Poll: Do You Have Faith in Chicago Bears QB Jay Cutler?
Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is not exactly beloved in the Windy City. He could be considered the greatest player at the quarterback position in the long history of the franchise, but he certainly his fair share of doubters.
Cutler’s raw ability and upside at the quarterback position is limitless, but he has not shown the ability to lead the Bears to the promise land on the field.
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The Bears acquired Cutler via trade with the Denver Broncos in the off season of 2009. The strong-armed quarterback’s attitude and leadership was questioned at the time, but the move received much fanfare from the Bears side considering his clear talent and upside at the position.
With the Bears long and dark history at the position, fans of the team were excited about the move. After years of watching uninspiring quarterback play, Cutler at least had some upside at the position.
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Six seasons into his Bears’ career, and Cutler is the leading passer in franchise history with 18,725 passing yards. His completion percentage of 61.4% is also the highest in Bears’ history for any player over 300 attempts, and his 129 touchdown passes are the second-most in team history, with that record likely to be broken this season.
Simply put, Cutler is the most decorated passer in Bears’ history. Obviously, today’s NFL of huge passing totals help inflate those numbers against the past, but that does not change the fact that his raw statistics are impressive.
While they are an important part, numbers never tell the entire story. During his time as Bears’ quarterback, Cutler has a regular season record of 44-38, and has only led the team to the playoffs once. Not too bad, but it is not like he is leading them to an NFC North crown each and every season.
Cutler has been criticized as a player who does not care. While that may be unfair, his body language on the field is not exactly one of a fiery leader. Fans want to see their quarterback emotionally invested in the game, and leading the team with his voice.
Like it or not, that is just not how Cutler operates. I am not saying he is not a leader for the Bears, but he does not really show it on the field. That rubs some fans the wrong way.
For a player who is clearly the most decorated passer in franchise history, there is much question over his ability to lead the franchise going forward. However, he still has six-years and over $100 million left on his contract with the Bears, who will be unable to get out from underneath the deal without huge cap hits until 2017.
Dec 21, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) against the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field. The Lions defeated the Bears 20-14. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Simply put, for the foreseeable future Cutler will be the Bears’ starting quarterback. That being said, faith in the enigmatic and talented passer is not at an all-time high.
Considering his obvious skills as a passer, but shaky leadership and questionable drive, Cutler receives a mixed bag of reviews from the fan base.
The poll question this week is simple. Do you have faith in Cutler’s ability to take the Bears to the promise land? Feel free to also voice your opinions in the comment section below where the conversation will surely be interesting.
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