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Jay Cutler

Jay Cutler Unhappy With Coaching Staff

December 14th, 2014 at 6:00pm CST by Rob DiRe

Earlier this week, Bears’ offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer was revealed to have spoken to the media about the organization’s doubts of quarterback Jay Cutler‘s abilities as the signal caller in Chicago. Despite a public apology, Cutler is extremely unhappy with the coaching situation, writes Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.

Cutler’s contract is guaranteed at least through 2015, and there is an expectation on his part that staffing changes will occur in the offseason, according to La Canfora. Due to the comments made by Kromer, La Canfora believes that organization will have grounds to fire him with cause.

Kromer’s job was not safe to begin with, amidst reports that head coach Marc Trestman is already on the hot seat. The Bears would most likely be reluctant to fire a coaching staff only two seasons into its tenure, but the recent unrest could convince them otherwise. If there is a serious rift between the coaching staff and Cutler, it might be logical to move on from one of the two, and Trestman could lose that battle.

Trestman has not only upset his quarterback, but possibly his entire team. Reports that Trestman addresses the team from behind in meetings, and the tremendous focus on offense might be growing tired, especially considering the lack of success on that side of the ball and overall. With a number of problems surfacing for Trestman, Kromer’s comments may be the last straw that brings a short and uneven NFL coaching career to an early end.

Extra Points: Bears, Stanton, Draft, Conduct

December 12th, 2014 at 12:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Last week, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported that the Bears are having serious doubts about Jay Cutler going forward. In a bizarre twist, offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer confessed to the team that he was the anonymous source for parts of the report and apologized for his actions, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. One source said that Cutler shook his head during Kromer’s apology and two players that spoke with Biggs were stunned by what they had witnessed. Head coach Marc Trestman, Kromer, and others on the staff could be on the hot seat this offseason.

  • Cardinals quarterback Drew Stanton has been diagnosed with a sprained ACL and MCL, according to Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 in Arizona (Twitter link). As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, the injury isn’t expected to end the 2014 season for Standon, who is considered week to week. That’s good news for the Cards, who will hope to have the QB back in time for their first playoff game.
  • Three NCAA underclassmen – Tulane cornerback Lorenzo Doss (Twitter link), Syracuse safety Durell Eskridge (Instagram link), and Virginia defensive end Eli Harold (Twitter link) – announced via social media this week that they’ll leave school early to enter the 2015 NFL draft.
  • The NFLPA and its leaders may not like the league’s new, more “robust” conduct policy, but they only have themselves to blame for ceding so much power to Roger Goodell and the NFL, writes Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post.
  • Giants co-owner John Mara tells Jenny Vrentas of TheMMQB.com that the new conduct policy is “a step in the right direction” for the NFL, and also answered questions regarding the Ray Rice case and the pending Robert Mueller report.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Monday Roundup: QB Dilemmas, Pitta, Lewis

December 8th, 2014 at 9:02pm CST by Rory Parks

After predictably non-committal responses in his post-game press conference yesterday, Browns head coach Mike Pettine said today that “it’s natural to lean the other way” when considering who his starting quarterback should be moving forward (per ESPN.com’s Pat McManamon) The “other way” in this case is, of course, Johnny Manziel, whom Dennis Manoloff of the Cleveland Plain Dealer believes will get the nod over the struggling Brian Hoyer in next week’s matchup against Cincinnati.

Now for some more links from around the league:

NFC North Notes: Suh, Peterson, Bears

December 8th, 2014 at 4:59pm CST by Luke Adams

With Ndamukong Suh eligible for unrestricted free agency this coming March, the Lions need to do whatever they can to make sure the star defensive tackle stays in Detroit, writes Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. Rothstein even suggests that the team will have to consider franchising Suh if the two sides can’t reach a longer-term deal, since his value to the Lions’ defense makes paying a premium worthwhile.

Here’s more from around the NFC North:

  • A source close to Adrian Peterson tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report that Peterson’s camp would like to reach a settlement on his suspension appeal, but the Vikings running back isn’t interested in any deal that would see his ban stretch into next season.
  • Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg Sports passes along some details on Troy Vincent‘s testimony from Peterson’s hearing, noting that the NFL executive told Peterson he would be subject to the league’s old personal conduct policy rather than the new one.
  • Bears general manager Phil Emery is likely experiencing some buyer’s remorse after extending Jay Cutler last January, says Steve Rosenbloom of the Chicago Tribune, suggesting that the decision could ultimately cost Emery his job.
  • In spite of speculation that the Bears might consider other quarterback options for next year and beyond, head coach Marc Trestman told reporters today, including Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com (Twitter link), that the club has never wavered on its commitment to Cutler.

Rapoport On Bears’ Future

December 7th, 2014 at 9:18am CST by Rory Parks

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com examined the respective futures of some of the key figures within the Bears organization this morning, and the most notable item he passed along (via Twitter) is that, barring significant improvement, the team plans to fire defensive coordinator Mel Tucker after the 2014 season.

