Bears’ Jay Cutler Not Done For Season?
Jay Cutler has a torn labrum in his shoulder that will rule him out for the season. Unless he doesn’t. Speaking to reporters today, coach John Fox indicated that Cutler’s injury is not a season-ender, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets. Fox referred to the injury as a “day-to-day” situation. 
Yesterday’s report on Cutler’s injury noted that the quarterback would seek a second opinion on his shoulder, which left the door open to a more favorable diagnosis. It sounds like Cutler got the good news he was looking for. The veteran quarterback won’t be playing to put the 2-8 Bears in playoff contention, but he could strengthen his case as he nears free agency. It seems unlikely that Chicago will welcome him back in 2017, so a strong finish to the year will be crucial for Cutler’s market.
This year, Cutler has a 59.1% completion percentage with a weak 4-to-5 touchdown/interception ratio. Still, he’s not far removed from a solid 2014 campaign and plenty of QB-needy teams would roll the dice on Cutler if he can show some signs of life this winter.
If Cutler does miss some time, Matt Barkley will start with the newly-(re)acquired David Fales as the No. 2.
Bears Work Out Four Offensive Lineman, Defensive End
- The Bears worked out four offensive lineman today, according to ESPN’s Brad Biggs (via Twitter): Reid Fragel, Jeff Linkenbach, Dillon Farrell, and Dallas Thomas. Biggs tweets that the team also worked out defensive end Lawrence Okoye, who is a former British track and field athlete.
[SOURCE LINK]
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/22/16
Here are today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Reshard Cliett
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Tyler Patmon
- Cut: DT Bruce Gaston
Chicago Bears
- Signed: CB De’Vante Bausby, WR Dres Anderson
- Cut: Darius Jennings
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: LS Tyler Ott
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: LB Derrick Mathews
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: TE E.J. Bibbs
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: LB Randell Johnson
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: S Marcus Ball
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Zac Brooks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: OL Mike Liedtke, CB Cody Riggs, WR Myles White
- Cut: RB Russell Hansbrough
Jay Cutler Done For Season
Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is believed to have a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder, according to Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. Cutler is now getting a second opinion on the shoulder, but barring something unexpected, he’s done for the season. 
Cutler was struggling before Sunday’s injury with a weak 59.1% completion percentage and a 4-to-5 TD-INT ratio. Now, he faces an uncertain future as Chicago will likely move on from him in the offseason. The Bears, now 2-8, can cut ties with Cutler after the season without any financial penalty.
In 2014, Cutler completed a career high 66% of his passes and threw 28 touchdowns (also a career high) against 18 interceptions. Last year, however, his performance fell off and he declined further in 2016. With plenty of teams in the market for a quarterback, however, Cutler should have no trouble finding work. He will, however, be in for a sizable pay cut. The Vanderbilt product is earning $17MM this season and it’s doubtful that he’ll land an eight-figure deal after two disappointing campaigns.
Bears Sign QB David Fales
The Bears are signing quarterback David Fales from the Ravens’ practice squad, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). The move comes on the heels of Jay Cutler‘s shoulder injury, which could potentially shut him down for the season. 
Fales was a sixth-round pick of the Bears in 2014 under the previous regime. He was cut by Ryan Pace & Co. before this year’s 53-man deadline, but the team kept his number handy. He’ll now hold the clipboard for Matt Barkley. Depending on the severity of Cutler’s injury, there may be a place for Fales on the 53-man roster the rest of the way.
This has been a trying year for the Bears and things have only gotten worse for them this month. Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery was suspended four games for PEDs and, one week later, linebacker Jerrell Freeman suffered the same fate. In between those bans, tight end Zach Miller was ruled out for the season with a broken right foot and teammates reportedly lost faith in Cutler. Now, Cutler could be sidelined for the rest of the year, leaving Barkley and Fales at quarterback.
Bears Audition Rueben Randle, Others
The Bears worked out a group of wide receivers which included Rueben Randle, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter links).Keshawn Martin, Dres Anderson, and Quinshad Davis also participated in the Monday workout. On the other side of the ball, the Bears auditioned defensive backs D’Joun Smith, Trae Elston, Tevin McDonald, Rolan Milligan, and Varmah Sonie. 
The Eagles signed Randle in March with the hope that he could fulfill his potential in a different jersey. However, he disappointed in Philly just as he often did for their divisional rivals. It has been said that Randle’s work ethic was suspect while with the G-Men and he may not have been giving it his all in camp with the Eagles. Not only did Randle not make the team, but he was cut loose before the 75-man deadline. Still only 25, Randle averaged 56 receptions, 782 yards, and six touchdowns over the past three seasons with the Giants.
