If you're a fan of the Washington Redskins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Jets or any other team that made inquiries about Jay Cutler, breathe easy and sleep well tonight. The multi-talented but immature quarterback is on his way to Chicago after being dealt from Denver for a bevy of draft choices and Kyle Orton.
With the NFL Draft only a few short weeks away, this deal changes many things as far as where USC quarterback Mark Sanchez lands, but that's not the point here. That. Fellow fan of the gridiron is Cutler behaving like a spoiled little kid who made his own bed and then refused to lie in it.
Does he immediately make the Bears a better team? There's no doubt about that with his strong arm and 4,526 yards passing last season. Where you scrutinize him is in the intangibles department. For someone who has only been in the NFL for three seasons (two as a starter), Cutler is universally unliked by his brethren. He is a trash-talker and has had a good back-and-forth feud with another big-mouthed gunslinger, Phillip Rivers of the San Diego Chargers.
In Denver, John Elway could announce that he was the cladescent head of al Queda in Colorado and would still be loved by the fans and is considered one of the all-time greats because of his cannon arm. But guess who once had the nerve to say that his arm was better?
Cutler frequently gives his receivers a hard time in full view of the fans and television cameras if the pair failed to hook up on a pass play. Even with veteran quarterbacks that is a practice one should refrain from, let alone a punk kid with a Zach Efron haircut.
But he is respected for his talents, something not lost on Darrelle Revis. "I haven't played against quarterbacks who get after it like Jay," the Jets Pro Bowl cornerback said. "He talks his talk and walks his walk. You can tell he has confidence and he is not backing down from anybody.
"It also goes as far as Brett (Favre) back in the day when I used to watch him," continued Revis. "Guys used to get up in is face and try to intimidate him. Jay has that type of mentality of not backing down."
He is going to need that in the Windy City. Bears fans are not very patient and put Rex Grossman through the mill even though he brought the team to a Super Bowl. Given the fact that they not only dealt away their young starting quarterback but more importantly their 2009 (18th overall) first round pick, a 2009 third round pick and also their top selection in 2010, The fans will expect immediate results and not just in the regular season.
All of this began when new Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels became interested in trading for Matt Cassel, who he coached in New England. When the proposed three-way trade fell through and Cassel was eventually dealt to Kansas City, Cutler felt slighted by his new boss and their relationship deteriorated before it had a chance to begin. The final straw was Cutler ignoring the Denver brass' attempts to contact him for 10 consecutive days to try to clarify the situation.
After previously demanding a trade, Cutler acted as if he wanted to remain a Bronco. You can't have it both ways and this has to be viewed as a feeble attempt by the "17 Again"...I mean 25-year-old to point the blame on the organization.
Now the questions begin on if the Broncos are interested in picking Sanchez with their original first round selection at number 12. They have that extra pick from Chicago to address other needs and can let Orton start for a year while the underclassman Sanchez takes it all in holding a clipboard.
Many mock drafts had Sanchez falling to the Jets at number 17 to replace the retired Favre, but now that is up in the air. New head coach rex Ryan has said all along that the team was satisfied with their three young quarterbacks and that it would be an open competition between Kellen Clemens, Brett Ratliff and Erik Ainge heading into training camp.
"All three of us are here and we will go forward," said Clemens.
Added Ratliff, who has a much better upside than Clemens, "I am going to work my butt off no matter what. I am always trying to work hard, get better and improve my crafts."
Improving one of those crafts - attitude - is something that Cutler needs to work on. If not, it may become a long season for the sensitive one.