As for head coach Marc Trestman, whose job is in serious jeopardy, Rapoport tweets that he is not convinced Trestman will be replaced. This is in line with reports that PFR’s Ben Levine passed along yesterday, and there is something to be said for having some sort of consistency at the head coaching position and for giving a coach the chance to work through adversity early in his tenure with a club.

The elephant in the room, of course, is quarterback Jay Cutler, whom the team considered benching during its matchup with Tampa Bay several weeks ago (per a tweet from Rapoport). Rapoport adds (via Twitter) that the Bears have serious buyer’s remorse over Cutler’s contract, and that there is doubt within the front office that the team can consistently win with Cutler under center. Rapoport also tweets that the team could save $12.5MM against the salary cap if they could somehow trade Cutler in the offseason, and Jason Fitzergald of OverTheCap.com adds (via Twitter) that a trade would save the club $30MM of guaranteed salary over the next several years . Needless to say, it would be difficult to find a team willing to trade for Cutler at this point, but such a move would give the team and (possibly) Trestman the chance to start anew with a little financial flexibility to boot.

NFC Notes: Cutler, Lynch, Ingram

November 16th, 2014 at 12:39pm CST by Rory Parks

Jay Cutler‘s future with the Bears has grown quite murky over the course of his shaky 2014 campaign, and David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune writes that the league’s highest-paid player this season also looks like its worst bargain. Haugh adds that if Chicago replaces head coach Marc Trestman or GM Phil Emery in 2015, Cutler’s stability vanishes completely. Furthermore, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes, the Bears could trade Cutler after this season and save $12.5MM. The team is therefore not financially tethered to the quarterback it hoped would be its franchise savior, and Schefter reports that there would be a fair amount of interest in Cutler if Chicago were to make him available via trade.

Now for some more links from the NFC:

Extra Points: Goldson, Cowboys, Draft, Titans

November 14th, 2014 at 9:23pm CST by Rob DiRe

As free agency and cap management is becoming more notable in teambuilding, Kevin Seifert of ESPN takes a closer look at six of the league’s most inflated contracts and the effects they are having on their team’s roster. He dissects the contracts of Jay Cutler, Ndamukong Suh, Joe Flacco, Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, and Tony Romo, and how each team will likely deal with the large cap numbers going forward.

Here are some other notes from around the NFL:

  • The Buccaneers put together one of the most high profile secondaries out of nowhere before the 2013 season, signing Darrelle Revis and Dashon Goldson and drafting Mark Barron at the top of the first round. Not long after, Revis was released and Barron was traded, leaving only Goldson on the roster, and he may be the next to go, writes Chris Wesseling of NFL.com. Goldson has played less as the season goes on, and with large money attached to his contract, the team may choose to go younger and cheaper at the safety position.
  • Much has been made of the Cowboys as they approach their decision on what to do with offensive stars Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray, with many pundits and fans expecting long-term extensions for both. Murray also seems like an obvious franchise tag candidate, but Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News could see the Cowboys surprising us and rewarding Murray with the long-term deal while franchising Bryant at the higher tag price.
  • Although the 2015 NFL draft order has not even been set, Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay of ESPN are already working hard to evaluate both the prospects available as well as the needs of NFL teams. They look at the possibility teams like the Raiders, Jets, Buccaneers, and Titans would take a quarterback such as Marcus Mariota of Oregon or Jameis Winston of Florida State at the top of the draft, and look at other questions surrounding the draft.
  • The Titans may be in position to draft high at the top of the first round, but in no way will that be on purpose, writes Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. “It is ludicrous to me. Fans don’t understand the situation we go through as players,” said tight end Delanie Walker. “No one wants to lose games for better picks. It just doesn’t happen. It would never happen. Just the thought is ludicrous.”

Monday Roundup: Cutler, Trades, Landry

October 27th, 2014 at 8:54pm CST by Rory Parks

Our Zach Links wrote earlier that Bears GM Phil Emery is not currently thinking about parting ways with head coach Marc Trestman, and Emery and Trestman both reaffirmed their support for embattled quarterback Jay Cutler one day after Chicago’s embarrassing Week 8 loss to the Patriots. As Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com writes, Emery and Trestman remain committed to Cutler, attempting to accentuate the positives in their signal caller’s performances while acknowledging the struggles.

Emery claimed that his club’s decision to stick with Cutler has nothing to do with Cutler’s salary, but ESPN’s John Clayton is understandably skeptical. In his “Clayton Minute” video segment, Clayton says that, given the Bear’s $18MM annual commitment to Cutler, Chicago simply has no other choice than to hope that Cutler can right the ship.

  • Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun Times writes that Emery has been approached with “two or three interesting” trade proposals, but nothing that helps the Bears win in 2014. As Emery stated that the team is far from giving up hope on this season.
  • Derek Carr is showing tremendous promise and the Browns have to be second-guessing their decision to target Johnny Manziel in the draft instead of him, writes Jodie Valade of the Plain Dealer.
  • Browns head coach Mike Pettine says that the team’s phones are ringing but cautions that the deadline brings few trades in comparison to the amount of talk that happens, tweets Nate Urlich of the Akron Beacon-Journal.
  • Citing ESPN’s Adam Schefter, CSNBaltimore.com staff reports that the league has levied a $1.4MM salary cap charge on the Ravens as a result of Ray Rice‘s grievance against the club. According to Schefter, it is normal practice for the NFL to make such a move when a grievance is pending. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun writes that the cap charge reduces the Ravens’ cap room to about $4.1MM. Baltimore may need to utilize some of that room, as star cornerback Jimmy Smith is expected to miss “a few weeks” with a left foot sprain, according to Garrett Downing of BaltimoreRavens.com.
  • Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt said that his club is unlikely to make any more trades,according to Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com (via Twitter).
  • The Colts are in no hurry to bring back LaRon Landry after his four-game PED suspension, writes Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com looks at how Jon Beason‘s salary, and the Giants‘ salary cap, will be affected by Beason’s season-ending injury.

 

Zach Links contributed to this post

North Notes: Cutler, Browns, Peppers

September 25th, 2014 at 2:19pm CST by Luke Adams

Kirk Cousins will be under center for the Redskins tonight as they host the Giants in Washington, but if things had played out differently five years ago, it could be Bears quarterback Jay Cutler wearing burgundy and gold tonight. As Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com details, Cutler was very interested in being dealt to Washington when he asked the Broncos to trade him back in 2009.

“[He] wanted to come,” said Vinny Cerrato, Washington’s VP of football operations at the time. “He figured [Mike] Shanahan was coming anyhow, and so he wanted to come, too. And for the agent and everybody, it would have been a very smooth transition.”

Although Washington was willing to deal multiple top picks and a veteran quarterback (Jason Campbell) for Cutler, the Broncos ultimately preferred the Bears’ offer of two first-rounders, a third-rounder, and Kyle Orton. Still, it was a close race — one Bears source tells La Canfora that “there was a period” during negotiations where he thought Washington would ultimately land the young signal-caller.

As we contemplate how the Redskins’ fate over the last several seasons may have changed if they’d traded for the current Bears quarterback, let’s round up a few Thursday items out of the NFL’s two North divisions….

  • Once Adrian Peterson‘s $10MM+ per year deal comes off the Vikings‘ books – one way or another – it could be quite some time before there’s another running back making eight figures annually, writes Joel Corry of CBSSports.com. The former agent takes a look at the extinction of the high-priced running back, and which players might have a shot at signing big contracts within the next few years.
  • As they count down the weeks until Josh Gordon‘s return, the Browns continue to work out wide receivers. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets that B.J. Cunningham and Rashad Lawrence auditioned for the club this week.
  • Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times spoke to former Bear Julius Peppers about how he has made the transition from one NFC North mainstay to another after signing with the Packers this offseason.

Biggs On Bears: Clausen, McCray, McManis

August 23rd, 2014 at 2:00pm CST by Matt Feminis

One of the heartiest post-game reads around is the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs’ “10 thoughts,” and this morning’s wrap-up of the Bears’ loss in Seattle is full of tid-bits:

  • Technically teams have until 3 p.m. Tuesday to cut down from 90 to 75, but Biggs expects an announcement before Monday. “That’s because the Bears (and other teams) don’t want to go back to the practice field to prepare for the exhibition finale and have a player slated for the first wave of cuts suffer an injury. In that scenario, the team could be on the hook for several hundred thousand dollars if the injury is bad enough.”
  • Jimmy Clausen should be Jay Cutler‘s backup, in Biggs’ opinion. While the preseason numbers for Clausen and Jordan Palmer are similar, Clausen has looked more decisive and experienced.
  • “All signs point” to Danny McCray starting at safety in Week 1. “At this point, McCray might be about the only choice the Bears have at free safety,” says Biggs.
  • Austen Lane and Trevor Scott have shown well enough to wonder if the Bears will keep five defensive ends. David Bass, who was part of the rotation last season, looks like the odd man out.
  • Eben Britton‘s injury has opened the door for Michael Ola, who has played well and shown desirable versatility, increasing the chance he earns one of the team’s reserve lineman spots. Marc Trestman values his sixth lineman, as he used Britton for 235 snaps last season, primarily as an eligible tackle. “In a perfect world, coach Marc Trestman has a player that wears an eligible number to handle that role this season as an in-line blocker, extra tight end or even a presence in the backfield,” says Biggs, which is why tight end Matthew Mulligan looks like a “good bet” to secure a roster spot.
  • In “I’m not saying, I’m just saying” fashion, Biggs highlights the play of Sherrick McManis, a 26-year-old cornerback whose value to this point in his career has been as a core special-teams player. However, the Bears No. 4 and No. 5 cornerback spots are up for grabs, and Biggs notes “Since training camp has opened, McManis is at the tops of a chart in the defensive backs room for takeaways. He’s not only practiced well, he’s played well in preseason and has seven tackles on defense, one interception, one tackle for loss two passes deflected and two stops on special teams.” Biggs intimates McManis’ situation could have the Bears front office flashing back to that of Corey Graham, whom the team undervalued. Graham went on to earn a two-year deal in Baltimore where he played well enough on defense to get $8.1MM guaranteed from the Bills this March.
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