Jay Cutler News: Pro Sports Daily

Turner: Cutler's picks unrelated to night games

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November 19

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Mike Mulligan

"Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner said he's not buying the concept of Jay Cutler as a Not Ready For Prime Time Player despite evidence to the contrary. Cutler is 0-3 in nationally televised night games this year, throwing 11 of his NFL-high 17 interceptions. But Turner has gone back and watched all of the performances -- a 27-20 loss at Green Bay that included four interceptions, a 21-14 loss at Atlanta with two and a 10-6 loss at San Francisco last week with a career-high five -- and is at a loss to determine a common, correctable factor. ''I think it is totally a coincidence, I really do,'' Turner said. ''It's not a situation where it's night, it's prime time and maybe he's trying ..."

Cutler makes pitch for Aromashodu

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November 19

Chicago Sun-Times

"Two weeks ago, the Bears handed Devin Aromashodu a No.11 jersey in practice and asked him to be Larry Fitzgerald. They'll be glad if he turns into Jay Cutler's preferred target, like he was becoming during the preseason. That was before an untimely quadriceps injury sent him to the sideline before the season opener at Green Bay. Aromashodu was active last week at San Francisco for only the third time this season but was on the field when the game was on the line during the final drive, catching the 10-yard pass that set up the Bears on the 49ers' 12-yard line with 13 seconds to play. His opportunities are expected to expand Sunday against the Eagles; Cutler practically stumped for it in ..."

A word of caution for Cutler: Don't make media your enemy

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November 19

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Rick Telander

"This is how it happens. You lose. You blow expectations, you get picked apart by fans and analysts. You try to pull away from the light. You try to control what is being said. You become like the Bears, who have gone 1-4 since mid-October, and you refuse to talk to NBC and Bob Costas before your big ''Sunday Night Football'' game, no matter what that network or who that guy may be. General manager Jerry Angelo, head coach Lovie Smith and quarterback Jay Cutler have decided they are not available for the standard Costas interviews, and the guess here is that the decision was approved at the top of the Bears organization. Yet I guarantee you the real reason for the boycott is Cutler ..."

Donovan McNabb dodges questions about Jay Cutler

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November 19

Chicago Tribune

"While Donovan McNabb still hears talk about the possibility of finishing his career back home, the Eagles quarterback is fine letting Jay Cutler handle all the scrutiny in Chicago for now. One national writer recently suggested coach Lovie Smith bench Cutler if he has another performance like last Thursday's five-interception night against the 49ers. Cutler leads the league with 17 interceptions. McNabb, who was pulled at one point last season, was asked for his thoughts about a quarterback dealing with such a demotion. "Nobody wants to be benched," he said. "I'm sure you guys don't want to be pulled from writing your great articles that you guys write ... a suspension for a week or two. ..."

Jay Cutler can be scary at night

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November 19

Chicago Tribune

columnist Dan Pompei

"This is what we call a mixed message. On the gossip pages, they say Jay Cutler is a nocturnal creature. On the sports pages, they say Jay Cutler gets the night willies. If both are true, we can come to the conclusion he is more comfortable after dark with a mug in his hands than a football. In three night games this year -- all Bears losses -- Cutler has thrown 65 percent of his interceptions. And the Bears will play their fourth of at least five night games Sunday against the Eagles at Soldier Field. Cutler, believe it or not, likes to play at night. He has told his coaches he prefers night games and late-afternoon games to noon starts. Asked about it Wednesday, he said, "It doesn't ..."

Rex Grossman's dad tees off on Chicago Bears organization

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November 17

Chicago Tribune

columnist Fred Mitchell

"Rex is no longer the Bears' quarterback. Jay Cutler, a Pro Bowl performer last season in Denver, is the Bears' quarterback. But the results in Chicago, so far, are eerily similar. Rex Grossman's father came out firing Monday when asked to assess the Bears' offensive woes with Cutler, compared with the checkered Chicago career of his son. Dan Grossman, an ophthalmologist in Bloomington, Ind., cited the Bears' long history of futility at quarterback. He emphasized he did not want to come off sounding like your typical disgruntled parent but as an objective observer who bases his comments on Bears history and facts. "Anybody who wants to dispute that ... all they can be labeled as is idiots," ..."

