Still unsigned with the NFL draft about to get going, veteran quarterback Jay Cutler will soon see his options dwindle even more on the free-agent market.
Considering Cutler’s track record with the Chicago Bears over the past several seasons and his injury-plagued 2016 campaign, this can’t be considered too much of a surprise.
Though, following up with previous reports surrounding the enigmatic signal caller, it looks like Cutler himself is still contemplating retirement.
“Jay Cutler’s NFL career may be nearing an end as the 33-year-old quarterback is still contemplating retirement after 11 seasons, according to a league source,” ESPN’s Jeff Dickerson and Roman Modrowski reported Wednesday evening.
Really, this could be a case of Cutler coming to the unfriendly conclusion that the NFL has passed him over. With the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns as the only two teams unsettled from a starting quarterback standpoint, Cutler really doesn’t have a ton of options there.
It’s also important to note that Cutler himself is unlikely to sign with a team to be a full-time backup. At the very least, he will want to compete for a job.
That doesn’t seem to be a real possibility with teams such as the San Francisco 49ers, New York Jets, Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills, all of whom boast lackluster quarterback situations heading into the draft.
Cutler, 33, tallied four touchdowns compared to five interceptions in just five starts for the Bears last season. Overall, the former first-round pick has thrown 53 touchdowns and 34 interceptions en route to putting up a 12-23 record over the past three seasons.