Bears Sign Jay Cutler To A Seven-Year Deal

The Chicago Bears announced that they have re-signed Bears re-signed QB Jay Cutler to a seven-year contract.

• Ian Rapoport reports that Jay Cutler’s contract is a seven-year deal worth $126 million that includes $54 million guaranteed.
• Alex Marvez of FOX Sports reports that Cutler’s deal will pay him $18 million per year for the first three years of the contract.
• Adam Schefter reports that Cutler’s annual salary should end up being slightly higher than Lions QB Matthew Stafford.
• Brian McIntyre mentions that Cutler could receive $50 million -$55 million guaranteed based on the deal’s $18 million annual salary.
• Cutler’s contract will keep him under contract through the 2020 season when he will be 37-years-old.

Bears GM Phil Emery cited Cutler’s “leadership, his improvement, his display of toughness” as obvious reason they elected re-sign him to a long-term deal.

“He’s a demonstrated winner with the Chicago Bears. He can be a key player in terms of being the reason you win,” Emery said.

There was some question as to whether or not the Bears would retain Cutler, but it’s hard to allow a starting-caliber quarterback to get away in free agency and receive a third-round compensatory draft pick.

Under new head coach Marc Trestman, Cutler did not post career highs, but he certainly did show improvement in terms of his efficiency. The Bears have a solid group of receivers and an improving offensive line, so it would not be shocking at all to see Chicago among the best units in the league in the next few years.

It will be interesting to see if they try to get backup QB Josh McCown under contract as well.

We had Cutler listed as the No. 9 player in our Top 50 Free Agents list.