Is it Fair to Call Jay Cutler Injury Prone?
Oct 20, 2013; Landover, MD, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) is helped off the field after suffering an apparent injury against the Washington Redskins during the first half at FedEX Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
2013
Injury: Torn Groin
Circumstances: On a fairly innocuous sack midway through the second quarter, Cutler was spun around and somewhere in the process, tore his groin.
Games Missed: Depends on who you ask. It could be as little as two weeks if you believe Brandon Marshall or it could be “at least 4 weeks and then week to week.”
Results: To Be Determined. Lost the Redskins game. After the bye week, set to play at Green Bay, vs Detroit and Baltimore and then at St. Louis.
Conclusion
It’s hard to argue that Cutler isn’t injury prone. While he came from Denver not missing any time due to injuries and got through the first season with the Bears without incident, no one is going to mistake Cutler for Brett Favre and his Iron Man streak.
You could say the injuries were fluky, but follow the trend. The years of getting pounded behind a patchwork offensive line and his age might be catching up with Cutler. He’s had two concussions; an injury that is taboo today. There’s no avoiding the NFL’s concussion protocol. Evidence shows that the concussions have an additive effect; each one has a longer recovery as effects could linger longer.
Of all of his injuries, I’d say the broken thumb is the one that is the most avoidable, as Cutler gave pursuit in attempting to make a tackle. The knee and the groin? Those injuries are the ones that make me think that Cutler is injury prone. They occur on normal plays with abnormal results.
You can bet that the Bears will look long and hard at Cutler’s history and adjust their price accordingly before offering him a contract this offseason. Meanwhile, they’d better keep investing in backup quarterbacks.