Chicago Bears players warm up to Jay Cutler

[omac]

http://www.broncosforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36522&page=3

Chicago Bears players warm up to Jay Cutler
They think quarterback brings something team has lacked

By Vaughn McClure | Tribune reporter
10:01 PM CDT, April 2, 2009

The negative perception of Jay Cutler started to build with every mention of his rift with the Denver Broncos.

Through it all, Brian Urlacher's opinion of Cutler never changed.

The Bears linebacker received positive feedback about Cutler in the past from teammate Hunter Hillenmeyer, who played at the same college [Vanderbilt] as Cutler. And Urlacher sympathized with Cutler's plight in Denver.

"I would be ticked off, too, if someone was trying to trade me and didn't tell me about it," Urlacher said.

"I don't think Jay is going to be an issue. We have a pretty good locker room, so I'm not worried about that. … I'm not worried about him fitting in."

Urlacher was as shocked as anyone when the Bears pulled Thursday's stunning trade, sending Kyle Orton, two first-round draft picks and a third-rounder to Denver for Cutler and a fifth-round pick.

"I guess we got better as a team," Urlacher said. "You get a quarterback who is a Pro-Bowl guy.

"But I will say this: I think Kyle Orton is a good quarterback. He's a great teammate. I hope he does really well in Denver."

Orton was reached by phone late Thursday night but declined comment on the whirlwind events. He was tied up gathering his family and bags for the trip to Denver.

His ex-teammates were bracing themselves for the wild ride yet to come.

"His numbers speak for themselves," linebacker Lance Briggs said of Cutler. "He has proven in three years that he can produce. Now we get to enjoy his presence here in Chicago."

Receiver Devin Hester discussed Cutler on Sporting News radio's Monty Show.

"I feel like [general manager Jerry Angelo] and those guys are really making big steps. They're doing whatever it takes," Hester said. "They're shocking me because they're making big moves and things that you know we've been striving for to get back to being a Super Bowl team. The moves that they're making are incredible."

No move potentially benefits Hester more than the addition of Cutler, a quarterback known for his powerful arm. Bears fans could grow accustomed to long pass plays between the two. Plus the threat of the deep ball is sure to open up running lanes for Matt Forte.

"I think Jay is a great quarterback," Hester said. "I've watched the film on him, I've played against him and, you know, just hearing rumors around that he throws some of the most incredible passes.

"… I'm looking forward to playing with him this year and I think he's going to come out and shock the world."

Bears fans hope Hester's words are prophetic.

vxmcclure@tribune.com

*****************************************

The Bears traded Kyle Orton and two-first round picks for Pro-Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler. What do you think?

77.7% They got a Pro Bowl quarterback! I love it! (10733 responses)

5.2% They should've stuck with Orton. (720 responses)

17.0% They gave up too much. (2354 responses)

13807 total responses (Results not scientific)

[Superchop 7]

Hell yeah, they are gonna love him.

[Shazam!]

Right. Like the players are going to say "I can't believe management got a bitch like this to be our QB" was going to happen.

[omac]

It's pretty good that the Bears players are giving him a chance. It can't hurt that he was some character references from Vanderbilt playing for him there; besides Hillenmayer, there's his former LT Williams, and his former #1 WR, Bennett.

Also good that the majority of the fans want him there.

[Denver27og]

Right. Like the players are going to say "I can't believe management got a bitch like this to be our QB" was going to happen.

stop hating on the kid... u know the broncos dropped the ball on this one

[ikillz0mbies]

stop hating on the kid... u know the broncos dropped the ball on this one

Actually Cutler dropped his ball when he started crying. Can I call him VaJayna Cutler now?

[lex]

Right. Like the players are going to say "I can't believe management got a bitch like this to be our QB" was going to happen.

Most of the Bears best players have held out or made some struggle for more money. Briggs, Urlacher,...I think Tommie Harris.

[omac]

Actually Cutler dropped his ball when he started crying. Can I call him VaJayna Cutler now?

He didn't want to play for McDaniels, and he got traded to a team he was interested in going to before he was drafted. Not exactly dropping the ball.

[SM19]

The deck is my favorite part of this story:


They think quarterback brings something team has lacked

That something is a quarterback.

[ktrain]

Actually Cutler dropped his ball when he started crying. Can I call him VaJayna Cutler now?

VaJayna ****ler actually

[Overtime]

Hell yeah, they are gonna love him.

yeah until the defense screws up and he throws them all under the bus. :lol:

[Shazam!]

Most of the Bears best players have held out or made some struggle for more money. Briggs, Urlacher,...I think Tommie Harris.

Which has zero relevance to the point I was making. Maybe they're selfish ****s like Cutler. Then he'll fit right in with those Chicago losers.

[omac]

Most of the Bears best players have held out or made some struggle for more money. Briggs, Urlacher,...I think Tommie Harris.

Good points. Though Bears players have always had a reputation of being team players, they also have to do what they feel will benefit their careers, as they have their own families to think of. :salute:

[Shazam!]

When Urlacher demanded a trade, did he work with management? Hmmm.

[omac]

Here's another Bears player, Adewale Ogunleye, on getting Cutler ....

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4037828&categoryid=2459789

[Northman]

When Urlacher demanded a trade, did he work with management? Hmmm.

