General Manager Phil Emery has used the phrase franchise quarterback when talking about Jay Cutler. His new coach artfully avoided that Cutler characterization on Thursday.
Hes a guy who really loves football, Marc Trestman said, creating a vague feeling of damning faint praise.
Longtime quarterbacks mentor Trestman did say that he cant wait to get my hands on Cutler, with the consensus in the room being that Trestman was speaking as a coach and not someone with hostile intent because of too many interceptions.
Cutler was not the only franchise player whose future was left in question by Trestman, who skirted questions about individual players by generally stating that he and Emery had not gone into enough depth yet.
With Lovie Smith gone and defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli choosing to leave rather than work as a member of Trestmans staff, the future of middle linebacker Brian Urlacher moves from questionable to doubtful. Make that very doubtful after Trestman would say only that he had a sense of Urlacher as a Bear in the past.
I have a feeling that this guy has been a great player for this team, Trestman said. I recognize certainly what hes meant to this locker room, and to the fan base of the Chicago Bears. When we get done meeting with the media well begin to try to answer some of those questions and Phil will educate me to that.
Cutler screening
When Trestman was going through the interview process that culminated in his being named the 14th head coach in franchise history, Emery wanted input from Cutler.
Specifically, Emery wanted Cutler to meet with Trestman and come back with a sense of Trestman on four points: communication (can the guy be talked to easily?); poise (does the guy present as a head coach?); articulation (can the guy explain his football schemes and ideas?); and is he a leader (no explanation necessary).
Cutler was not involved in the final decision but Trestman received his quarterbacks endorsement. Then again, so did Mike Martz, although Martz went to Nashville to meet with Cutler, whereas Trestman was at Halas Hall for his Cutler meeting.
Trestman met with Cutler in years past, helping prepare him for the NFL Scouting Combine. But the Cutler he met with this week was not the same one he encountered before Cutler had ever thrown an NFL pass.
Hes a different guy, Trestman said. Hes in tune to where he is and where he wants to go. He understands his strengths and his weaknesses, and he wants to go forward.
I cant wait to get my hands on him and go to work with him, and I think hes ready. And were going to try to put a system of football and put people around him that can help him be the player that he wants to be.