According to sources, Chicago Bears head coach John Fox admitted that he's already done with Jay Cutler, who is expected to return as starting quarterback in the upcoming game against the Minnesota Vikings. This means that by next year, Cutler could be playing for a different team.
Fox's rumored statement was first reported by the Chicago Tribune. According to the news site, the coach told his friends that he is done working with Cutler.
Earlier this week, Cutler joked about his relationship with Fox. He noted that since Brian Hoyer was placed on injured reserve due to a broken arm and rookie Matt Barkley is not yet ready to take on the starting role, the coach has no other choice but to turn to him as the team's main passer now that he has recovered from his thumb injury.
"He doesn't have a choice, I guess, at this point," Cutler said. "Brian is out, so I've got to go. I've had good conversations with Foxy this week, last week, the week before. There's never been any strain in our relationship."
"We're both very open and honest, and we're on the same page," he added. "We just want to win football games."
Technically, Cutler is signed with the Bears until 2020. However, since his guaranteed money included in his contract will be fully settled by the offseason in 2017, the Bears will have the option to release him from the team without taking too much of a cap hit.
In other words, Cutler could be looking at his final season with the Bears, a team he has been with since 2009 after leaving the Denver Broncos.
If Cutler manages to stay healthy by next year, then he will probably have no problems finding a new team for the 2017 NFL season. After all, there are currently several teams in the league that have lost their starters due to injuries.
There have been rumors that the Miami Dolphins might pick up Cutler if he becomes available next year primarily due to the athlete's connection with coach Adam Gase. For a time, these two worked together when they were still with the Denver franchise.
