The Chicago Bears are preparing to be without quarterback Jay Cutler for two-to-three weeks as he deals with a thumb injury on his right hand that he suffered in Monday Night’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network has reported that the Bears are “preparing for a lengthy absence,” in regards to Cutler, which means backup quarterback Brian Hoyer will be the starter heading into week three.
With his sprained thumb, #Bears QB Jay Cutler expected to miss 2-3 weeks, source said. Timeline depends on how he heals over the next 3 days
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 21, 2016
Jay Cutler Expected to Miss 2-3 Weeks With Thumb Injury
Cutler was forced to leave Monday Night’s game at the end of the third quarter against the Eagles, in which the Bears (0-2) lost 29-14. The veteran signal caller appeared to injure his hand while fumbling the football on a third quarter sack and had to use his right hand to brace himself for the impact.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Cutler apparently suffered ligament damage on the same hand in their week one loss to the Houston Texans, and re-aggravated the injury on Monday.
Backup quarterback Brian Hoyer, who the Bears signed this past off-season, will get the start this Sunday when they take on the Dallas Cowboys. Hoyer has bounced around the NFL primarily as a backup, but he did start nine games for the Texans last season, including a humiliating playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. In 2013 and 2014, the veteran quarterback also started a combined 13 games for the Cleveland Browns.
Hoyer went undrafted in the 2009 NFL Draft, and signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free-agent out of Michigan State. Hoyer was also a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals.
Cutler, 33, is in the third year of a seven-year, $126.7 million deal, and the Pro Bowl (2008) quarterback is due to make $16 million this season. Prior to his injury, Cutler was completing 61% of his passes through the first two games of the season, with only one touchdown and two interceptions. Cutler has thrown for only 373 yards on the season, while being sacked a league-high eight times, and he’s ranked 29th among qualified quarterbacks in passer rating.
The Bears franchise quarterback was the 11th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, drafted by the Denver Broncos out of Vanderbilt. Chicago acquired the former first-round pick in a trade with with the Broncos in 2009, and quickly gave him a two-year contract extension for $30 million.
During his eleven year career, Cutler has thrown for 31,781 yards with 205 touchdowns and 143 interceptions.
