Chicago Bears and QB Jay Cutler meet without agent

Quarterback Jay Cutler met with the Bears on Wednesday without his agent, and the two sides agreed to continue on together.

With a hard deadline approaching regarding a guaranteed bonus for quarterback Jay Cutler, the Chicago Bears decided it best to investigate the man further before giving him that money.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network/NFL.com reported Wednesday the two sides came away prepared to dive head first into the fray, guaranteeing Cutler will be the Bears quarterback for at least the next two seasons.

Jay Cutler met with #Bears personnel without his agent as deadline approached for guaranteed money in 2016. Team left convinced he’s the guy
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 25, 2015

Of course there was reason for caution given Cutler’s perceived moody attitude, the loss of friend and favorite target Brandon Marshall, and the fact Cutler tends to be an inconsistent player–looking great one week, close to terrible the next.

And there’s also the fact that Chicago has committed to an entirely new regime led by new general manager Ryan Pace–brought in from the New Orleans Saints–and John Fox as head coach.

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Fox has never had a quarterback like Cutler as a head coach. The man who led the Carolina Panthers to a Super Bowl, Jake Delhomme, at least in terms of physical abilities was basically the opposite of Cutler–short on arm talent, while majoring in character, grit and determination.

In Denver, Fox of course had Tim Tebow for one year, who was remarkably similar to Delhomme in the aforementioned traits, and then one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game in Peyton Manning.

Cutler is strikingly different: he has a howitzer for an arm, the brain of a Rhode’s Scholar but seemingly the attitude of a frustrated teenage girl. His critics in Chicago have been many, as he’s not led them where they hoped after he was acquired in April, 2009.

That trade cost the Bears two first-round picks and a third, to go along with their successful game-managing quarterback Kyle Orton. Cutler did help lead the Bears to the NFC Championship Game in 2011, but left that game with what seemed to be a minor injury and received a ton of flak for not staying in the game with the chance to go to the Super Bowl.

In 2013, under first-year head coach Marc Trestman, Cutler looked to be putting it together before an injury sidelined him for most of the second half of the season. In that time, Josh McCown–a career backup–led the Bears well and seemed equal to Cutler.

Yet at the end of that season, the previous Bears regime decided to re-up Cutler with a huge 7 year, $126 million contract, including $54 million guaranteed.

Then Cutler struggled in 2014 in Trestman’s second year, leading the league with 18 interceptions as the Bears struggled to a 5-11 record, ending in Trestman and GM Phil Emery being canned.

The Bears were able to restructure Cutler’s contract on Tuesday so that the Bears got back $5 million in cap savings, according to Spotrac.

And so Cutler appears to be the answer at the position for at least the next two seasons, despite trade rumors and apparent questions from the Bears new brass on whether Cutler is the guy to lead the franchise going forward.

Next: Jordy Nelson underwent hip surgery after season

Quarterback Jay Cutler met with the Bears on Wednesday without his agent, and the two sides agreed to continue on together.

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