Bears trade for Cutler
Bears traded Orton, two 1st round picks and a 3rd round pick for Cutler. Huge price to pay, but how often do proven QBs become available. Apparently, the Vikes could have had him a couple months ago, but "several coaches" weren't sold on him. I'm guessing these "coaches" were one Brad Childress, who is proving to be the most stubborn guy this side of Bud Selig. My only hesitation on Cutler is that he's proven to be a complete crybaby during this whole process...but in my opinion, his game offsets his terrible attitude. I guess Childress is comfortable staking his NFL coaching future to Sage and/or T-Jac.
7 Comments:
Why do I feel that the Cutler is going to wallow in Chicago? I feel like Chicago's never-ending search for Walter Payton Part Deux is starting to be outdone by their never-ending search for Jim McMahon Part Deux.
April 2, 2009 at 9:17 PM
That really is where it all began for the Bears QB carousel isn't it? Ditka could just not leave well enough alone and had to bring in Flutie to compete. Here are some names from memory lane: Mike Tomczak, Jim Harbaugh, P.T. Willis, Steve Walsh, Rick Mirer and Cade Mcknon.
For the full list see:
http://www.bearshistory.com/lore/chicagobearsquarterbacks.aspx
I am sure some Bears fan is writing the same article about the Vikings QB situation since Fran (with the exception of Culpepper being a staple), throwing out the list of Denny Green era QBs and chuckling at the likes of Steve Bono and Jim McMahon.
April 3, 2009 at 9:54 AM
Well, Daunte and Brad Johnson were better than any QB the Bears have had in the last 20 years (hell, Wade Wilson and Sean Salisbury were probably better than any QB the Bears have had in the last 20 years), so I don't think Bears fans would even think to chuckle at Vikings quarterback history. They're plenty enough obsessed with their own astounding lack of quality QB's around here. If you saw the Trib and Sun-Times daily you'd know what I'm talking about. It's actually pretty amazing to think that over their illustrious history, the Bears have had exactly 2 better than average quarterbacks. 1 Hall of Famer, and one shooting star who had two good seasons throwing it deep for Willie Gault while Walter Payton took the pressure off. That's pretty much it it.
Certainly I would have liked Cutler on the Vikes. But I wonder if we'd be willing to give up what the Broncos would have needed out of us (presumably, something better than two first round draft choices, a third round draft choice and a marginal starting QB) to get him. There were at least half a dozen other teams reportedly in the running, too. Especially after we just make a move to enhance QB competition. So I can understand the reluctance to move again so soon. That said, he'd make us the immediate NFC championship frontrunner. That's a possible Super Bowl team with him, the Wall, Allen and AP. But with a somewhat aging team, we'd be looking at a couple of years of 6-10 teams in 2011-13 or so (no Winfield, Williamses done, Hutchinson old, etc.) during the later years of Peterson's prime, and then a whiny Cutler to go with him if we were to give up those draft picks.
Jan may be right - there's at least a fair chance Cutler reacts negatively to the ridiculous expectations that will be placed on him and chafes against it. This town ruined Rex Grossman, who could have been a more consistently good QB had he not been crowned the savior when he was the 4th quarterback drafted in his year. This town is so obsessed with getting another Sid Luckman they'll never turn the spotlight off of Cutler.
April 3, 2009 at 10:37 AM
I would be remiss if I didn't mention my shock and disappoint that a conversation took place regarding recent Viking's QBs and #9 was not mentioned- along with his year long battle with perfection in 1986.. or as I like to refer to as 19Kramer6.
April 3, 2009 at 11:54 AM
Yeah...I guess it's still too early to crown Cutler the next Brady or Manning, that's for sure. But he is definitely an upgrade over Steve Stenstrom, Rexy, Orton, Flutie, Harbaugh, Tomszak, Peter Tom, Moses Moreno et. al. The encouraging thing (for vikes fans), is that Cutler's attitude very well could lead to a meltdown in Chicago. Fans will not take kindly to any sissy-type behavior, whining, etc.
Also, and this sort of started happening last year, but the Bears vaunted defense is starting to age and crumble. Urlacher's best years are behind him, Mike Brown finally got cut (I think) and their D-line underperformed.
Finally, Cutler had some nice weapons to throw to last year (albeit no RBs of note) in Marshall, Royal and Sheffler. Will be curious to see if the Bears' no-name WR corps steps up, or if this will be the source of the first Cutler temper tantrum.
In Sage we trust!
April 3, 2009 at 12:01 PM
Great points, BG. The Bears can't rely on their defense the way they used to, so Cutler's going to have pressure on him to put points on the board, with a converted CB as his best WR. He's not interested in throwing to Greg Olsen all day long, with the occasional dumpoff to Forte.
LH, I thought of including Tipsy Tommy Kramer, but I had put in the "last 20 years" timeframe. Sadly, the season you refer to was closer to 25 years ago. How's THAT for feeling old?
April 3, 2009 at 12:51 PM
I don't believe you when you say 19Kramer6 was close to 25 years ago MCA..I remember it too well, and it's not like I'm in my mid-30s or anything like that.
Bears defense certainly looked a lot slower last year- I think 54 aged about 3 years over the offseason and some defections on the fron line haven't helped.
For all the logical reasons that MCA stated earlier, I can understand why the Vikings didn't go for him, but a big part of me still thinks they should have. I can't think of another major team sport where a teams success is so dependent on one person as it is with the QB in football. With all do respect to the Ravens (who one a superbowl with a C+ QB)it is so hard to win in the NFL without strong QB play... and the Vikings clearly are in a window of opportunity here with a contender- like team... the goal should be a ring, not to make the playoffs each year... carpe diem vikings, carpe diem. I think dealing with the whiner would have been worth the risk, cause on the field Cutler can play.
April 3, 2009 at 1:04 PM
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