Chicago Bears coach Marc Trestman announced on Wednesday that Jay Cutler will take over as starting quarterback on Sunday against Cleveland. As standout backup Josh McCown returns to the bench, the 34-year-old signal caller could find himself starting for another NFL team next season.
Cutler, who's missed four games with an ankle sprain, completed a full-speed workout on Wednesday and is healthy enough to start under center, according to ESPN.
"We plan on him playing, and we plan on him playing well," Trestman told reporters on Thursday, via ESPN. "I expect Jay to play efficiently and play well on Sunday. That's why he's gonna be up. ...
"We have a very close quarterback room. Everybody knows our situation. There was never a doubt that this was the direction we were gonna go. We said that from the beginning. Josh did a tremendous job filling in as the backup. Jay's healthy and ready to go and will play on Sunday."
Chicago (7-6) is tied with the Detroit Lions for first in the NFC North. Should Cutler struggle down the stretch, it's uncertain how quick Trestman may pull the trigger and put in McCown.
Regardless, McCown's performance while filling in for Cutler will likely earn him a with another team next season. He becomes a free agent in March, and because of his age, could find himself starting for a franchise in need of a capable, short-term solution under center.
Through seven games this season, McCown completed 66.8 percent of his passes for 1,809 yards, 13 touchdowns and just one interception for a quarterback rating of 109.8.
He's improved each game, including stringing together three straight outings where he's passed for at least 345 yards. Last week's game against Dallas saw McCown throw for 348 yards, four touchdowns and one rushing score in a 45-28 win.
