There are rumors flying all over the place as to whether or not the Chicago Bears have begun to negotiate a new contract with quarterback Jay Cutler. While we don’t have a clear confirmation one way or the other, looking into an extension for Cutler would make tremendous sense for this team, in more ways than one.
Cutler hasn’t become the superstar quarterback that the Bears had hoped for, but that’s not entirely his fault. Jerry Angelo failed to put the pieces around him and he was in an offensive system that made it very difficult for him to succeed. This summer, all of that began to change.
After performing like an MVP candidate last season despite the shortcomings of the rest of the offense, new Bears general manager Phil Emery upgraded around Cutler. In adding Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, and Michael Bush, the Bears now look like an offensive power.
Those additions add up to one main reason extending Cutler makes sense right now. If Cutler performs as expected this season, he could rise to the ranks of the elite signal callers. A new contract before or during the season would likely save the organization a nice chunk of change.
Aside from the obvious financial benefit, it really just avoids the headache. As we saw with Matt Forte, contract issues can be a long, drawn-out process that isn’t fun for the player, the organization, or the fans.
Though he is not a free agent until after the 2013 season, it’s great that the Bears are looking to get Cutler locked up, if they have actually looked into it at this point. Assuming the hurdles of years and guaranteed money don’t prove too difficult to get over, a deal should get done in a reasonable amount of time.
I wouldn’t expect a deal to be done tomorrow, but an extension for Jay Cutler at some point during the season wouldn’t come as a big surprise. Whether it’s this week, or next summer, Bears fans should be able to rest with the knowledge that Cutler, who has the makings of the best quarterback this franchise has ever seen, will remain with this team for a long time.
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