Why Jay Cutler Won't Be a Chicago Bear In 2009

(Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Bears fans, don't get your hopes up too high. This is not the first time a Chicago-based team has been open to the idea of acquiring a big-name player.

The Bulls were purportedly the only team in the running to attain the services of a discontent Kobe Bryant at the beginning of the 2007-08 NBA season.

As the situation developed, the Bulls did not appear willing to give up what the LA Lakers wanted in return for one of the biggest names in the history of the league.

After the fallout between the Lakers and Bryant seemed to heal, the Lakers' brass went out and picked up Pau Gasol. Creating another dynamic Laker duo that helped lead the team to the NBA Finals for the fifth time in eight years. Leaving the Bulls out in the cold and without a superstar. 

Now, sources close to the Chicago Bears have informed several media outlets that the team has allegedly called the Denver Broncos General Manager voicing their interest in possibly acquiring disgruntled Quarterback Jay Cutler in a potential trade, if the new head coach Josh McDaniels and Cutler cannot work out their differences.

Jay Cutler is nowhere near the caliber of superstar that Kobe Bryant is, but he has a lot of upside and is young.

The Bears main competition in the Cutler sweepstakes is division rival Detroit Lions, who hold the number one overall pick in the NFL Draft, but that's about as much trade bait as the Lions hold.

The Bears on the other hand have a mid-round pick at number 18, and could ship Kyle Orton to Denver as part of a deal, plus just about any other player Denver would want.

If Bears GM Jerry Angelo were a smart man he would call up Denver and say "Who/what do you want..? You got it/him!"

There are only two, maybe four players the Bears should not trade in the supposed attempt to acquire a Pro Bowl QB: Running Back Matt Forte, Linebacker Lance Briggs, Wide Receiver Devin Hester (maybe) and Defensive Tackle Tommie Harris (maybe) are the only guys I would not trade if I were the Bears GM.

Of course all of this is speculation, but don't be surprised when push comes to shove the Bears will fold under the pressure of a bidding war with other potential trading partners in Det., Minnesota, New York Jets, and Tampa Bay.

Expect Angelo to pull a John Paxson and claim that whatever the Broncos wanted was just too high of a price to acquire Cutler, and pray that the next time you see him that he's not wearing a powder blue jersey with a lion on the side of his helmet.

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