Jerry Angelo, Former Bears GM, Says Jay Cutler Lacks Poise

No one knows the on-field headaches Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler can cause better than the team's former general manager, Jerry Angelo, who traded for the 32-year-old in 2009. 

Speaking to Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Sun-Times, Angelo offered an honest assessment of Cutler as an NFL quarterback:

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[Cutler] has the physical tools, but inconsistent, particularly in the clutch, mostly due to a lack of poise. He’s not comfortable reading defenses and consequently locks on to a favorite or predetermined target that may or may not be the right choice. The less he’s asked to see the better he is. A better half-field general than a full-field one. This will be his make-or-break year. Needs to be his biggest critic and hold himself accountable.

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While these aren't new revelations for anyone who has seen Cutler play at any point in his nine-year NFL career, the fact that Angelo was willing to go on the record with his assessment after giving up two first-round draft picks and a third-round pick to the Denver Broncos in the trade is telling. 

Front-office executives in sports don't like to admit mistakes—even though Angelo doesn't have to worry about offending anyone in Chicago, since he was let go after the 2011 season—often framing a player in the most positive light. 

Angelo didn't technically say he made a mistake, but he was forthright in listing Cutler's flaws and how they haven't improved during his NFL career.

Cutler has become an easy punching bag because of his erratic play, which includes an NFL-high 18 interceptions last season, and the Bears will be closely evaluating his performance. He is under contract through 2020 after signing a seven-year, $126 million deal in 2014. 

Looking at it from the franchise's perspective, an NFL salary-cap manager ranked the 18 current quarterback deals that include $9 million annually, and Cutler's was deemed the worst, as ESPN.com's Mike Sando reported.

With so much noise around Cutler about the things he doesn't do and the money he is being paid, the best thing he can do is block it all out and play more consistent football. It hasn't happened yet, but the raw talent and mentality can fall into place at some point.