Bears QB Jay Cutler is expected to miss at least four games with a groin tear he suffered last weekend. While this is not only disappointing setback to the Chicago Bears season, Cutler’s injury could end up having an impact on his market this offseason.
“He’s got some durability concerns,” an NFL executive said, via USA Today.
Cutler suffered a sprained knee in during the 2010 NFC Championship Game and he broke his thumb during the 2011 season, so there are at least some concerns regarding him being injury prone.
“It’ll be interesting,” the executive said. “That’s why they brought Trestman in, too. I think he’s a good quarterback. Somebody will probably pay him. You’d have to do a lot of background and feel comfortable about what you find out.”
Cutler, 30, is entering the final year of his contract with the Bears and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Normally, quarterbacks like Cutler are prevented from reaching the open market, and while the Bears could always re-sign him to a long-term deal or even use their franchise tag, there is at least a chance that Cutler will be the best available free agent quarterback since Peyton Manning.
There is no question that teams will consider the number of injuries that Cutler has suffered during his career, but I can’t see this having a big impact on his market if he is in fact available. After all, the Rams just reached out to a 44-year-old Brett Favre about returning to the NFL and some of the starting quarterbacks for Week 8 include: Kellen Clemens, Christian Ponder, Thad Lewis, Carson Palmer, Jason Campbell and Chad Henne.
Someone will pay Cutler, even if it ends up not being the Bears. We have Cutler listed as the No. 4 player in our Top 50 – 2014 Free Agents list.
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