Hell, if i remember correctly Briggs situation last year got kind of ugly but he still went back worked it out. :lol:

[Shazam!]

I might've meant Briggs... My mistake. I know it was recent.

[omac]

Hell, if i remember correctly Briggs situation last year got kind of ugly but he still went back worked it out. :lol:

The Bears did give Briggs what he wanted, though.


Briggs will stay with Bears

By Vaughn McClure, 8:31 p.m.

Lance Briggs will remain a Bear after agreeing to a six-year, $36 million deal.

"I'm extremely happy about it,"' Briggs said Saturday. "With Bernard signing with the Vikings, I think it gave me the opportunity to come home. I'm happy to return to the team that I started my career with.'"

Briggs couldn't reveal all the details of the deal but said it was front-ended and comparable to the other top linebackers in the league.

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/huddleup/2008/03/briggs-will-sta/comments/page/2/

[Northman]

The Bears did give Briggs what he wanted, though.



http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/huddleup/2008/03/briggs-will-sta/comments/page/2/

Oh sure, but it meant that Briggs had to go talk to them. Briggs wanted a trade but at least tried to work it out which meant answering some phone calls. We were so lucky here.

[Shazam!]

Moral of the story- He is not a whiny bitch like Cutler.

[omac]

Oh sure, but it meant that Briggs had to go talk to them. Briggs wanted a trade but at least tried to work it out which meant answering some phone calls. We were so lucky here.

I'm not sure he wanted a trade necessarily; the way I see it, he was unhappy with his contract, and threatened the trade as leverage to get a better contract, and it worked. That's the difference. I haven't read that he didn't like playing for Lovie Smith. His objective was not to get traded, but to get better compensation, and he got it.

[Northman]

I'm not sure he wanted a trade necessarily; the way I see it, he was unhappy with his contract, and threatened the trade as leverage to get a better contract, and it worked. That's the difference. I haven't read that he didn't like playing for Lovie Smith. His objective was not to get traded, but to get better compensation, and he got it.

It doesnt matter what his goal was, he did ask for the trade when the Bears thought about not paying him that much. But the Chicago Brass got in touch with him and worked out a deal that he liked and what he asked for. Jay asked for a trade, the Brass tried to get in touch with him to see what the deal was and he wouldnt talk to them. Thus, they traded him and then he went public saying that wasnt what he wanted and he never wanted it to get that far.

[omac]

It doesnt matter what his goal was, he did ask for the trade when the Bears thought about not paying him that much. But the Chicago Brass got in touch with him and worked out a deal that he liked and what he asked for. Jay asked for a trade, the Brass tried to get in touch with him to see what the deal was and he wouldnt talk to them. Thus, they traded him and then he went public saying that wasnt what he wanted and he never wanted it to get that far.

I think it did matter what his goal was, because his actions would be guided by his goal.

Briggs goal was to get more money; it didn't matter to him if he got it from the Bears, or from another team. He threatened a trade to use it as leverage to get what he wanted. He was willing to work it out with the Bears, because his objective was not necessarily to get traded, but to get better compensation.

Cutler's goal was to get traded, not necessarily to get better compensation. He and his agents actions support that goal. Not returning phone calls, calling Pat's and McDaniels' credibility into play, not attending the voluntaries. They stuck with their plan, and got the end result they wanted: a trade.

This is my speculation, but to me, the Broncos current FO also reflected their goal in this situation. They wanted to try to keep Cutler for now, but they didn't want to commit to him long term. The relationship was already scarred, but there would've been a solid way to fix it, that's worked out for a lot of teams in the past.

There's an article posted here on the boards (not sure if I posted it, or someone else), about the views from an anonymous GM, opposing player, league executive, and league agent on how to resolve this situation. Both the anonymous league executive and anonymous league agent have pointed to a contract re-negotiation to fix things. They said the situation may not have started because of the contract, but it could be resolved through one. Shanon Sharpe also said the same thing as the only way to fix the situation. (added) The Broncos at no point were interested in working with Cook for a contract negotiation, and that speaks volumes.

The actions are guided by the goals, and in all these 3 cases, they brought about the accomplishment of those goals. Though the Broncos couldn't keep Cutler for the interim, they did get a QB that McDaniels believes he can work with, and really that's how all of this started.

[Bozo Jr.]

Their warming up all right, only veeeerrrrrrry cautiously.

[Bozo Jr.]

Actually Cutler dropped his ball when he started crying. Can I call him VaJayna Cutler now?

Yes you can, and I applaud you.

[Timmy!]

My good buddy who is a HUGE Bears fan is being quietly (I'm serious) very optimistic about this trade. Living in Colorado he knows all about Cutler because of the Bronco fans. He thinks it's a very fair trade, and the true winner won't emerge until all the picks are made (I.E., years from now). He's just worried that Cutler is a total emo, and when the going got tough, he folded. He hopes this does not happen in Chi-town, as Orton, in his words, is "a soldier."

Time, as I thought, will tell.

[Nomad]

Robbie Gould (kicker Bears) was just on First Take and said Cutler called him excited because Cutler really wanted to be Bear to begin with and I believe Bowlen liked Cutler alot and sent him to Chicago as a favor. So the last week has been a farce by Cutler.