Stunner from Chicago: Bears starting QB Jimmy Clausen this week, per source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 17, 2014

To repeat and now confirmed: Bears starting QB Jimmy Clausen over Jay Cutler on Sunday vs. Detroit, per sources.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 17, 2014

New Orleans game was last one Cutler will ever play for the Bears. There is no way he comes back from this.

Can't risk injuring trade bait.

 

To repeat and now confirmed: Bears starting QB Jimmy Clausen over Jay Cutler on Sunday vs. Detroit, per sources.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 17, 2014

 

So now the question is, what happens if Jimmy does McCown-like well? I don't think that he will be but 'what if'?

 

This is potentially a 'what could have been if we'd started him sooner' discussion which ends with knowing the defense stunk it up enough that I don't think it would matter who was starting as QB.

New Orleans game was last one Cutler will ever play for the Bears. There is no way he comes back from this.

Agreed. Only question is who caves and at what price in return. And where do we go from here. No way he can be cut

This is surprising. I wonder who is pushing this. I wonder if someone is saying...before you dump Trestman, at least give him a shot with another QB to prove himself or if Trestman has finally spoke up? Would be very interesting to be a fly in the wall at halas hall.

So now the question is, what happens if Jimmy does McCown-like well? I don't think that he will be but 'what if'?

 

This is potentially a 'what could have been if we'd started him sooner' discussion which ends with knowing the defense stunk it up enough that I don't think it would matter who was starting as QB.

 

Well cut Clausen and probably give cutler a two year extension

Agreed. Only question is who caves and at what price in return. And where do we go from here. No way he can be cut

Teams that miss out on Mariota or Winston will be looking. HOU, STL, TEN, and WAS all could be in play. TB as well. HOU and STL are not drafting high enough to get one of the 2 premier QBs. I can't see how anyone would do it, but the coaching fiasco may make other teams believe Cutler didn't get a fair chance (almost started laughing as I wrote that).

 

Well cut Clausen and probably give cutler a two year extension

I know right, not only that, but Jared Allen and Lance Briggs will both be extended.

 

Also, with Clausen, I believe he is the 6th QB to start since Cutler started every game in 2009 (Cutler, McCown, Campbell, Hanie, Collins, Clausen); 9th since Rex started every game in 2006 (+Rex, Griese, Orton); 22nd since Kramer in 1995, and 32nd since we last won the Super Bowl in 85/86.

 

In stark contrast, NE has had 1 QB start every game since 2009, 2 since 2002 (Brady/Cassel), 3 since 1999 (Bledsoe), and 4 since 1994 (Zolak).

First of all-- This move makes no sense.

 

Secondly, the only reasons I can even come up with at this point are:

 

- They are protecting him from getting hurt badly in the final two games because they are going to attempt to trade him

- Trestman is saying "F you" to his bosses and will ride with Clausen to prove to the rest of the NFL that he can still coach quarterbacks at this level, just not Jay Cutler

First of all-- This move makes no sense.

 

Secondly, the only reasons I can even come up with at this point are:

 

- They are protecting him from getting hurt badly in the final two games because they are going to attempt to trade him

- Trestman is saying "F you" to his bosses and will ride with Clausen to prove to the rest of the NFL that he can still coach quarterbacks at this level, just not Jay Cutler

I'm guessing this is probably Trestman saying, I'm not that bad, look at what I can do with Claussen, he isn't that bad. Or on the flip side, maybe Bears brass things Claussen will stink and it will be more evidence as to how bad the coaching was and thus give other teams looking at Cutler more hope that they can fix him? Otherwise it really doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

One alternative theory I have is, Bears think Cutler is going to stick around, but they want to at least send a message to him to really shake him up and let him know his schtick can't continue so that he's more ready to accept a new coach? I don't know, might be grasping at straws here.

1. Evaluating talent, seeing if Clausen should be retained, even as an interim starter

2. Preventing Cutler from getting hurt (especially against DET) so he can be traded

3. Preventing Cutler from reducing his value any further (if that is possible) with another listless performance

4. Trestman showing that even an average QB can flourish under him (even if Clausen has an average game against DET because Cutler has been putrid against them)

5. Telling Cutler that he is done as a Bear

6. Showing fans/media that regardless of contract status, if you don't perform, you won't play (accountability)?

7. Showing that Kromer's statements were correct (even though the approach was wrong)

I would lean closer to Trestman doing this on his own to try and save either his job here (unlikely) or to prove to the rest of the league that he can still coach quarterbacks if there was ever another opportunity for him to stay in the NFL.

