It’s rare that the PFT scribes disagree with each other, and it’s even more rare that we do so in print.
But I’m compelled to add my two cents on the notion that Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is involved in the interviews of offensive coordinator candidates.
Rosenthal suggested that the move indicates that the inmates are running the asylum. Though there’s a danger of that dynamic unfolding, the reality is that Cutler already holds all the power in Chicago. If he fails next season, everyone gets fired. So everything the team does in the offseason must be done with an eye toward making Cutler better.
Given that Cutler and the offensive coordinator will have a close working relationship and in light of Cutler’s reputation for being prone to fits of moodiness and/or pouting, it makes sense to ensure that an acceptable dynamic exists between the two men.
As one league source explained it, the process of having the quarterback meet with offensive coordinator candidates is “nothing new.” The source points out that Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman met with Norv Turner before Turner was hired in 1991 to run the Dallas offense.
“You have to find out if there is any chemistry between the two people,” the source said. “Other teams have done the same over the years. It’s the smart thing to do.”
We (I) agree, in large part because it would be stupid to risk alienating the delicate genius whose ability to throw a football accurately will go a long way toward determining the ability of the head coach and the G.M. and the rest of the staff to remain employed into 2011.