Veteran NFL quarterback Jay Cutler still is looking for a new team after the Chicago Bears cut him following last season, and he reportedly had an interest in playing for the Houston Texans. But NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said Saturday during draft coverage that the Texans never even returned his calls.
At one point, the pairing looked like at least a remote possibility. ESPN’s Jeff Dickerson reported early last week that the Texans once had “a mild interest” in Cutler after they dumped Brock Osweiler and his contract on the Browns. But Coach Bill O’Brien apparently wanted to roll with Tom Savage, and then the Texans took Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson in the first round Thursday. The dream is over or never even got off the ground, depending on whom you believe.
[Deshaun Watson went No. 12 in the NFL draft. Here’s why that’s pretty amazing.]
As for Cutler’s next move, that’s hard to predict at this point. His main problem is that no one really needs a quarterback right now, especially a 34-year-old quarterback (his birthday was Saturday, actually) who played in just five games last season because of thumb and shoulder injuries. The Jets were “seriously interested” in signing him, Dickerson notes, but instead went with journeyman Josh McCown after Cutler canceled a trip to New York for personal reasons.
So it’s either likely retirement or wait until another quarterback gets hurt during minicamp or training camp (which is almost certain to happen). Cutler is only one season removed from the best passer rating of his career in 2015. Someone will have a need, probably.
Wife Kristin Cavallari says — somewhat cryptically — that it’s all good, in any case.
“I don’t want to say too much, but exciting things are happening for him,” she told People in a story about how the family is moving from Chicago to Nashville, where Cutler went to college. “He hasn’t said what he’s going to do next year, and I’ll let him say that when it’s time to, but he’s good. He’s good.”
