Bears' Cutler takes the high road on Bennett comments
BOURBONNAIS — The Bears returned to practice at Olivet Nazarene University after Tuesday's off day, and quarterback Jay Cutler talked about teammates past and present.
Past first.
In response to ex-Bears tight end Martellus Bennett's claim in an ESPN the Magazine piece that even when he'd be open, Cutler would throw into double coverage, the quarterback took the high road.
“I'm really not gonna get into that,” Cutler said. “Most receivers and tight ends are always open (in their minds). So hopefully, Tom (Brady) can do a better job of finding him than I did.” Bennett is now with the New England Patriots because the Bears couldn't get rid of him fast enough after his me-first attitude wore thin. They dumped Bennett and a sixth-round draft pick getting just a fourth-round pick in return.
The Patriots are Bennett's fourth team in six years, and his act is not likely to last long with Brady and coach Bill Belichick.
Cutler was asked why he was a target for Bennett.
“I don't know, man,” he said. “I could say something clever and smart, but I'll just pass.”
Another former teammate, wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who had back-to-back 100-catch seasons with the Bears in 2012 and '13 said Cutler “can be an MVP this year,” on ESPN's First Take.
“You can't please everybody,” Cutler said. “We're at both ends of the spectrum here. We wish both those guys good luck. I had fun playing with them here, and that's just kind of how it goes.”
As for he present? Cutler has posted the three highest passer ratings of his career in the previous three seasons, including a personal-best 92.3 last season. If that improvement is to continue, he needs 2015 first-round pick Kevin White to fulfill the promise that made him the seventh overall pick.
White missed his rookie season following shin surgery for stress fractures but has been impressive thus far in camp, flashing his rare size-strength-speed combination.
“(Wednesday) he caught a ball down the sideline, (he catches) stuff across the middle — he flies across; he's fearless,” Cutler said. “We've just got to get the details of the assignments and kind of clean all that up, so that he can play even faster. But there's definitely some 'wow' plays in there.”
The 6-foot-3, 216-pound White has every physical attribute teams seek in go-to wide receivers, but he played just two seasons at West Virginia and is still working to master the nuances of the position. With some route refinement blended with his 4.35 speed, White could pair with Alshon Jeffery to form a dangerous duo.
“We'll be able to take some shots with him,” Cutler said of White. “And it's going to open up some stuff underneath for some other guys. He just has that extra gear where he's able to put a little bit more pressure on them. We just have to get him to a point where he's maximizing every single play.”
The Bears' best offensive lineman, right guard Kyle Long, returned to practice after last week's calf strain but didn't do much. Just having him back on the field makes any quarterback feel more secure, though.
Long was a stud from Day One, making the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2013 and in each of the next two years as well. But Cutler says he's more of a polished pro now than when he came in after starting just five games at Oregon.
“It's like a big cave man came in and (we) just pointed him in a direction, and he went and ran,” Cutler said of Long's rookie year. “Now he knows football. He knows where the ball's going and who to block. You get a big 3-technique (defensive tackle), and he kind of neutralizes guys.”
Cutler took a special interest in Long from Day 1 because he saw a diamond in the rough.
“You just saw the raw talent,” Cutler said. “He just needed a little bit of direction. You get a guy who wants the extra work, wants to be great and just needs a little bit of fine-tuning and direction. That's all he needed.”
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