Just hours after dismissing the idea of benching quarterback Jay Cutler during his Wednesday press conference, Chicago Bears head coach Marc Trestman has indeed made the switch to Jimmy Clausen, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Bears bench Jay Cutler, will start Jimmy Clausen
Marc Trestman has benched the highest-paid offensive player in football.
The move comes at an interesting time for Chicago. The Bears, now 5-9, have already been eliminated from playoff contention and have no long-term investment in Clausen. They do, however, have Cutler locked up with a seven-year, $126 million contract consummated just this past offseason. The decision to bench Cutler now suggests that big changes, such as firing the head coach, could be coming to Chicago after the season.
Cutler, who currently leads the league with 24 turnovers, has drawn criticism from many corners this season. Offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer vented about the quarterback's play to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport earlier this month, a decision for which he eventually apologized. In that report, Rapoport stated that the team has "buyer's remorse" over the mega deal it handed to Cutler during the offseason. That contract makes Cutler the highest-paid offensive player this season, and one of the league's highest earners by per-year average. Even devoted teammates like Brandon Marshall say they understand why the team might regret the decision to re-sign the quarterback.
Ian Rapoport on NFL Network reported Cutler may have played his final snap for the Bears. Cutler’s 2015 salary of $15.5 million is guaranteed, according to Spotrac. The Bears would incur $19.5 million in dead money if they were to release Cutler.
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