Jay Cutler’s one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins leaves one less opportunity for Colin Kaepernick.
News broke on Sunday that former Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler signed to the Miami Dolphins. Cutler and the organization agreed to a one-year deal worth $10 million dollars. While many pointed to this being a signing of “desperation” for the Miami based organization, this signing is also another denial for Colin Kaepernick. As that story continues to swirl as the preseason nears closer, it’s looking bleaker for the former Super Bowl quarterback.
For Kaepernick, this is yet another situation in an opportunity for a starting position within the NFL opened up, and his name was left out of the final signing. Cutler walked away from the NFL this past May, instead opting to join the Fox Sports broadcast team. Ryan Tannehill was the original starting quarterback for the Dolphins, but the surgery needed to repair the ligaments in his left knee pushed him out of the starting lineup, opening the door for Cutler.
Cuter, 34, started five games for Chicago last season, leading the group to a 1-4 record during that time. Thumb and shoulder injuries plagued him throughout the year and torn labrum surgery in December brought his year and his career, at the time, to a close. Cutler’s signing also means he leap frogs Matt Moore, a career backup who has stepped in as a starter for the Dolphins and the Carolina Panthers in the past.
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In terms of Kaepernick, though, one must wonder what is needed to happen for the embattled quarterback to get an opportunity in the league.
On paper, Kaepernick and Cutler are two very different quarterbacks. Cutler is a prototypical pocket passer who showed an ability to run throughout his career. Kaepernick doesn’t put up the same type of passing yards as Cutler, but his legs allow him to get yards in other ways.
As more teams overlook Kaepernick at this point in the game, this conversation isn’t going to go away. Kaepernick has proved he has the abilities to compete in this league, a fact that coaches such as Pete Carroll of Seattle have recognized.
Still, teams look the other way as their quarterback needs grow. It’s clear that signing Kaepernick has the potential to be a distraction that organizations do not want to deal with. His national anthem protest drew a wide range of criticism and, in many ways, has led to him being unsigned so late in the offseason.
Cutler being drawn from out of retirement, given his history of injuries and lack of team success, will cause some to wonder why Kaepernick wasn’t fully considered for the opportunity. That question may never be truly answered, but it’s going to hang out there in the days after this announcement.
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What is known is that Jay Cutler will suit up for the Miami Dolphins come the start of the 2017 season in a few weeks. It’s unknown whether or not Kaepernick will be able to find a team before that time, or if he will have to wait for another injury to occur during the regular season.