The Chicago Bears enter training camp with Jay Cutler entrenched as the starting quarterback and multiple quarterbacks competing for the No. 2 job.
The Chicago Bears have their franchise quarterback in Jay Cutler locked up for the next seven years, but they made a risky move paying him $126 million. Cutler missed five games with groin and shoulder injuries last season.
Cutler showed improvement though, hitting career highs in completion percentage with 63.1 and passer rating with 89.2. He will look to take advantage of having arguably the best receiving duo in Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery to throw to. Martellus Bennett provides him a solid pass-catching presence at tight end.
Josh McCown filled in admirably while Cutler was hurt, but he departed for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Now that McCown is gone, the No. 2 job is up for grabs and a concern if Cutler goes down again. The Bears addressed this concern in the draft by selecting San Jose State’s David Fales in the sixth round.
Fales displayed incredible accuracy by completing over 68 percent of his passes in his two years, and he threw 66 touchdowns against 22 interceptions. It remains to be seen whether he benefitted from playing against soft competition in the Mountain West Conference.
Jordan Palmer is currently the favorite to be Cutler’s backup since he has previous experience with the Bears’ playbook as their third-stringer. He will enter his second year with the Bears on a one-year deal.
Former Carolina Panthers quarterback Jimmy Clausen will also be with the Bears on a one-year deal, but he will have to scratch and claw for a roster spot since four quarterbacks are never on the same roster.
He failed miserably after having high expectations out of college, and he was eventually replaced by Cam Newton. The former Notre Dame star will look to make a fresh start in Chicago and be a solid backup since his dreams of starting in the NFL appear to be dashed.
The Bears will likely carry Cutler, Palmer and Fales on their roster since all of them are talented enough to be claimed on practice squad waivers if they are cut.
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