Restraint would go long way in improving Jay Cutler

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November 15

Chicago Tribune

columnist David Haugh

"Terrell Owens. Albert Haynesworth. Larry Johnson. Julius Peppers. And Jay Cutler. It would be hard to start any discussion about the NFL's most disappointing stars in 2009 without those five names. The Bears have five losses. In three of them, against the Packers, Falcons and 49ers, Cutler's decision-making in the clutch has been the biggest factor. That may sound unfair to some but, for a $50 million investment, the Bears should get a red-zone warranty too. In the other two defeats the defense got blown off the field so nothing Cutler did mattered. That makes the Bears' defense more consistent than their quarterback through nine games. Think about that for a minute. Those days were ..."

Turn out lights, party over for Bears, Cutler

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November 14

Chicago Tribune

"For some reason, half the lights at Candlestick Park were not on Thursday night, and if it was a California thing about conserving energy, OK, I kind of get that. It made it difficult to see the numbers on the players' backs from the cheap seats, but it couldn't obscure the fact that the Bears seemed to be conserving energy too. Actually, that's being extremely kind. That would seem to imply there's something left in the Bears' tank, physically and emotionally. There isn't. They're bad, their quarterback gets night terrors and they play with empty craniums. Staring at a wall would have been better than watching this. Jay Cutler threw five interceptions, including one in the end zone as ..."

Bears D thinks apology from Cutler unnecessary

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November 14

Chicago Tribune

"Jay Cutler promised to apologize to the Bears' defense for his five-interception night. Tommie Harris saw no need for it. "What does he have to say he's sorry for? In this league, don't say 'sorry' until the end of the season," Harris said. "We have a lot of football ahead of us. Let's make it up next week." Performances such as Cutler's dismal showing against the 49ers and the defense's lackluster effort against the Bengals and Cardinals are bound to cause a little tension between sides of the ball. But just as Cutler stood behind the defense in recent weeks, the defense returned the favor after the 10-6 loss Thursday night to the 49ers. "No apologies needed," linebacker Lance Briggs ..."

Jay Cutler fined $20,000

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November 14

Chicago Tribune

"The NFL fined Bears quarterback Jay Cutler $20,000 for abusive conduct toward an official during Sunday's 41-21 loss to the Cardinals. Cutler argued with an official because he thought tight Greg Olsen was held on a third-quarter pass play. Cutler would have been out a lot less money if had he thrown a punch at an opposing player, considering Tommie Harris was fined $7,500 for punching an opponent in that game."

Source: Cutler, Harris fined by NFL

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November 13

ESPN.com

"Struggling Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has been fined $20,000 by the NFL for abusive conduct toward a game official during Chicago's blowout loss to Arizona in Week 9, a source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. Cutler was fined as a result of verbal abuse toward the back judge, which drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the Bears' 41-21 loss to the Cardinals."

Bears' Cutler throws game away

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November 13

Sacramento Bee

"The MVP of the game for San Francisco on Thursday night: Jay Cutler. The Bears quarterback, who huffed and puffed and pouted his way from Denver to Chicago in the offseason, threw five interceptions on the night, and in so doing kept the 49ers' flickering playoff dreams alive with a 10-6 win. Said Mike Singletary, who watched the Bears march all the way to the San Francisco 12-yard line in the final minutes only to lose the game on Cutler's final interception: "I'd hate to use the word 'relief.' But coming up with another word is difficult." Singletary's team definitely had the advantage in energy and enthusiasm to start the game. Michael Crabtree caught two passes early and beat his ..."

Bears' Cutler throws game away

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November 13

Sacramento Bee

"The MVP of the game for San Francisco on Thursday night: Jay Cutler. The Bears quarterback, who huffed and puffed and pouted his way from Denver to Chicago in the offseason, threw five interceptions on the night, and in so doing kept the 49ers' flickering playoff dreams alive with a 10-6 win. Said Mike Singletary, who watched the Bears march all the way to the San Francisco 12-yard line in the final minutes only to lose the game on Cutler's final interception: "I'd hate to use the word 'relief.' But coming up with another word is difficult." Singletary's team definitely had the advantage in energy and enthusiasm to start the game. Michael Crabtree caught two passes early and beat his ..."

