Chicago Bears: 5 Potential QB Replacements for Injured Jay Cutler

It was perhaps the quietest potential season-ending injury ever reported in the history of the National Football League.

Hours following the Chicago Bears' 31-20 victory over the San Deigo Chargers, Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was reported to have suffered an injury to his right thumb.

The Chicago Tribune’s Vaughn McClure first broke the news when he said via Twitter a team source mentioned a broken thumb on the former Vanderbilt QB’s throwing hand. A source told McClure the Bears are planning to move on without Cutler this season “for a while.”

It’s important to remember this isn’t a death sentence to the future of Cutler. It’s not like this is an ACL tear where he could be out for the next calendar year, and it’s certainly not to the degree of Tommy John surgery.

A broken thumb on the throwing hand is a tough blow, however, as the estimated recovery time is six to eight weeks. Given the best-case scenario, he would first be ready to return for wild-card weekend.

It’s very likely that since the NFL trade deadline is long and gone and there’s no sense in signing a free agent just to provide depth, that the Bears will turn to backup quarterback Caleb Hanie.

Hanie, 26, has appeared in six NFL games with the Bears throughout his entire four-year career. In regular-season play, Hanie is 8-of-14 for 66 yards and an interception.

Bears fans will also remember he made an appearance in last year’s NFC Championship game. Cutler suffered a knee injury right before the half and was ruled out shortly thereafter for the rest of the game. Todd Collins was inserted as Cutler’s replacement, but was shortly pulled eight plays later in favor of Hanie.

Hanie completed 13 of 20 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown and nearly led the Bears comeback against the Green Bay Packers before eventually throwing a pick-six interception to Packers defensive lineman B.J. Raji that proved to be the game-winner. Minus his two picks, it was a very impressive performance given the circumstances and pressure-filled situation.

Hanie deserves a shot to prove himself by filling in for Cutler for the team’s final six games.

But for the sake of argument, assume the Bears feel it's in the organization’s best interest to sign a free-agent veteran to add to the depth chart just in the case of another playoff “emergency.”

Who would be a likely candidate to sport the navy blue and orange uniform for the Monsters of the Midway?

Here’s a list of five possible, and realistic, QBs that Chicago could ponder about bringing in to fill Cutler’s roster spot.

Marc Bulger

The most obvious choice to fit right into the Mike Martz offensive system is Marc Bulger.

Bulger, 34, has years of experience working with Martz with the St. Louis Rams in the early to mid-2000’s. Bulger became a starter in 2002 when then-starter Kurt Warner was injured.

He spent the next seven years with the Rams and received two nice contracts during his time there. This marriage lasted until 2010, when he asked for, and was granted, his release from St. Louis. Bulger then spent a year with the Baltimore Ravens before finally retiring this past August.

Logic would prove that Bulger would be the most obvious replacement because he makes the most sense. He knows the Martz system and isn’t that far removed from his playing days.

It took the Ravens to sign Bulger to a one-year, $3.8 million contract to play in 2010. What would it take to bring him out of retirement to play on a team where his services would only be needed for a month and a half to two months, tops?

Todd Collins

Bears fans are either violently unplugging their computers at the sight of Todd Collins’ name or just clicking the “Next” arrow to avoid reliving the nightmare that was the 2010 season.

Collins is not exactly a youth. At the ripe old age of 40, he would be a fragile replacement for Cutler who has proven to be consistently inconsistent.

Collins did spend the entire 2010 campaign with Martz as Cutler’s immediate backup, which means he knows the current playbook better than any other candidate.

The cost could also be a factor. For six regular-season games, the veteran minimum would prove more than sufficient as compensation. Collins’ poor play and age wouldn’t provide him many grounds to beg for money.

In two appearances for the Bears in 2010 (replacement Week 4 at the New York Giants, started Week 5 at the Carolina Panthers), Collins completed 10 of 27 attempts for a whopping 68 yards, zero touchdowns and five interceptions.

It’s not the best-case scenario, but keeping the thought in the back of your mind isn’t exactly the worst idea ever when choosing short-term fixes.

Jim Sorgi

For years, Jim Sorgi had the comfiest job in the NFL as the backup to Peyton Manning with the Indianapolis Colts.

After the preseason would wrap up at the end of August, Sorgi would receive a paycheck every week for simply suiting up and walking the sidelines of the RCA Dome in a baseball hat sporting an ear bud and clipboard. Then, once the Colts had everything wrapped up by Week 15 or 16, it would be Sorgi’s duty to manage the remaining garbage time games until the playoffs began.

The potential of Sorgi never really was realized. Sorgi, 30, has appeared in just 16 NFL games. He has only completed 99 out of 156 pass attempts in a six-year career.

The reason for taking a chance on Sorgi would be because his body is almost brand new to the game. He hasn’t endured the regular torture an everyday quarterback undergoes on a weekly basis.

Sorgi last played in 2010 with the Giants. Expected to be the backup to Eli Manning, Sorgi tore his right shoulder in an exhibition game against the New York Jets, the first major injury of his career. He was placed on IR and was released.

For the league minimum, Sorgi would have to at least consider the thought of playing for the Bears. 

Kurt Warner

Another product of the Rams-Martz system, Kurt Warner is now spending his days as an analyst for the NFL Network, where he is safe from the threat of ACL tears and shoulder destruction.

Warner, 40, would be a wise decision to replace Cutler on a short-term basis because of his familiarity and success within the offensive system.

The problem will be prying him away from the comfort of a television studio.

Remember, this is a team that’s low-balling its best offensive player, running back Matt Forte, who’s in a career year and putting up career statistics. What makes you think they would give more than the minimum to a quick fix?

The positives may outweigh the financial negatives of bringing in a Kurt Warner. Over his 12-year career, Warner has called three different cities home. He’s succeeded in every situation other than the one-year stint with the Giants in 2004. Warner’s been to a Super Bowl with both the Arizona Cardinals and the Rams.

Is it possible? Yes. Is it likely? That remains unseen.

Brett Favre

And finally, what Bleacher Report article regarding the NFL would be complete without one reference to the infamous 42-year-old sexting-fiend Brett Favre?

Hang with me here, I promise there will be a point by the end of this page.

If Chicago decided that Caleb Hanie gives the best chance to win, why not cause some excitement and drama to entertain the fan base?

A Bears Favre jersey would sell like a discounted 50” 3D TV at Wal-Mart on the eve of Black Friday. Financially, this would be a way to draw in some dollars—even if he doesn’t make an impact by starting.

Jerry Angelo has trouble raising funds for a Forte extension? This move would provide enough additional product revenue and media attention to make that possible.

It’s a total “meatball” idea that’s being proposed strictly for the intent of amusement and playing Devil’s Advocate. Plus, it’s so damn crazy it has the odd potential to maybe work.

Willingly signing a locker room cancer well past his prime isn’t what you would call thinking forward, but why not profit a little before the 2011 season ship sinks?

Brett Lyons is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand or from official interview materials.

Follow Brett Lyons on Twitter @BrettLyons670.