The quarterback-starved New York Jets have a new quarterback coach in Jeremy Bates. As it happens, he has experience working with Jay Cutler, who may be available.
That leads to a natural question. Might Cutler be headed to New York and a reunion with his old quarterback coach?
Jets name Jeremy Bates QB coach. I've been reporting Cutler is possibility there at right $. Bates coached Cutler to PB season in DEN. Hmmm
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) February 8, 2017
Bates and Cutler were together in Denver from 2006-2008. In that 2008 season with Bates as his quarterback coach, Cutler made his only career Pro Bowl and threw for 4,526 yards, by far his career high. The two reunited with the Chicago Bears for the 2012 season. In that year, Chicago went 10-6, but failed to qualify for the playoffs.
With Brandon Marshall and Matt Forte, the Jets already have a strong former Bears connection on the offense. While Cutler has certainly earned plenty of detractors, the quarterback does have experience with the coach and some skill players on the team. A quarterback with that kind of familiarity would at least make some sense for an offense in desperate need of improvement.