Fresh start awaits Bears quarterback

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Jay Cutler grew up rooting for the Chicago Bears in Santa Claus, Ind.

Now, after a stormy exit from Denver, he’s the franchise quarterback for his once-favorite team.

One thing, though. Don’t call him a savior.

“I don’t see myself as that,” Cutler said Friday.

The Bears dealt quarterback Kyle Orton along with two first-round draft picks and a third-rounder to the Broncos for Cutler and a fifth-rounder on Thursday. They also agreed to a three-year contract with free-agent Orlando Pace, filling a hole on the offensive line with a seven-time Pro Bowler for St. Louis.

Two big moves. One big statement.

The Bears showed they’re serious about contending in the NFC after missing the playoffs the past two years, and in Cutler, they finally have a top-tier passer after a decades-long search.

“Time will tell if he’s going to be a franchise player,” general manager Jerry Angelo said. “We’re certainly hoping that’s the case. But what we do know is we got a winning quarterback and we feel very good about that.”

The Bears are getting a Pro Bowl quarterback who threw for 4,526 yards, 25 touchdowns with 18 interceptions, yet got traded after a major blowup with management and new coach Josh McDaniels. Cutler wasn’t happy when Mike Shanahan got fired or when his position coach, Jeremy Bates, left for Southern California.

And just when things were starting to smooth out, Cutler found out in late February that the Broncos were trying to trade him to Tampa Bay in a three-way deal that would have sent Matt Cassel from New England to Denver.

Cutler and his agent didn’t think McDaniels was up front with them about the trade talks and asked to be dealt; McDaniels, however, insisted he informed Cutler the morning of those discussions. Cutler declined to discuss the timeline on Friday, saying, “This is kind of a new chapter for me and I’m excited to be here.”

Either way, two meetings that were supposed to ease the tension in Denver only escalated the ill will, even though McDaniels insisted Cutler was his quarterback.

Cutler even said earlier this week that he didn’t want to leave Denver, yet that’s exactly what happened.

He initially figured he’d wind up with the Washington Redskins, but he got sent to Chicago, with a chance to repair his reputation.

2008, The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.