Cutler's contract

[jason]

I don't pay attention to the salary cap stuff. Never cared to fully understand it. What's the breakdown of how Cutler affects the Bears?

 

If he's traded, how does that affect the team's salary cap? What if he's released?

 

I'm just wondering if his salary will be a reason teams decide not to talk to the Bears.

[adam]

Here are Cutler's remaining contract numbers:

 

2017: Cap hit of $16 million, if cut $2 million cap hit

2018: Cap hit of $17 million, if cut $1 million cap hit

2019: Cap hit of $20 million, zero dead money

2020: Cap hit of $21.7 million, zero dead money

 

So even if we just had to cut him, the cap hit would be minimal in today's standards. However, if there was a trade, since you are trading the contract, you are not obligated after the trade for anything in the contract unless that is negotiated (as far as I know).

 

To me, it is hard to have him be the highest paid player on the team with no intentions of him being "the guy". Hoyer/Shaw/rookie with FA/draft improvements to the O-Line and Secondary would be better than Cutler alone.

[DABEARSDABOMB]

If you cut him, you have a minimal cap hit. If you trade him, you have no cap hit and the other team could eventually cut him and pay the cap hit we would have, or they could pay him his current contract or obviously they could renegotiate the contract. Problem is, Bears will have little leverage, given how Jay has played along with the fact that he now will be coming off a labrum surgery and everyone on the planet knows we plan on cutting him. Going to be hard to get much anything for him.

 

I do think he will go somewhere and end up playing, but he might need to wait a while until a QB gets hurt late or something along those lines.

[adam]

If you cut him, you have a minimal cap hit. If you trade him, you have no cap hit and the other team could eventually cut him and pay the cap hit we would have, or they could pay him his current contract or obviously they could renegotiate the contract. Problem is, Bears will have little leverage, given how Jay has played along with the fact that he now will be coming off a labrum surgery and everyone on the planet knows we plan on cutting him. Going to be hard to get much anything for him.

 

I do think he will go somewhere and end up playing, but he might need to wait a while until a QB gets hurt late or something along those lines.

Someone paid for Sam Bradford, so anything is possible. RG3 and Fitzpatrick got interest in them.

 

I think we discount Cutler slightly, and teams looking for a veteran would absolutely be interested. We might not get what we want for him, but anything would be worth it at this point.

[jason]

Someone paid for Sam Bradford, so anything is possible. RG3 and Fitzpatrick got interest in them.

 

I think we discount Cutler slightly, and teams looking for a veteran would absolutely be interested. We might not get what we want for him, but anything would be worth it at this point.

 

Agreed. Which is why I like the idea of potentially pairing him with Alshon to land someone huge, or a draft pick. Cleveland would be a great spot, for either their #1 overall or Joe Thomas.

[adam]

Agreed. Which is why I like the idea of potentially pairing him with Alshon to land someone huge, or a draft pick. Cleveland would be a great spot, for either their #1 overall or Joe Thomas.

With Fitzgerald's and Palmer's age, Cutler/Alshon would be a great combo for the Cards too, especially with that defense, Johnson, and Floyd/Brown.