Report: Orton Leaning Toward Retirement
(CBS) As the Bears embark on the start of their new season with their first practice today, one of the lingering training camp battles will be for the backup quarterback position. By most appearances, it's between Jordan Palmer and Jimmy Clausen, with rookie David Fales in the background.
Lately, there's one more name out there that's been drawing some attention -- Kyle Orton, the former Bears quarterback from 2005-'08. Orton's currently a free agent after a standoff with the Cowboys, who cut him after he failed to partake in their offseason program and skipped mini-camp. With 70 career starts, Orton's certainly a capable backup, and some have wondered if he could be interested in a Chicago return to back up Jay Cutler, who's missed 13 starts in the past four years.
That doesn't appear to be the case, though. While Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Wednesday that Orton plans to play in 2014, the Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs reported that, "Most in the NFL believe Orton will retire."
"If Orton didn't want to play in Dallas for more than $3 million this year, perhaps the man doesn't want to play," writes Biggs.