Brad Biggs reports that the Bears have claimed CB Johnthan Banks off of waivers from the Lions on Monday and placed QB Jay Cutler on injured reserve.
Cutler, 33, is in the third year of his seven-year, $126.7 million contract that included $54 million guaranteed and stands to make a base salary of $16 million for the 2016 season.
Cutler has no guaranteed money left on his contract and Chicago would only take a $2 million salary cap hit by releasing him next year. The Bears would pick up $13 million in salary-cap space should they cut him loose.
In 2016, Cutler has appeared in five games and throw for 1,059 yards while completing 59.1 percent of his passes to go along with four touchdowns and five interceptions. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 32 quarterback out of 35 qualifying players.
Banks, 27, was originally drafted in the second-round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Buccaneers. He’s currently in the final year of his four-year, $4.726 million rookie contract and stands to make a base salary of $849,498 for the 2016 season.
The Buccaneers traded Banks to the Lions in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft last month. However, the Lions waived him this past weekend.
In 2016, Banks has appeared in six games and recorded two total tackles.
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