Adam Schefter reports that the Bears are officially releasing QB Jay Cutler. According to Schefter, Cutler asked for and was granted his release Thursday morning.
Schefter tosses out the Jets as a team to watch for Cutler and Mike Silver expects them to “strongly consider” the possibility of signing him to a contract.
The Jets appear to be the one team left out right now in regards to a starting quarterback, so it would make sense for them to at least consider someone like Cutler to go along with their younger quarterback options.
However, some have wondered if retirement could be an option for him considering the injuries he’s dealt with in recent years and the fact that he may not get an opportunity to start or starter-level compensation from another team.
Chicago did attempt to trade Cutler, but it was clear there wasn’t going to be a market for him.
Cutler is now an unrestricted free agent that won’t count against a team’s 2018 compensatory picks if signed.
Cutler, 33, is a former first-round pick of the Broncos back in 2006. He spent three years in Denver before he was traded to the Bears in 2009. He’ was in the fourth year of his seven-year, $126.7 million contract that included $54 million guaranteed and stands to make a base salary of $12.5 million for the 2017 season to go along with a $2.5 million roster bonus.
Cutler has no guaranteed money left on his contract, which means Chicago will only take a $2 million salary cap hit by releasing him this year. According to OverTheCap.com, releasing Cutler will free up $14 million of available cap space for the Bears.
In 2016, Cutler 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.
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