49ers enjoy Jay Cutler's generosity

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November 13

San Jose Mercury News

columnist Gary Peterson

"The game Thursday between the 49ers and Chicago Bears had more keys than a high school custodian. The San Francisco defensive backfield wasn't one of them. Mike Singletary was. The 49ers coach was meeting the team for which he had become a linebacking icon in the 1980s and '90s. Alex Smith was, coming off a four-turnover epic in a loss to Tennessee. Vernon Davis was. The 49ers tight end enlivened the abbreviated run-up to Thursday's game with candidly disparaging remarks about the Chicago defense. As it turned out, no Bears defenders were destroyed in the making of the 49ers' 10-6 victory. But the San Francisco pass defense had a fine time, intercepting five passes, most by a 49ers team in ..."

Jay it ain't so

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November 13

Chicago Sun-Times

"As the latest most important game of the Bears' season unfolded, it became more and more obvious that Jay Cutler would be the difference. This would be his game to win. Or lose. When the game's pivotal matchup turned out to be Alex Smith against Cutler, it was logical to assume the Bears and their franchise quarterback would have a decided edge. Think again. It was Smith who turned in the superior performance, not because of the plays he made, but the mistakes he avoided. As a result, the Bears were handed another devastating loss, this one dashing virtually any playoff hopes that remained after blowout losses to the Bengals and Cardinals. Nobody can pin this one on the defense, either, ..."

Confidence game could shake Cutler

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November 13

Chicago Sun-Times

"Jay Cutler's confidence could be shaken after a five-interception performance that has left the Bears reeling after a 10-6 loss to the 49ers. ''I think it knocks you back a few steps when you throw that many interceptions,'' coach Lovie Smith said. 'Yes, it hurts you. Jay realizes what he did for the team. We have a team loss is what we have.'' Offensive coordinator Ron Turner blamed himself for the first red-zone interception by nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin, saying he could've made a better call, but it's hard to imagine anything could've pulled the offense out of this funk. ''It's a combination of things,'' Turner said. ''It's not one guy. It's all of us.''"

Jay Cutler, penalties weigh on Chicago Bears

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November 13

Chicago Tribune

"NightmareSo much for Jay Cutler breaking out of his night-game slump. Cutler had five interceptions, including the game-ending pick in the end zone, in San Francisco. He has 11 interceptions in three night road games this season, including four in an awful game against the Packers and two versus the Falcons. Maybe Cutler will have better luck next time out as the Bears play their first night home game of the season against the Eagles on Nov. 22. Foul play Six penalties for 40 yards would be enough for an entire game. The Bears had that in the first half. Devin Hester had holding and false start penalties during a second- quarter drive that ended with him slipping on a Cutler interception. ..."

Cutler throws 5 picks, Bears lose ugly in prime time

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November 13

Chicago Tribune

"Lovie Smith plugged up the hole that was leaking points, but he didn't have enough fingers to plug the hole that starting leaking interceptions. And the hole that starting leaking penalty yardage. And so the Bears ended up all wet again. This time they lost 10-6 to the 49ers at Candlestick Park. The good news was the defensive effort was pretty solid. Cornerback Zack Bowman came up with an interception and the Bears prevented Frank Gore from breaking off the kind of long runs that have been his signature. The bad news is Jay Cutler went haywire with five interceptions, including two in the red zone. "We saw everything coming," Cutler said. "They didn't have any surprises for us. We just ..."

Five INTs give 49ers win over Bears

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November 13

San Francisco Chronicle

"Give Greg Manusky a game ball for this one. Five of them, in fact. Working on a short week, the 49ers' defensive coordinator had his players in position to make plays from start to finish and they responded by intercepting Jay Cutler five times, preserving an incalculably sloppy 10-6 victory over the Chicago Bears on Thursday night at Candlestick Park that snapped a four-game losing streak. "In every defensive game plan the thing you want to do is take away what they do best," coach Mike Singletary said. "It's trying to take away what they do very well and make them beat you left-handed." Fittingly, the game ended on an interception with strong safety Michael Lewis cradling the ball in his ..."