 

I think he knows he's gone, which is why I can't see him doing this to preserve Cutler's trade value (because why would he care at this point if he is not going to be here?) Although Mike Shanahan basically did this last year with RGIII even though he knew he was gone.. Idk. This whole thing is bizarre.

Jay Cutler is the highest paid player to be benched (healthy scratch) ever!!!!

Why bench Cutler now? This move shows that Trestman is way too soft to be an NFL coach. If Cutler really wan't running the offense they way the coach wanted then why wait until week 15 to hold your QB accountable? It's like rubbing a puppy's nose in its piss three weeks after its piddle accident, worthless.

 

To me this should be all about playing the backups for the purpose of evaluation while ensuring they don't accidentally win a game down the stretch to mess up the potential draft order.

Why bench Cutler now? This move shows that Trestman is way too soft to be an NFL coach. If Cutler really wan't running the offense they way the coach wanted then why wait until week 15 to hold your QB accountable? It's like rubbing a puppy's nose in its piss three weeks after its piddle accident, worthless.

 

To me this should be all about playing the backups for the purpose of evaluation while ensuring they don't accidentally win a game down the stretch to mess up the potential draft order.

 

I think this move had to come from the owners.

 

There is no way Trestman has the pull to sit the highest paid player in the NFL. They've already let it leak that they are going to fire them. He probably never had the power to sit him.

 

Emery wouldn't tell Trestman to do it, because it puts him in a very bad spot with his job on the line.

 

This had to come from ownership.

I think this move had to come from the owners.

 

There is no way Trestman has the pull to sit the highest paid player in the NFL. They've already let it leak that they are going to fire them. He probably never had the power to sit him.

 

Emery wouldn't tell Trestman to do it, because it puts him in a very bad spot with his job on the line.

 

This had to come from ownership.

 

 

Agreed.

Back up the tank!

Back up the tank!

 

 

Agreed.

These tweets are telling:

@MikeSilver

What I just said on @nflnetwork : Bears offensive players believe Clausen will 'light it up,' simply because he'll run offense as prescribed

 

@MikeSilver

I'm told Trestman felt he could no longer play Cutler 'simply to justify a contract' when his performance was so poor...

 

@MikeSilver

Also: Cutler has been looking great in practice but 'seeing ghosts' once he steps over the white lines...

 

@MikeSilver

I'm told it was a 'coaching decision' to bench Cutler for Clausen--meaning Trestman, not Emery, made this call.

 

Silver later said he had 15 sources on this. 15!!! What does that say about the feelings for Cutler within the organization??

Sounds like Trestman & Company think Cutler has been a total mess and since they know they are going down, they are going to at least show that they can do it with far lesser QB's. I just think they made this decision too late. Had they done it 4 weeks ago, maybe it makes a difference.

Out of all the ppl to go on the record I've only seen 1 person stick up for Cutler for whatever it's worth. Only Tillman. In contrast how many ppl have stuck up for what kromer did. Tells a Heck of a story

I also don't see how you can possibly go back to Cutler at this point. Hopefully he's traded prior to March 10 i think it is

What all that says...

 

1. Cutler sucks

2. Trestman sucks for not dealing with it sooner, because now it's too late.

3. I will have to see Clausen actually light it up. But we could see guys play harder for him...

4. Emery sucks

 

They all suck!

 

These tweets are telling:

@MikeSilver

What I just said on @nflnetwork : Bears offensive players believe Clausen will 'light it up,' simply because he'll run offense as prescribed

 

@MikeSilver

I'm told Trestman felt he could no longer play Cutler 'simply to justify a contract' when his performance was so poor...

 

@MikeSilver

Also: Cutler has been looking great in practice but 'seeing ghosts' once he steps over the white lines...

 

@MikeSilver

I'm told it was a 'coaching decision' to bench Cutler for Clausen--meaning Trestman, not Emery, made this call.

 

Silver later said he had 15 sources on this. 15!!! What does that say about the feelings for Cutler within the organization??