A franchise QB is a guy you draft/develop, sign or trade for, and build your offense around. Obviously sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Cutler is probably an odd case where you get more mixed results than anything. The Bears have definitely built their team around him, thus making him a franchise QB.

Is Tony Romo an elite (top 5) QB? Philip Rivers? Matt Schaub? Matt Ryan? Alex Smith while on the 49ers? Joe Flacco? Eli Manning? All good players, some better than Cutler, but none of them are in the elite grouping yet they are all franchise QBs just like Cutler is.

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I define franchise qb differently

Every QB you named besides Smith and Schaub are better than Cutler, and those two aren't getting paid like top level QBs.

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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

The problem is that every team has a franchise quarterback or will after the draft this 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!

Smith is supposed to get a big extension if not already according to the talk. Schaub already had a big extension. That is why he is getting cut. Just like Cutler will in three years if he isn't worth it.

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Elections have consequences.

Jeff Dickerson ‏@ESPNChiBears
#Bears agree to terms on one-year deal w/ CB Sherrick McManis.

Good special teamer.

This is worth it just so people don't complain he's the highest cap hit.


@adamjahns: The #Bears have restructured Jay Cutler's deal. 5 million converted to signing bonus. His cap hit for 2014 is now $18.5 million.

He still gets the money. Doesn't matter what the bean counters call it.

But I don't have to listen to people saying he is the highest cap hit in the NFL anymore. It's a nice win for me. Please let me enjoy this.

I agree, this changes everything. Great contract now.

_________________
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

I'm with you, Chris. Nice of Cutler to agree to a contract like this so they can sign their draft picks this year. Total team player.

How's that?

They had enough to sign the picks before this, fwiw.

REALLY happy about this:

ProFootballTalk ‏@ProFootballTalk 7s
Bears sign Jared Allen http://wp.me/p14QSB-9rLw

I have to root for Jared Allen now?

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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 am too. He should be motivated.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Rich Campbell ‏@Rich_Campbell
Bears DE rotation is crystallizing: Houston, Young can stop the run and rush passer. Allen, McClellin, Idonije complement the pass rush.

I like the signing depending on how long and how much.

Now......do they still go d-line at 14? Or safety?

I wonder if this means Lamarr is moving inside. I think in his opening PC, he said he wanted to be on the outside.

Jason La Canfora ‏@JasonLaCanfora
It's a 4yr/ $32M deal for Jared Allen that voids to 3yrs/$24M with $15.5M guaranteed. That guarantee is in line with the Ware contract

Emery essentially says D will 4-3 next two years.

I don't know exactly how these numbers add up but why wouldn't they have just kept Peppers for one more year and then cut him instead of doing this? Doesn't the 2014 cap hit end up being close to the same?

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

They could have done that, except that Peppers is bad and doesn't sack the quarterback and Jared Allen is good and sacks the quarterback.

That's a lot of money.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Wow just wow.

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Elections have consequences.

Even though it's a 4 year deal, it's probably a 1 year deal (maybe 2) that spreads the cap hit out over the length of the deal.

It's hard to not like this deal on the surface even though we know veteran players production can fall quickly and unexpectedly.

They now have 3 DE's signed this off-season - I assume this means that Lamar Houston will play more DT than may have been anticipated when he was initially signed although neither Allen or Young may be full time starters, perhaps part of a rotation.

I think what this does do, combined with the 3 DT's expected to be in the rotation (Paea, Collins, Ratliff) and now Houston more, it may mean they are looking into the secondary for their first round pick, although I'd still find it hard to pass on a DT in Round 1.

Mc Clellin doesn't complement anything. The guy would be off the team if not for his draft position. I stand by my in season statement that Bass is better and has shown more.

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

I really don't understand why people get hung up on 3-4 or 4-3. They both can be effective D. People act like 3-4 would immediately improve conditions.

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

Desire to put Shea in a situation to succeed to absolve Emery's terrible record of drafting.

Totally agree. Not sure why Bass' s name doesn't come up. I guess now it's wait and see if McClellan fails at LB.