Bears lose 2 more starters on defense

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November 9

Chicago Tribune

"It seems like every week the Bears have to cope with another injury, and Sunday was no different. Starting cornerback Charles Tillman and starting strong safety Al Afalava suffered first-half shoulder injuries and did not return, although the extent of the injuries remains unclear. Afalava said he would undergo tests Monday, although an MRI was not necessarily needed or immediately scheduled. He hurt the shoulder in the preseason and said it went numb Sunday. He reaggravated the injury missing a tackle on Chris Wells' 26-yard run in the second quarter. Tillman injured his left shoulder sticking his arm out to stop Steve Breaston on a 25-yard end around before halftime. Tillman had ..."

Cutler maturing in role with Bears

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November 7

Denver Post

"Depending on the populace of a particular region, feelings for Jay Cutler are as varied as water and mountains. Adored on the shores of Lake Michigan, vilified at the base of the Rocky Mountains, Cutler is expressionless as he walks right down the middle of the multitudes. Gathered here in this hybrid village of bean fields and restaurant chains, the flock was parted by barriers, ropes and walkie-talkie- equipped security guards. Appearing with his fellow quarterbacks Caleb Hanie and Brett Basanez, Cutler walked with one foot in front of the other, presumably after putting on his pants one leg at a time, through a grassy carpet that led to the Chicago Bears' practice field. The people ..."

Riddle me this: Who is Cutler?

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November 6

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Rick Telander

"Who is Jay Cutler? Do you know? Do you have any real sense of the most-spotlighted athlete in our city at this time? I don't. And if you're honest, I think you'll admit you don't, either. Derrick Rose, without question the other leading athlete celeb in town, is an open book, a veritable billboard of information and self-revelation compared to Cutler. Patrick Kane, who is moving up the chart with a bullet, is moderately chatty and lightly provocative, even when dealing with taxi-driver misfortunes. But Cutler, the long-term and very wealthy face of our franchise sports team -- the Bears rule and always will rule in a city of broad shoulders -- has been here more than a half-year, yet it's ..."

Chicago Bears won't scale back offense

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November 5

Chicago Tribune

"Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner was extremely upset after Sunday's 30-6 victory over Browns as his offense went 2-for-7 in the red zone. Turner was asked Wednesday what his feelings were after watching the film. "Same," he said. "Not better." "Any time we get back on the practice field, then I feel better. Until then, it's tough. But I felt about the same after watching it." Turner had an extended talk Monday with quarterback Jay Cutler, and there was some thought Turner would scale back the playbook to help compensate for the problems. But Turner emphasized that better execution would be the best remedy."

Jay Cutler discusses his diabetes in webisodes

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November 5

Chicago Tribune

columnist David Haugh

"Every night before Jay Cutler goes to bed, he puts a can of Coke on his nightstand. It usually sits next to a Reese's peanut-butter cup. Cutler keeps the junk food close in case he feels woozy in the middle of the night and needs a sugar fix due to his glucose level dropping suddenly. Like many afflicted with Type 1 diabetes, Cutler injects himself five times a day with insulin to prevent anything like that from happening. Still, Cutler knows it could. It might be in his bedroom on a weeknight or on the field on a Sunday afternoon. But Cutler lives every day knowing it could. That is among the messages Cutler delivers in a webisode to be released later this month -- National Diabetes Month ..."

Cutler takes hits - on field and verbally; Payton honored

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November 2

Daily Southtown

"Bears coach Lovie Smith likes to talk about how losses don't leave a good taste in his mouth, but Sunday's 30-6 win over the Cleveland Browns probably didn't taste too good to Jay Cutler, who was swallowing blood after a blow to the chin from the helmet of Cleveland linebacker Kamerion Wimbley in the second quarter. That drew a 15-yard penalty that kept alive the Bears' first touchdown drive, but the only thing the Bears will have to show for the rest of the hits on Cutler will be some bruises. Cutler bit his tongue on the big hit and didn't stop swallowing blood until the fourth quarter. He was sacked a season-high four times and hit seven times by the worst-ranked defense in the league. ..."

