Former Chicago Bears GM Jerry Angelo Ranks Cutler and McCown

Dec 15, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) celebrates with quarterback Josh McCown (12) after defeating the Cleveland Browns 38-31 at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Here’s what Angleo wrote about Cutler:

"Has all the physical tools, but inconsistent in the clutch. Mostly due to a lack of poise. He’s not comfortable reading defenses and consequently locks onto a favorite or pre-determined target, that may or may not be the right choice. The less he’s asked to see the better he is. A better half field general, than a full field one."

Ouch. Them’s some harsh words for a player for whom he mortgaged the organization’s future, trading away a pair of first round draft picks among a blockbuster offseason deal.

And a little something on Cutler’s backup Josh McCown, who was in the “can start and compete with him with a good supporting cast and quality coaching, but lacks something, i.e., arm talent (strength or accuracy), poise, instincts. Not good enough. To win with him 2 of the 3 of the phases have to be dominate or surround him with high caliber players” category:

"Had the best year of any back-up at his position. He played consistently and without having his coaches compromising the play book to get it done. He was well schooled and efficient moving the team."

If anyone knows about a quarterback who is “not good enough” and “2 of the 3 phases have to be dominate (sic)” it’s Angelo.  He made a career of quarterbacks like that before he went all in and got Jay Cutler.

After he got Cutler, Angelo thought he could sit back with his feet up on the desk and watch the Super Bowl titles come rolling in, never bothering to try to put any playmakers or competent offensive linemen around him.   Maybe Cutler isn’t among the elite like Manning and Brady, but I’d take Cutler over just about any half of his so-called “elite” quarterbacks and most of the rest ranked above Cutler.

When Angelo gets down to ranking the quarterbacks 1-32, Cutler is smack dab in the middle, ranked #15 behind such luminaries as Alex Smith, Ben Roethlisberger and Phillip Rivers.

In completely unrelated news, former Angelo first round draft pick Gabe Carimi was just cut by Lovie Smith’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Maybe these rankings and the Carimi news explain why Angelo is relegated to the same existence as your truly – writing about it instead of actually working as a GM.

H/T to The Score’s Joe Ostrowski for the link to the article.