Jay Cutler: Three Possible Fates for Next Season

2) Dropping Cutler

Cutler’s contract is rich for a bridge quarterback, but cutting him will cost next to nothing. Should the Bears drop Cutler in the offseason, they will only lose $2 million in dead cap space. The low dead cap number would allow the Bears to walk away from Cutler almost unscathed. When Chicago faced a similar situation with Cutler following the 2014 season, it would have cost nearly $30 million across the next three seasons to part ways with Cutler. The Bears no longer hold the same financial commitment to Cutler, and can move on with no strings attached.

Dropping Cutler would allow him to pursue his next team as a free agent or retire from the game on his own terms. The move would avoid the same type of bad blood and stress that occurred when the Bears traded off Brandon Marshall and Martellus Bennett.

However, simply dropping a starting caliber quarterback is a tough pill to swallow. Even with a paltry $2 million dead cap penalty, wasting a potential resource like Cutler would be unwise for an organization that needs all the help it can get.