Roughing a quarterback

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November 2

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Mike Mulligan

"The Bears beat up a feeble Cleveland Browns team almost as much as the Browns beat up Jay Cutler on Sunday at Soldier Field. A 24-point victory didn't tell the whole story as Cutler looked more like a mugging victim than a guy who directed a winning effort. ''We have work to do,'' Cutler said. ''It's good to get a win at home, but offensively, we've got to get to work.'' Cutler was sacked four times and took countless other hits, including one that was called roughing the quarterback and kept the Bears' first touchdown drive alive. They had to settle for field goals on their first three forays into Browns territory. Cutler bit his tongue on that play and said he was swallowing blood until ..."

Cutler-Ryan tiff just part of competitive rivalry

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November 2

Chicago Sun-Times

"Jay Cutler and Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan had an up-close discussion along the Browns' sideline when the Bears failed to score after first-and-goal at the 2-yard line, the most egregious of the many red-zone failures. They nearly had to be separated from jawing at one another, but Cutler called it all part of a rivalry he had with Ryan dating back to his days in Denver when the son of Buddy Ryan was running the Oakland Raiders' defense. ''I love Rob Ryan. I think he's always liked and respected me,'' Cutler said. ''He's a great coach. You can just see the energy he brings on the sidelines to those guys. I've always enjoyed competing against him. I think he's one of the ..."

Chicago Bears' Jay Cutler has been a comeback kid

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October 29

Chicago Tribune

columnist Dan Pompei

"There is a feeling that no lead is insurmountable when Jay Cutler is your quarterback. This is borne of the swagger with which Cutler plays and the beauty with which he throws. Cutler unquestionably has given the Bears a comeback capacity they did not previously have. In fact, in four of their six games this year, he has led them on a fourth-quarter drive to tie the score or take the lead. But there is strong evidence to suggest it would be a smart move to turn off the TV and fire up the lawn mower if the Bears get down by 14 before the start of the fourth quarter as they were last Sunday in Cincinnati. Cutler has been in 11 games in his career when his team was down by 14 by the end of ..."

Team effort: 'O' also stunk

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October 26

Chicago Sun-Times

"When the defense allows the opponent to go up and down the field and score on the first seven possessions, it's hard to focus too much on the offense. But the Bears were just plain bad. A week after Jay Cutler struggled in the red zone at Atlanta, he couldn't even get the Bears near the goal line this time. The Bears trailed 31-3 at halftime after a late drive reached the 4-yard line and Robbie Gould hit a chip-shot field goal. The Bengals tacked on two more touchdowns before the Bears did anything else offensively. ''Obviously, [play-calling] changes [as the deficit grows], but we had a chance to answer,'' offensive coordinator Ron Turner said. ''We get the ball, we have to answer. Those ..."

Bears' Jay Cutler embarrassed

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October 26

Chicago Tribune

"One of the reasons the Bears traded for Jay Cutler in the off-season, and then made him the fourth-highest-paid quarterback in football last week, is Cutler is supposed to give them a come-from-behind dimension. But there was none of that Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium. In fact, Cutler helped the Bengals' lead grow bigger by throwing three interceptions that led to 17 points. Cutler gave no excuses for his play. "We've done it before," he said. "We've been behind. We just have to execute. In those first three drives, we had a chance, but we had penalties and I missed a few throws." Cutler finished with 251 passing yards and a 64.1 passer rating. He completed 26 of 37 passes and threw a ..."

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler rents Lake Forest house, has 2 Colorado properties on the market

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October 25

Chicago Tribune

"Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is renting a three-bedroom house in Lake Forest for $3,750 a month. Cutler, 26, was traded to the Bears from Denver in April, but he has not yet purchased anything in the Chicago area. Built in 2007, Cutler's house has 3 1/2 baths, two stone fireplaces, hardwood floors, an English basement with high ceilings and a gourmet kitchen. Cutler's house, which also had been for sale, was originally for rent for $3,950 a month. Cutler owns other properties out of state. He continues to own a four-bedroom, 7,516-square-foot house on 1.5 acres in Parker, Colo., which he purchased in 2005 for $1.34 million and currently has on the market for $1.675 million. Also, ..."

Chicago Bears played fair with Jay Cutler and Cedric Benson

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October 25

Chicago Tribune

columnist Dan Pompei

"If you believe everything you hear, the Bears have been doing some balling -- lowballing Jay Cutler and blackballing Cedric Benson. Neither is true. The Bears did get Cutler at a very reasonable price when they signed him to a two-year contract extension, but Cutler won in the deal, too, with $29,377,000 in new money. And he stacks up very well with his peers. As for Benson, the Bears never tried to prevent him from working in the NFL. But they were honest with people like Bengals coach Marvin Lewis who called and asked what led to the Bears cutting the former fourth pick in the draft. Part of that honesty included an expression of faith in Benson's ability. Coach Lovie Smith told Lewis ..."

