Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace described Jay Cutler’s situation as “fluid” on Wednesday, partly because the quarterback has not been medically cleared following surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right throwing shoulder in December.
The Bears have been actively shopping Cutler since the end of the season and would open up $13 million in salary-cap space if they trade or release the veteran quarterback. But none of that can happen until Cutler is healthy enough to pass a physical.
“Jay’s under contract, so it’s fluid. I would describe it as fluid,” Pace told reporters at the NFL combine in Indianapolis. “There are a lot of conversations going on between us and Bus Cook. I think one of the things with Jay I value is his agent, Bus Cook. We’re close, and I think at times like these that relationship is important because we can be honest and transparent. I think he’s one of the top agents out there, and I think that helps in this process.”
Pace added: “[Cutler] is far along in his rehab. I wouldn’t say he’s there yet, but he’s definitely ahead of [schedule]. He hasn’t gotten to that point yet [where he’s been medically cleared], but he’s ahead of schedule.”
The general manager left the door open for Cutler to return in 2017, although that scenario is highly unlikely.
“At this point we pretty much have everything on the table,” Pace said. “For us, to do it the responsible way, that’s necessary.”
Cutler is under contract through 2020, but there is no guaranteed money left on his deal. His base salary in 2017 is scheduled to be $12.5 million, and he can earn $2.5 million in per-game roster bonuses if he is on the active roster on game day.
The 2017 salary is modest for an NFL starting quarterback, but Cutler is coming off a disappointing season in which he started only five games because of injuries.
The Bears would carry $2 million in dead money — the remaining portion of his restructured prorated signing bonus — with Cutler off the roster.
Cutler, who turns 34 in April, holds almost every passing record in franchise history, but he has led the Bears to just one playoff appearance in eight seasons.
Chicago’s arguably most polarizing athlete, Cutler has been through a tenure with the Bears that has been marked by turnovers. He has 109 interceptions in 102 regular-season games for the Bears, including a career-worst 26 picks in 2009 after the club paid a hefty price to acquire him from the Denver Broncos.
He has cycled through six offensive coordinators in Chicago. The Bears’ revolving door of playcallers also contributed to Cutler’s failure to develop into a premier franchise quarterback.
Cutler did lead the Bears to the NFC Championship Game in 2010 — a contest he left because of a knee injury — and posted a career-best 92.3 passer rating in 2015, but those achievements have been largely overshadowed by his struggles protecting the football.
Action Images via Reuters / Lee Smith Livepic
Manchester City’s billionaire owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan wants Pep Guardiola in charge of the club a “long time,” but the Spanish manager understands it’s his on-pitch results that do the talking.
The ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich handler’s first season in England has been very much a transitional period, with youngsters acquired and some senior players relinquishing their hold on the starting lineup, but the boss’ popularity with the fans and pedigree indicate a longer stay than his three-year contract would be preferable for City.
Reports in January suggested this could be a possibility, with Guardiola believed to be acclimatising to Lancashire life quickly in his apartment in the centre of Manchester; and now it appears that he’s appeasing the club’s brass in Abu Dhabi.
Related – Report: Guardiola considering 5-year Manchester City stay
“He would like that I stay here for a long, long, long, long time. But of course it depends on the results,” Guardiola told Reuters of his meeting with Sheikh Mansour during last week’s warm-weather training in the United Arab Emirates.
“If not, they would say: What happened? What can we do? What do we need to improve? That’s the process. To finish the process, they are going to help us.”
Although the explosive early-season form abated, City is still pursuing three pieces of silverware – although Chelsea is briskly striding away atop the Premier League. Guardiola’s lot plays Huddersfield Town in a FA Cup fifth-round replay on Wednesday, and has a 5-3 aggregate advantage before March 15’s Champions League last-16 second leg bout at AS Monaco.
In the meantime, Guardiola states that City’s current ambitions are viewed on a game-by-game basis.
“We didn’t speak about targets. They will be happy if we win. I know we have to win but I’ve handled that in the past and I will in the present.”
Following the visit from Huddersfield in the FA Cup, City travels to bottom-placed Sunderland in Sunday’s Premier League outings.
The NFL is holding its annual scouting combine today through March 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. More than 300 players will be evaluated by all 32 teams in preparation for the NFL draft (April 27-29, Philadelphia).
Here’s more:
Combine coverage
Combine schedule
Group 1 (place-kickers, special teams, offensive linemen), Group 2 (offensive linemen), Group 3 (running backs)
Tuesday, Feb. 28: Registration, hospital pre-exam & X-rays, overflow testing, orientation, interviews
Wednesday, March 1: Measurements, medical examinations, overflow testing, interviews
Thursday, March 2: Psychological testing, NFLPA meeting, PK/ST workout, media, bench press, interviews
Friday, March 3: On-field workout (timing, stations, skill drills), depart Indianapolis
Round 1: April 27, 8 p.m. ETNFL draft home page »
• 2017 NFL draft order »
• Mel Kiper’s latest Mock Draft »
• Todd McShay’s latest Mock Draft »
• Mel Kiper’s Big Board »
• Scouts Inc.’s player rankings »
Group 4 (quarterbacks, wide receivers), Group 5 (quarterbacks, wide receivers), Group 6 (tight ends)
Wednesday, March 1: Registration, hospital pre-exam & X-rays, overflow testing, orientation, interviews
Thursday, March 2: Measurements, medical examinations, overflow testing, interviews
Friday, March 3: Psychological testing, NFLPA meeting, media, bench press, interviews
Saturday, March 4: On-field workout (timing, stations, skill drills), depart Indianapolis
Group 7 (defensive linemen), Group 8 (defensive linemen), Group 9 (linebackers)
Thursday, March 2: Registration, hospital pre-exam & X-rays, overflow testing, orientation, interviews
Friday, March 3: Measurements, medical examinations, overflow testing, interviews
Saturday, March 4: Psychological testing, NFLPA meeting, media, bench press, interviews
Sunday, March 5: On-field workout (timing, stations, skill drills), depart Indianapolis
Group 10 (defensive backs), Group 11 (defensive backs)
Friday, March 3: Registration, hospital pre-exam & X-rays, overflow testing, orientation, interviews
Saturday, March 4: Measurements, medical examinations, overflow testing, interviews
Sunday, March 5: Psychological testing, NFLPA meeting, media, bench press, interviews
Monday, March 6: On-field workout (timing, stations, skill drills), depart Indianapolis
Note: Select players from any group may arrive one day before their scheduled date listed above to assist with medical scheduling. This will be based on flight schedules and medical tests only, and no players arriving early will have advanced contact with teams.
