John Fox won’t commit to Jay Cutler as Bears’ starter

“I don’t think there’s any question there’s ability and talent there, but there’s a lot more that goes into it,” Fox said of Cutler.

Every time free agency has been discussed this offseason, it seems like Cutler appears as a “might be available via trade” sidenote. But it’s hard to imagine a team being interested, even given the success he’s had in the league. His contract is so prohibitively expensive, which is the heart of the issue for the Bears.

Cutler’s struggles on the field in 2014 were prominent, sure, but if his contract wasn’t as massive as it is, the talk would simply be about how Cutler needs to bounce back in 2015. Cutler did complete 66.0 percent of his passes this past season, throwing for 3,812 yards with 28 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.

Those interceptions were plenty damaging, and the Bears only won five games this past season. And that’s why his contract is so bad. The Bears signed him to a huge seven-year deal last season, and he’ll carry a cap hit of $16.5 million in 2015. He then has cap hits of $17 million, $16 million, $17 million, $20 million and $21.7 million, respectively, through the 2020 season.

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For now, Fox said he’s still trying to talk with Cutler and establish a relationship with the quarterback. “I’m getting to know the guy. This is a relationship business.”

New Bears general manager Ryan Pace also addressed the quarterback situation on Wednesday, echoing Fox’s comments that the team is still evaluating Cutler, both as a player and as a person. Pace didn’t offer specifics, but added that their goal was “to maximize our time and make thorough decisions.”