Red-zone errors a red flag

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October 24

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Mike Mulligan

"The red zone turned into a no-man's-land for the Bears' offense last Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. And if the team wants to get back on a winning streak, it will need to shore up its problems in that crucial area between the 20-yard line and the goal line. What can you say about the dreadful, dismal, disjointed red-zone performance the Bears produced against the Falcons? Only that it was spectacularly bad. ''I have never been with a football team that was inside the 10-yard line three times and came out with no points,'' general manager Jerry Angelo said. ''That is a first for me.'' Quarterback Jay Cutler threw an interception, his league-leading third of the season in the red zone. ..."

On Football: Win-win situation

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October 23

Washington Times

"The Chicago Bears got Jay Cutler and are so thrilled by his play that they needed only five games to sign him to a contract extension through 2013. The Denver Broncos got Kyle Orton and are the NFL's surprise team, starting 6-0 with Orton throwing nine touchdowns and one interception. It almost never happens. Two teams make a huge trade - this one was gigantic - and both teams benefit. This isn't Miami fleecing the Washington Redskins for Jason Taylor (two draft picks) or Dallas overpaying for receiver Roy Williams and getting 30 catches and one touchdown in return. Orton and three picks went to Denver. Cutler and one pick went to Chicago. It was a risky deal for both teams. Denver gave up ..."

With defense ailing, Cutler key for Bears

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October 23

Cincinnati Enquirer

"The "Benson Bowl" between the Bengals and Bears Sunday may come down to a lot more than running back Cedric Benson, who was drafted No. 4 by Chicago in 2005 and now plays for Cincinnati. The beauty of sports is that you never know who the hero is going to be. The one staple in the NFL is that the defense usually must play well if a team is going to win. Chicago's defense is trying to recover from some tough blows. The Bears (3-2) lost superstar linebacker Brian Urlacher to a season-ending wrist injury in their opener against Green Bay. "When you lose the face of your franchise - first game, first half of your season - it's tough," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "You have to go through an ..."

Will new deal for Jay Cutler affect Brett Favre's contract situation?

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October 22

St. Paul Pioneer Press

columnist Charley Walters

"Agent Bus Cook has worked out a $30 million, two-year contract extension for Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. Cook also represents Vikings QB Brett Favre, who is signed through next season on a two-year deal for $25 million. Cutler is 26; Favre is 40. If Favre remains healthy and decides to return next season (owner Zygi Wilf has said he expects him to return), as sly as Cook is, he's not expected to try to do a new deal for Favre, who is having a Pro Bowl year. That's because Wilf has given Favre a fair-market deal. Meanwhile, Cutler's contract would bind him to the Bears through 2013. Amazing thought: If the Vikings (6-0) were to go on to win this season's Super Bowl, and if Favre ..."

Broncos' Orton not concerned about Cutler's new deal

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October 22

Denver Post

"Don't get any ideas. Just because the Chicago Bears gave Jay Cutler a two-year contract extension worth $30 million doesn't mean the Broncos will initiate in-season discussions on a new deal with quarterback Kyle Orton. Yes, Orton has outperformed Cutler, the man he was traded for (along with draft picks) during the offseason. And yes, Orton is in the final year of a contract that is paying him a mere $995,000 this year. And sure, Orton would eventually like a long-term deal that would keep him the Broncos' quarterback until the end of his career. But Orton said the only time he thinks about his contract situation is when people ask him about it. "Those discussions are for the Broncos or ..."

Lock it up: Cutler, Bears happy together

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October 22

Chicago Sun-Times

"It was with a smile that Jay Cutler congratulated fellow quarterbacks Eli Manning and Philip Rivers as they pulled down blockbuster contracts this summer. Cutler was able to smile about his own deal Wednesday. He signed a two-year, $30 million, extension Tuesday night that gives him protection against the possibility of a lockout in 2011, something he said is on the minds of all players. General manager Jerry Angelo had said the Bears didn't plan on addressing a deal with Cutler during the season; he was signed through 2011 on his rookie contract when they acquired him in a trade with the Denver Broncos. But agent Bus Cook approached the team, and they quickly found common ground that made ..."

