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LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Football players talk a lot about the importance of "tape." Tape is where you find answers and tape is where you want to shine. In what might have been his last news conference at Halas Hall, Jay Cutler got some great stuff on tape. For a guy known for a lack of composure on the field, he continued his impressive streak of keeping it together under duress off the field.  In his first comments since his surprise benching by coach Marc Trestman on Wednesday, Cutler impressed NFL people from coast to coast. He was self-effacing, respectful, funny and insightful in talking to local reporters, a group with which he has had an up-and-down relationship.
It was the second straight week in which he looked a lot more professional than Trestman, who has been reduced to a defensive, mournful soul who is likely seeing the end of his professional dream. There are no winners in the Bears' situation, save for Jimmy Clausen, who gets his first start since 2010 this Sunday against the Detroit Lions. At 5-9, the Chicago Bears aren't just subpar, they're getting embarrassed on a weekly basis. Cutler has been part of the problem, and in this case, he's the scapegoat for the organizational dysfunction that has crippled the historic franchise. Chicago is used to the Bears missing the playoffs, but we're in rare territory here as the Bears are operating like the Oakland Raiders. While Cutler's reputation as a sourpuss has been solidified through years of televised grimacing, he has been very good with Chicago media this year in his podium appearances. He even joked about the now-famous miscommunication Monday night when he answered three questions in the postgame media room and left before reporters had scurried over from the locker room. "Glad you guys could make it," he said. "I missed you after the game." It figures this happens now. Cutler isn't going to win a Super Bowl in Chicago, but he won the room in Lake Forest. I can't speak for anyone else, but I found him sympathetic Thursday. If he's gone, he's going out, well, professionally. But is this really the end for Cutler in Chicago? On Wednesday evening, I was sure of it. Now, I'm less so. After all, if you're George McCaskey, the boss of this team, whom would you rather have in Bears colors next year: Cutler, Trestman or general manager Phil Emery? The answer is probably none of them, and that might happen after the season finale in Minnesota next week. But if you had to pick one person, the answer is Cutler, right? He also has the biggest salary. On one hand, Cutler is known as a coach killer. They should put chalk outlines at his locker. But on the other hand, does anyone miss those coaches? The two-year Trestman era makes locals wistful for the Dick Jauron years. Emery has made some shrewd moves with his picks, but other moves, from Cutler's deal to Brandon Marshall's extension to the hiring of Trestman over Bruce Arians to ... well, let's just say there's a lot to nitpick about his three years here. Does Cutler even want to stay? If I were his agent, Bus Cook, I would've already reached out to Tennessee and St. Louis, among other teams that could use the services of a 31-year-old quarterback next year. Cutler said the right things when asked about it. "I would like to stay here," Cutler said. "I really like it here. I love the guys in the locker room that I get to play with. Clearly, it's a different circumstances now. But going forward, this is where I'd like to be." It was Jan. 2 when Cutler signed a contract extension that guaranteed him $54 million if he stuck around for three seasons. It seemed like a no-brainer. Cutler looked as if he finally found a home in Trestman's offense. "Yeah, you sign a seven-year deal and you think you're going to be here a while," Cutler said. "I'm still hopeful that that's going to ring true, that we'll have another shot at this. But after that last game, a lot could happen and we'll say we've prepared for it." That last game, a three-interception stink bomb against the New Orleans Saints at Soldier Field, pushed his turnover total to 24. His turnover-to-million-dollars ratio isn't good. He will earn an NFL-high $22.5 million by the end of this season, a little more than anticipated after Emery moved some money around to sign defensive end Jared Allen. Cutler was asked if the guaranteed money made this benching easier. He called it a "great, great, great question." "I'm still disappointed, whether they pay me or don't pay me," Cutler said. "I don't like being in this situation. I don't like having to sit up here and answer these questions about me not being able to play on Sunday. I'd rather get paid less and be able to play on Sunday and play at a high level, if that was possible, but it's not right now. The security of the contract is nice, but I would trade that for reversing our record and playing better football." Again, the right thing to say. Cutler said he didn't take the news well when Trestman delivered it. He had obviously cooled down by the time he met with reporters. As for Trestman, a true football nomad, he said he doesn't think Cutler's "journey" is over yet. "In particular with QBs, we're all on our own journeys, each player, person, team is," Trestman said. "And their journeys have highs and lows. Certainly this is, I can't speak for Jay but I know him well enough to know, this is obviously not a good time for him. I've also seen careers revived from moments like this -- that players gain strength, they gain perspective, they come out stronger. And I really expect Jay will do that. He will take a look at this moment and look back on that from a very positive perspective as he comes back and plays in this league. I really believe that will certainly happen." But will all this self-discovery happen in Chicago with Trestman gone? We'll find out in the next few weeks when we see who survives this season and who is making the decisions. Until then, enjoy Jimmy Clausen.
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