If Schaub is cut do you expect him to get more than Cutler?

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

The article clearly states that "recent contracts" have been structured this way, not all or even most. Cutler could easily gain by restructuring his contract if the Bears needed more cap space. It's a bargaining chip.

He gave up that right in a team-friendly provision. There's no other way to see it. It's just a fact.

We know you hate everything about having Cutler here and the money and the years but this minor issue is well-structured for the team, given the contract. Would you agree?

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You know me like that.

That was factored into this deal already. If this is as big of a deal as you think, then I'm guessing Cutler and his agent used it.

I'm confused now. I think this "restructure" is a minor issue because it really doesn't matter to Cutler at all. You and others don't.

I don't think it makes it a team friendly deal. You can invent this as some sort of grand gesture by Cutler. I'm saying it doesn't make a difference to him and gave him no leverage. Why does he care if the Bears pay him the same amount under a different name?

So, it's a minor issue and should be ignored. I agree.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

It must be tiring to be you.

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You know me like that.

It's not a minor issue but it's not a major issue either. It's just good/smart. It could give the Bears the ability to sign an extra player that wouldn't have fit under the cap as it stands today. Will be useful in-season if they get ravaged by injuries again.

It's a 3 year deal. The Bears would only save $6M by cutting him before his 3rd season.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

It's a 2 year deal, that would have them overpaying him for two years. But they do have the ability to cut him after the 2nd year without any ramifications to the cap or money owed.

Seriously. I'm not the one saying it is a big deal. I've been saying all along that it doesn't really matter.

Again, let me state that this deal is better than what was first reported. If it is really a 2 year deal, which I still doubt but Bucky Chris seems confident about, then that's even another positive about it. Otherwise, they franchised him for 3 years, and saved a few million a year doing so by guaranteeing all 3 years.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Overpaid? You Cutler haters won't quit.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I completely disagree. Being an informed fan is so much better. That way you know being "cheap" is the reason why your team didn't go out and sign every star free agent.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

I'm glad you've decided to look in the mirror. What minor point are you going to concede today? There is a first time for everything.

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GO BEARS!!!

If they cut him after 2 years for skill reasons, everybody in the front office should be fired. There's no way that will happen.

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You know me like that.

Totally agree. The chances of him not getting the $54mm is really really low.

If he's overpaid the first two years how is he not overpaid for year 3?

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Not true. $10M of his 3rd year salary would become fully guaranteed at the start of Year 2. The remaining $6M would be due at the beginning of Year 3.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Correct, my bad.

If this thread doesn't get pruned, it will go 1000 pages over the length of Cutler's contract.

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That makes a lot more sense. As I said, they basically franchise tagged him for the next 3 years, with a $2.5 million savings per year.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

It really is hilarious that members C.A.L.L. have tied themselves in knots trying to defend EVERYTHING about Cutler's play and his contract and now they are trying to criticize someone else for not giving in on an issue. It takes a lot of balls to try to pull that off.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

What is getting overlooked is Dr. Ken is talking about himself. He hasn't conceded 1 issue when it comes to Cutler's contract even though some contradict his previous statements. He's banking that his history of being a reasonable poster helps him pull this off.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

what is CALL?

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There's nothing more to concede. I could end up being wrong. Cutler could stop improving in this offense and the deal would be bad. If continues to improve and ends up a top 5-8 guy in the league, it's a solid deal for a good QB on a team designed to be offensive-minded.

Tell me what I should be conceding.

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You know me like that.

If they cut him after 2, then they get no value from their own contract. They could have just franchised him.

The value lies in their ability to lock him up for 7 years and work the cap. If they cut him after 2, they failed in every way.

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You know me like that.

I love how this is 40 pages and nobody can agree what his contract actually is yet.

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Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Culter's Ass Lickers Lodge™

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

That isn't how I understand the deal though. Years 6 and 7 are virtually impossible to ever be reached under the current agreement without an actual restructuring of the deal that would require his approval.

Even years 4 and 5 are unlikely under the current terms of the contract. Year 4 may be ok but if he plays in every game it's still $15 million and then $16 million the next year. That's not a great deal for the Bears either unless he becomes elite and then he'd probably hold out or the Bears would need to do a new deal for salary cap purposes.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Here you go, Nas. If they have to restructure the deal for years 4+ just to keep him happy, then I don't like this deal very much.

I'm assuming that they would only keep him after 3 if he has proven to be elite - at which point you'd have an elite QB at below-market salary. That's 1/2 the value I see in locking him for 3 as opposed to franchising him.

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You know me like that.

nothing modern about that

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

I understand the impact but having something that is irrelevant to the game take center stage diminishes enjoyment, unless you are a kid who wanted to grow up to be Cliff Stein rather than Matt Forte.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

The defense wasn't completely worthless all season. Early in the year they got a lot of turnovers, some of which they turned into score and they looked very much like the 2012 defense. But injuries to Tillman, Briggs and Melton, took a toll. But blaming the defense doesn't work for me. In the Eagles game, the defense sucked. It was awful. But how did Cutler play?....awful too. It's not as if they lost a shootout. They lost 54-11. Cutler had just 1 TD against an Eagles defense that was ranked amongst the very worst VS the pass. He had a pick-6 interception in the game as well, so in a game you might have reasonably expected him to shine in, he was awful. In big games, i don't trust him. Too often under the bright lights, he fails do deliver. Again, FORGET about the contract terms. If you don't believe in Cutler, the terms don't matter.

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Go Cubs!!!!