Nothing like forward progress

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October 22

Chicago Sun-Times

"Now that Jay Cutler has been signed to a long-term contract that makes him the fifth-highest-paid player in the NFL behind Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers and Tom Brady, the Bears have to re-evaluate the way they do business. They have to rethink their core values to ensure the franchise's new franchise player has everything he needs to be successful moving forward. These are uncharted waters for the Bears. Building a team around a quarterback of Cutler's ability shouldn't prove as difficult as acquiring one. But it won't be as easy as many anticipate, either, if for no other reason than this new era will force a re-evaluation of many of the philosophies the organization has ..."

Cutler deal good for both him and Chicago Bears

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October 22

Chicago Tribune

columnist David Haugh

"For a reputed gunslinger like Jay Cutler, this was like putting the pistol back in the holster. The equivalent of Cutler checking down to a 10-yard completion to the running back instead of throwing deep into double coverage in case something big happens. This was the smartest read the quarterback has made as a Bear. "It's fair for me, fair for the Bears," Cutler said of his two-year contract extension worth $30 million overall, including $20 million guaranteed. Fair to say nobody's complaining about Cutler's decision-making today. Partly for salary cap reasons, Cutler will receive some of the new money this season. He now will earn $16 million for 2009 spread between a signing bonus and ..."

Kyle high and Jay low in '09

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October 21

Chicago Sun-Times

"Monday morning quarterbacking is easy --about as easy as Sunday afternoon quarterbacking is hard. But we got some stuff here, folks. The Bears are quarterback Jay Cutler's team for the next half-decade, for instance. On Tuesday night, Bears general manager Jerry Angelo made it official just five games into the season, getting Cutler to sign a contract extension that will keep him in Chicago through 2013 and will earn him Manning-brothers-type loot. We're talking $20million in up-front bonus money on a contract with a total value of close to $30 million. So there's that. But there's also this: The quarterback the Bears tossed to the Denver Broncos as a low-level substitute in their ..."

Passing the bucks to Cutler

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October 21

Chicago Sun-Times

"The Bears lengthened the Jay Cutler era by at least two more seasons Tuesday, when they agreed to a contract extension with the quarterback that will keep him in Chicago through 2013. The deal makes Cutler the NFL's fifth-highest-paid quarterback behind Eli Manning of the New York Giants, Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts, Tom Brady of the New England Patriots and Philip Rivers of the San Diego Chargers. Cutler will get $20 million of the nearly $30 million extension guaranteed in the form of bonus money. It's a win-win deal for both sides. Cutler, 26, is still under contract through 2011 on the six-year, $47.86 million rookie deal he signed with the Denver Broncos. Now he gets an ..."

Bears extend Jay Cutler's contract 2 years

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October 21

Chicago Tribune

"It didn't take long for Bears management to see that they wanted Jay Cutler to be their quarterback for the long term. The team signed Cutler to a two-year contract extension late Tuesday that will give the Bears rights to Cutler for four years after this season. The rookie contract he signed with the Broncos went through 2011. The deal calls for Cutler to be paid $20 million in guaranteed money and $30 million in new money for 2012 and 2013, according to ESPN's John Clayton. Cutler has maintained that money was not a factor in his desire to be traded from the Broncos. The Bears acquired him and a fifth-round pick in trade last April for Kyle Orton, two first-round picks and a third."

Kyle Orton has great "D" Jay Cutler would have killed for

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October 17

Denver Post

columnist Jim Armstrong

"How much easier is life for Kyle Orton, the proud possessor of a legit defense, than it was for Jay Cutler? The answer, my friends, is blowin' in the wins. Orton is 2-0 when the Broncos don't score 20 points. Cutler was 2-12 in those games. . . . In case there was any doubt, we give you the stat of the year in the Valley of the Dove: Broncos opponents have converted two third downs in 30 second-half attempts. And keep in mind, they've faced Carson Palmer, Tony Romo and a man named Brady. . . . Paid 30 bucks to park near Invesco a few weeks ago. I only mention it because a season ticket at the 50 cost $31.50 in 1960. . . . A league with a franchise called the Redskins won't allow Rush ..."

