jimmypasta wrote:
If anyone thinks this skinny ass can last the preseason let alone the regular season,let me know. It looks like Jay is training for a marathon not the NFL season.
Once again,I was right on!!
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/fo ... 4049.storyChicago Bears coach Marc Trestman believes quarterback Jay Cutler's good health is among the most essential requirements for improving the offense in his second season. Cutler apparently senses similar upside.
Trestman, in an interview on SiriusXM NFL radio last week, indicated Cutler has prioritized his durability with hopes of ending a four-season streak of missing at least one game.
"Jay has really worked hard in the offseason, and he has always been a hard worker in his conditioning and his training, but he has really amped it up," Trestman said on the radio.
"He’s bigger, he’s stronger than a year ago, and he has really focused on staying physically well for the entire season. That’s No. 1 — we’ve got to keep him standing, keep him safe. And we see the improvements he’s made in working on different issues in his mechanics, and I think he’s feeling very comfortable back there in Year 2."
The Bears last season ranked third in the NFL in yards per play after overhauling their offensive line in the offseason. They ranked fourth in the NFL in sacks per pass attempt, up from 27th in 2012.
However, Cutler still missed five games and failed to finish two others because of injuries he suffered while being hit. A groin injury he suffered while being sacked sidelined him for one start. And he later sprained his left ankle on a hit and missed four games.
"I thought that we took pretty darn good care of him," Trestman said. "I think he would agree. We’re going to try to do better this time around, but we’re trying to get rid of those things. I can’t speak for the past; I can only speak for the past as recent as last year. It was really a unique, awkward injury that he had. Hopefully we can get him through safe and get him to play a 16-game season. I know that’s predominant on his mind. If we can keep him safe and healthy, we feel like we can be in every game."
Backup Josh McCown played well in relief of Cutler last season and minimized any negative impact of Cutler's absence. But McCown's departure this offseason has resulted in a backup quarterback competition with no contenders proven at the NFL level.
The Bears have one of the most talented groups of skill position players in the league, so that would help any replacment if Cutler were to get hurt again. But barring another McCown-esque emergence by veteran backups Jordan Palmer or Jimmy Clausen or inexperienced passers Jarrod Johnson or David Fales, Cutler's health is critical.
Cutler is scheduled to speak to reporters for the first time this offsason during the Bears' minicamp June 16-18. Then we should learn more about his offseason training and the body changes Trestman mentioned.
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