With news of the Bears cutting Jay Cutler, how do we define Cutler’s legacy in one word?
Jay Cutler will go down as one of the most divisive figures in Chicago sports history. The mere mention of his name will split a room in half. Half of the Bears faithful will defend his work while the other half will scorn every snap he ever took in a Bears uniform.
Dissecting Cutler’s legacy will require a long look at each aspect of his tenure. That means looking at the wins, losses, injuries, offensive coordinators, and everything in between. However, let’s begin with the trade that landed Cutler in Chicago.
The Chicago Bears gave up Kyle Orton, two first round picks, and a third round pick in exchange for Jay Cutler and a 5th round pick.
The move made sense for both sides back in 2009. The Bears needed a quarterback to attain Super Bowl glory while the Broncos welcomed in a new head coach, Josh McDaniels. The former Patriots offensive coordinator tried to bring Matt Cassel with him to Denver. When Cutler found out, he promptly requested a trade.
The Broncos couldn’t have asked for a better time to trade Cutler considering he was young (25), and had just come off a Pro Bowl season. The Bears beat out the likes of Tennessee, Tampa Bay, Detroit, and Washington to secure Cutler’s services. The trade was costly, but Chicago finally secured their quarterback. What ensued can only be described as a roller coaster.