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Antrel Rolle Wouldn’t Trade Jay Cutler for Anybody in the NFL

By Bill Zimmerman

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Ryan Pace and John Fox brought veteran defensive back Antrel Rolle to the Chicago Bears because they desperately needed help in the secondary, and thought Rolle could be a leader on a team that really needed one. Rolle’s play on the field hasn’t been spectacular, but he has helped anchor the secondary and has very much filled the role of the veteran leader the Bears’ hoped he would be.

He recently did an interview with Bob Papa and Solomon Wilcots on SiriusXM NFL Radio and he spoke very highly of the Bears team, specifically Jay Cutler.

Rolle admitted that before he arrived in Chicago, he heard the same Cutler rhetoric that all Bears fans know all too well.

"When you come into Chicago, when you hear the negative things, Jay’s name is surrounded by them. So you would honestly think that he just didn’t care about the sport, he’s the worst player on the team, his attitude is horrible, anything negative surrounding the team, you always heard Jay’s name behind it."

Nov 15, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) looks up at the scoreboard during a game against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome. The Bears won the game 37-13. Mandatory Credit: Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports

Once he got to know Jay, he couldn’t have spoken more glowingly of the Bears’ QB.

"I’ve played with some great quarterbacks in my time and some great teammates and just some overall great players and I must admit Jay is definitely up there among the top… I see a guy who comes out there and takes charge. I see a guy who comes out there and competes and works his butt off to get better each and every week. I see a team leader. I see a guy that this team can ride his coat tails throughout this season to bounce back and put us in a positive situation to make the playoffs and he’s a hell of a teammate and I wouldn’t trade him for anyone at this point."

I understand you wouldn’t expect a teammate to publicly speak negatively about another player on the roster, but Rolle’s comments go far beyond that. Rolle’s comments show that this team is behind Cutler, that they believe in Cutler, and that they don’t think there is a better QB in the league to lead them. If you are still doubting Cutler, perhaps it’s time to stop.

Rolle also commented on John Fox, comparing him to his old coach, Tom Coughlin, and why Fox was able to turn around the locker room so quickly.

"They (Coughlin and Fox) are brutally honest. They talk to you as men, they treat you as men, they expect you to go out there and perform as men. Whenever you have coaches like that the upside of the team is always going to be looking positive."

Finally, Papa and Wilcots previewed the Denver Broncos game with him and asked him what they expect with Brock Osweiler in at quarterback rather than Peyton Manning.

"The one thing that’s frustrating about that is you really don’t have a lot of film to study and watch the guy so they’ll be some things that happen that are unexpectedly- some unscouted looks, but it’s fine, it’s all part of the game. We’re going to go in there with an effective game plan as long as everyone is on the same page at the same time we will expect to be successful."

As a veteran leader, Rolle speaks for the team and you can tell that he is bubbling over with confidence about Cutler and the coaching staff. Clearly, Osweiler is a wild card this weekend, and Rolle realizes that as well, but with the team playing with this much confidence, it would seem that the Bears are in line for another outstanding performance on Sunday.

Next: Matt Slauson: Chicago Bears' Most Under-Appreciated Player

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