Earl Bennett and Jay Cutler on the same page

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October 16

Chicago Tribune

"As Bears fans and media continue to dissect the personality of Jay Cutler, second-year wide receiver Earl Bennett provides some insight into what makes the Pro Bowl quarterback tick. "Our relationship goes past the field," Bennett told a Bears Press Pass event audience in Soldier Field's United Club on Tuesday night. "Jay and I met my freshman year in college (at Vanderbilt), and he kind of took me under his wing. He was pretty much a big brother to me. ... He ended up coming back and throwing to me for my Pro Day (workout). We have the same agent, Bus Cook. And when Jay got traded here, we were both excited." With regard to Cutler's personality, Bennett said: "He's a great guy. He's one ..."

Looks like a QB draw

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October 8

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Neil Hayes

"Few could have predicted the biggest trade of the NFL's offseason and the most stunning in Bears' history would start so spectacularly for both teams. Kyle Orton and the Broncos are 4-0, and the Bears are 3-1 with Jay Cutler, prompting debates about which team got the better of the deal. While the early returns have not produced a conclusive answer, this much is true: The Bears are a better team with Cutler than they were with Orton, and the Orton-led Broncos are vastly superior to the version that Cutler headlined last season for reasons that extend beyond the quarterback position. Rarely do blockbuster deals like this produce happy endings, and after four games it's too early to predict ..."

Jay puts on happy face

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October 7

Chicago Sun-Times

"When quarterbacks say it's not about the stats and all they care about is winning, they're telling the truth. They believe it, and they want you to believe it, too. It's also true that quarterbacks can recite their passer ratings down to the sixth digit after the decimal point. That's what makes me wonder how long Jay Cutler will put on a smiley face after throwing for 141 yards in a game. A quarterback who threw for more than 4,500 yards and 25 touchdowns last season may not always be satisfied engineering an offense that Sunday gained fewer yards than the special-teams return units. It may not be as pressing of a concern as the continued improvement of the offensive line or depth at ..."

Just spin, baby: Jay goes Elway route

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October 5

Chicago Sun-Times

"Quarterback Jay Cutler took a page from the legend he was supposed to replace in Denver. John Elway may have been playing in Super Bowl XXXII when his famous ''helicopter run'' took place, but Cutler scored a similar touchdown in the first quarter Sunday. He dove at the goal line, leaping over cornerback William James, and was spun in the air on a shot by linebacker Julian Peterson that nearly jarred the ball loose. Cutler came down in the end zone for a five-yard score that tied the game at 7. So, was he trying to mimic the Hall of Famer he was originally drafted to replace? ''I was not,'' he said. ''I was just trying to get in there. If I could've just dove in there nice and quietly, I ..."

Forte, yards, dash

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October 5

Chicago Sun-Times

"After Jay Cutler helicoptered into the end zone for the Bears' first touchdown, looking like a pinwheel on a beanie in the process, you knew this was going to be a fun day. Maybe the circus wasn't here, but the Lions were. And a team doesn't go 1-19 in its last 20 games -- 2-26 since the middle of the 2007 season -- by being anything but a fun-for-all launching pad. En route to a 48-24 wipeout of the now 1-3 Lions, the Bears found their dormant running game. And leading the way was former rookie sensation Matt Forte, now a second-year veteran, who had gained but 150 yards in the first three games of this season. ''He's got a lot of confidence,'' Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner said ..."

QB Jay Cutler impresses Bears' coaches with sensible performance

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October 5

Chicago Tribune

"Jay Cutler's numbers were not particularly sexy: 18-for-28 for 141 yards and two touchdown passes. But the Pro Bowl quarterback wowed his coaches with his sensible performance that included no turnovers and a passer rating of 100.4. "He didn't turn the ball over, and the way the game was, we had great field position. So we had a short field," offensive coordinator Ron Turner said. "A lot of our points came from that. Offensively, we never got in the rhythm or the sync that we wanted to. But Jay played very well." The average starting point for Bears drives was the Detroit 46. "It makes a big difference. The defense did a great job," said Cutler, who sacrificed his body on a 5-yard ..."