Report: Jets Unlikely To Pursue QB Jay Cutler
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- The Jets' new quarterbacks coach has strong ties to Jay Cutler, but don't expect Gang Green to pursue the Bears signal-caller.
The Jets hired Jeremy Bates as their QB coach Wednesday. In addition to serving in that same role with New York in 2005 under Herm Edwards, Bates worked with Cutler while on the staffs of the Broncos and Bears.
But ESPN's Rich Cimini reported Thursday he's heard the Jets won't be suitors for Cutler, who is expected to be cut or traded this offseason. Cimini added that he believes Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor and free agent Mike Glennon are "higher in the Jets' pecking order than Cutler." Taylor is under contract through 2021, but he is a candidate to be released after the Bills benched him in last season's finale following the firing of head coach Rex Ryan.
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Cutler, who tore the labrum in his right shoulder, played in just five games last season for the Bears, completing 59.1 percent of his passes for 1,059 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions. Throughout his career, Cutler has been widely regarded as a quarterback who has all the physical tools but who lacks leadership skills and has been prone to poor decision making -- he's twice led the NFL in interceptions. Cutler has only been selected to one Pro Bowl in his 11-year career -- and that came in 2008, when Bates was his QB coach in Denver.
If the Jets indeed look beyond in-house options Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg for their starter, other possibilities include Tony Romo and Josh McCown, or they could try to build around a highly drafted rookie such as North Carolina's Mitch Trubisky or Clemson's Deshaun Watson.