Chicago Bears Top 100: #28 Jay Cutler

Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The dog days of the offseason are finally behind us now that training camp is underway, just in time for our countdown of the Top 100 Chicago Bears of all time to really heat up.  As we get closer to the season opener, we get closer to naming the #1 Chicago Bear of all time.

This ought to be one of the more controversial selections in the Chicago Bears Top 100 list.  Coming in at #28 on our list of Chicago Bears Top 100 is quarterback Jay Cutler.  Ever since Jerry Angelo traded a couple of first round picks and Kyle Orton to the Denver Broncos for Cutler, he’s been a lightning rod for controversy.  There’s little denying that the Bears have ever had a quarterback as physically gifted or talented as Cutler.  But the physical tools can only get you so far.

Jay Cutler was drafted by the Denver Broncos with the 11th pick in the 2006 NFL Draft out of Vanderbilt University where he set a number of school records.  Cutler spent three seasons with the Denver Broncos, capping off his Broncos career with a Pro Bowl caliber season in 2008.  Despite Cutler’s success, he never led the Broncos to the postseason.

Following the 2008 season, head coach Mike Shanahan was fired and former Patriots assistant Josh McDaniels was hired.  Joshy wanted to bring his guy Matt Cassell to Denver.  When Cutler caught wind of this, he got himself traded.  With a quarterback of his talent on the market, Jerry Angelo was more than happy to pay up the price to acquire Cutler.