially be on his way out.

NFC North Notes: Cutler, Austin, Barr

December 19th, 2014 at 5:04pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Packers and Lions continue to vie for the NFC North crown, while the Vikings and Bears battle to stay out of the cellar, let’s check in on the latest Friday notes from around the division….

  • While Bears head coach Marc Trestman indicated on Thursday that he wanted his team to “hear from me first” when he benched Jay Cutler, only a few players actually did, with many learning of the change via social media. As Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes, that rubbed a few Bears players the wrong way.
  • Taking Cutler’s enormous contract and cap numbers into account, trading him won’t be easy. In a piece for the National Football Post, former agent Joel Corry explores how the Bears could attempt to complete a deal involving the veteran quarterback.
  • Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin will be a top candidate for head coaching jobs this offseason, as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com details. For now though, Austin is still focused on the Lions’ playoff hopes. “It’s flattering,” Austin said. “But that’s all it is right now.”
  • Vikings first-round pick Anthony Barr will miss the final two games with a season ending knee injury, reports Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (via Twitter). Barr has undergone knee surgery to repair a slight meniscus tear, according to Marc Sessler of NFL.com. The rookie linebacker is expected to be ready for offseason activities.

Rob DiRe contributed to this post.

Jay Cutler Notes: Thursday

December 18th, 2014 at 2:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was the subject of frequent criticism and trade speculation even before he was benched, and now that the team has decided to tab backup Jimmy Clausen as the starter this Sunday against the Lions, the Cutler rumor mill is busier than ever. Here are the latest whispers about what Cutler’s future may hold:

  • Both Cutler and Marc Trestman spoke to reporters today about the decision, with Cutler indicating that he could play for Trestman next season and would like to remain with the Bears (Twitter links). The veteran quarterback added that while the security his contract provides is nice, he’s disappointed with the season, and would trade that contract security for a better record and better play (Twitter link via ESPN’s Michael C. Wright).
  • As for Trestman, he indicated that this decision applies to this weekend only, and that Cutler will be the team’s No. 2 quarterback against the Lions (Twitter links). In other words, Clausen could start Week 17 as well, but nothing’s guaranteed yet.
  • Two “accomplished and respected” Bears players tell Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com that a number of players in the Chicago locker room feel “confused and uncomfortable” over how Trestman has handled Cutler’s benching — especially when compared to the light discipline received by offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer last week.
  • According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), Trestman is hoping that the change in quarterbacks will prove that his system can still be effective without Cutler at the helm.
  • Mike Sando of ESPN.com tweets that he has talked to several people around the league who wonder why any team would give up anything more than maybe a seventh-round pick for Cutler.
  • The Bears need to overhaul their franchise, and moving on from Cutler would be a start, writes Jon Greenberg of ESPNChicago.com.

Earlier updates:

  • Exploring potential trade suitors for Cutler, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes that many of the logical partners for Chicago are in the AFC, identifying the Bills, Jets, Browns, Texans, Titans, and Raiders as possibilities. Florio also writes that the Bears should be willing to essentially give Cutler away in a trade if necessary, rather than holding out for a higher draft pick, since the team could do a lot more with $15.5MM in cash and cap savings than it could with a mid- or late-round pick.
  • Dan Hanzus of NFL.com lists seven potential landing spots for Cutler, overlapping with Florio on the Bills, Browns, Titans, and Jets. Hanzus also singles out the Buccaneers, Rams, and Washington as possible suitors.
  • Appearing on CSN Chicago, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com took a shot at predicting what Cutler might be worth in a trade: “If they look to deal him, and my belief is that they will, then I think they can get something back for him. They’re not going to get what they gave up to get him. … Jay Cutler right now is on sale. He’s been devalued. My guess, just a guess today without speaking to personnel people around the NFL… I would guess that they could probably get back a fourth-round pick for Jay Cutler that could go to a third if he meets certain conditions such as taking a team to the playoffs. That’d be my guess. A mid-round conditional draft pick.”
  • Benching a quarterback with a massive contract is an irreversible decision in many ways, according to Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Tribune, who weighs the pros and cons for the Bears cutting, trading, or keeping Cutler.
  • Albert Breer of the NFL Network points out (via Twitter) that Marc Trestman‘s reputation as a quarterback guru, which has taken a hit this year, could be rejuvenated if Clausen lights it up this weekend. We’ve heard that the team is likely to part ways with Trestman at season’s end, but perhaps a strong finish would change those plans.

Extra Points: Wilson, Harbaugh, Cutler, Bears

December 17th, 2014 at 10:16pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFL sent a memo to teams today informing them that Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is changing agents, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Facebook). Wilson, who will be eligible for a new deal after this season, is leaving Bus Cook and one source tells Schefter that he’s likely to join up with his baseball agent, Mark Rodgers. Wilson is apparently leaving Cook on good terms and opted to go with Rodgers out of a desire to keep all of his business under one roof. More from around the NFL..

  • Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune (on Twitter) doesn’t see Jim Harbaugh joining the Raiders without getting a hand-picked GM. Harbaugh doesn’t want to have another relationship like the one he has with 49ers GM Trent Baalke and he has no background with Oakland GM Reggie McKenzie. Earlier tonight, we learned that Harbaugh has received a six-year, $48MM offer from the University of Michigan.
  • The Bears are benching Jay Cutler for his poor play, calling his future into question. Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap looks at Cutler’s contract and how the team can move on from him. Ultimately, cutting him is not an option for Chicago at this point.
  • Michael Silver of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears that Bears coach Marc Trestman could no longer play Cutler “simply to justify a contract” when his performance was so poor.
  • The Bears‘ real motivation behind benching Cutler could be to protect him from injury, ensuring that they’ll be able to trade him this offseason, suggests Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

Bears To Bench Jay Cutler, Start Clausen

December 17th, 2014 at 5:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Few saw this coming. The Bears will bench Jay Cutler in favor of Jimmy Clausen on Sunday against the Lions, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

Cutler is owed a guaranteed $15.5MM next season but with today’s news, it’s certainly not guaranteed to be paid by Chicago. The Bears, who have been an absolute quagmire on the field and in the locker room this season, are ostensibly thinking about moving on from their franchise quarterback after this season.

Clausen, a Notre Dame product, hasn’t played much since his rookie year in 2010 with the Panthers. For his career, Clausen has three career touchdowns versus nine career interceptions. If the Bears are giving some thought to getting rid of Cutler, then they’ll be able to see what they have in Clausen, and maybe third quarterback David Fales. In theory, the Bears can start Clausen against Detroit this week and allow Fales to start against the Vikings in the season finale.

The Bears signed Clausen over the summer and ultimately cut Jerrod Johnson and Jordan Palmer to carve out a spot for him on the depth chart. From the outset, head coach Marc Trestman was highly complimentary of the longtime prodigy.

“Jimmy’s done a very good job, very maturely fit in and taken the place of trying to learn and work to learn the offense,” Trestman said. “He’s grinded at it. He spent long hours here. He’s had help from the guys in the room to get him to the place he is today. So we’ll see. We’re going through the process of working with our roster. I think he’ll be one of the guys that we do bring back, and we’ll take it one day at a time when we get to training camp.”

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