Smith, a 2015 third-round pick of the Colts, was waived by Indianapolis with an injury designation in September. Since then, he has had workout for the Saints, Jets, and Packers and had a cup of coffee with the Lions’ practice squad. It’s fair to wonder whether Smith is healthy given his injury history.
Cole: Alshon Could Have Tepid Market
Alshon Jeffery could be entering free agency after this season and doing so on the heels of an unremarkable year, one now marred by the performance-enhancing drugs suspension. That suspension for the Bears‘ top target is expected to scare off “a number” of teams and could help lead to a tepid market for the Bears’ present top weapon, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report notes (video link).
As many as 10 wideouts, in Cole’s view, being first- or second-round picks also could induce teams to be careful throwing money around for wide receivers. Jeffery is playing this season on the $14.59MM franchise tag and posted less-than-stellar numbers prior to his suspension. He of two 1,100-yard seasons, the 26-year-old Jeffery has just 630 and one touchdown for the struggling Bears.
Bears Waive Defensive Lineman
- The Jaguars activated offensive lineman Josh Wells to their 53-man roster from IR/designated to return and placed Patrick Omameh on injured reserve. Wells has been bothered by rampant thumb trouble since last making an appearance in a game, doing so for the 2014 Jaguars. The 25-year-old played in 12 games for the Jags that season but saw thumb injuries prevent the former UDFA from following up in 2015 and for most of this season. Omameh has seen his share of starts since coming into the league as a UDFA in 2013. He functioned as the Jags’ left guard after Luke Joeckel was lost for the season, starting in seven games. He started in 16 for the 2014 Buccaneers and nine for the Bears last season.
- The Bears waived defensive lineman Jimmy Staten after promoting him from their practice squad on Saturday, Doug Kyed of NESN.com tweets. He did not suit up on Sunday and has yet to play in a game since being drafted by the Seahawks in the fifth round in 2014.
Jay Cutler Injures Shoulder, Could Miss Rest Of Season
The Bears season could be going from bad to worse. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports that quarterback Jay Cutler suffered a shoulder injury during Sunday’s loss to the Giants and could miss the rest of the season.
Chicago’s brass spent today learning more about Cutler’s second significant injury this season, following the thumb malady that sidelined him earlier, but multiple sources informed Biggs he sustained an injury that could put his season at risk. This would leave the Bears with Matt Barkley at quarterback as they play out the string on what has been one of the franchise’s more disappointing seasons.
The Bears will learn Tuesday whether or not Cutler’s injury is season-ending, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Giants sacked Cutler four times, with Olivier Vernon slamming the 11th-year passer to the turf on the second play from scrimmage and drawing a personal foul penalty. He finished the game but committed a game-sealing turnover when he threw a pass well short of its target and into Landon Collins‘ arms.
This would be the 33-year-old Cutler’s shortest season since his rookie year if it wraps up after five games, which is how many he started when he was promoted to be the Broncos’ starter late in the 2006 slate. But this setback will also further speculation Cutler is done in the Windy City.
The eighth-year Bears signal-caller’s seven-year, $126.7MM contract runs through the 2020 season but doesn’t contain much guaranteed money after this year. Cutler’s deal would cost the Bears just $2MM in dead money if they were to move on from the polarizing passer prior to the start of the next league year. If Chicago were to keep Cutler on for his age-34 season, it would come with a cap number of $16MM. That’s down $1MM from the $17MM he’s making this season, but the franchise could well decide to move on from a quarterback that hasn’t quite delivered on expectations since that seminal 2009 trade from the Broncos.
Cutler’s lone Pro Bowl came in 2008 during his final season in Denver, and although he led Chicago to the 2010 NFC championship game, the Bears haven’t made the playoffs since. This season, he’s thrown four touchdown passes and five interceptions, completing just 59 percent of his passes.
Should Cutler be lost for the year, he’d join Brian Hoyer and Connor Shaw as QBs on the Bears’ IR.
Sam Robinson contributed to this report
Bears To Bring CB Kyle Fuller Back?
The Bears may be looking to designated cornerback Kyle Fuller for return from injured reserve, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter). Fuller will take his first step towards game action when he practices on Wednesday. If everything checks out, he may get to play again this season.
Teams are only permitted to bring one player back from IR during the season, but it sounds like Kevin White‘s season is through either way. From what Biggs hears (Twitter link), it sounds like it will be either Fuller returning or no one returning. The team was hoping that White could return from leg surgery, but he was not able to recover in time for this season. To date, White has only 191 NFL snaps to his credit.
It will be interesting to see how the increased uncertainty around White affects the Bears’ offseason plans. The Bears cannot reasonably give Alshon Jeffery a franchise tag for the second year in a row and a long-term deal may be ill-advised after his recent positive test for PEDs. However, White was supposed to be the heir apparent at wide receiver. If they cannot trust White to stay upright for a full season, they may have to bite the bullet and work out a new deal with Jeffery.