Potential Trade Options For Bears QB Jay Cutler

Joel Corry of the National Football Post takes a look at the Bears options when it comes to a potential QB Jay Cutler trade.

Corry points out that the Bears would benefit much more from trading Cutler rather than releasing him, given that Chicago would gain $12.5 million in cap space while taking on just $4 million dead space.

According to Corry, the Bears are unlikely to secure anything close to the two second-round picks the 49ers received from the Chiefs in return for Alex Smith. Instead, Corry writes that Chicago could do better than the sixth-round pick Oakland gave up for Matt Schaub last year.

Interestingly enough, Corry mentions that the Bears could try to renegotiate Cutler’s contract, and convert a portion of his salary into a signing bonus. This would essentially be a way for the Bears to include some additional money in a trade.

The NFL does not allow teams to include cap space as part of trades, so this would be a creative solution for Chicago if they are, in fact, set on shipping Cutler out next year.

Any team taking on Cutler and his current contract, would likely be committing to him for two years seeing as $10 million of his 2016 salary becomes guaranteed if he’s on a team’s roster as of March.

Corry believes the Titans make the most sense as a trade partner for Cutler, as he would provide Tennessee with experience, and allow them to target a different position with their first-round pick next year.

Cutler attended Vanderbilt, so I’m sure he wouldn’t mind being back in Tennessee if the opportunity presented itself.

Another team that could be an option according to Corry is the Rams. More interesting than just the idea of St. Louis trading for Cutler is Corry’s suggestion that the two teams could consider a quarterback swap involving Cutler and Sam Bradford.

“The opportunity for a rare quarterback swap exists with Cutler and Bradford,” writes Corry. “Their salaries and dead money are close enough to each other’s that a trade involving the two of them wouldn’t have much of an effect on either team’s salary cap.”

Corry lists the Buccaneers and Texans as alternative options for a potential Cutler trade.

It’s worth mentioning that teams won’t be able to trade players until March 10.

Cutler told reporters on Thursday that he would like to be back with the Bears next year, but it appears as though Chicago is prepared to move in a different direction. Releasing outright would be a painful move, so there is at least a decent enough chance that the Bears could work a trade at some point next year.

Cutler, 31, has completed 66.1 percent of his passes for 3,640 yards to go along with 28 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 33 quarterback out of 40 qualifying players.