Smoke them if you got them, Jay Cutler is back. The former Chicago Bears quarterback who retired this 0ff-season has just unretired, signing a one-year, $10 million deal with the Miami Dolphins.
There’s going to be so much to unsort out of this move, so we’ll start at the top. Ryan Tannehill is obviously done for the season. Whether the team has publicly stated it or not, Tannehill is obviously going to have his knee surgically repaired and miss all of 2017. There’s no other reason to make this move.
Specifics of #Dolphins QB Jay Cutler's contract: 1 year, $5M base, $5M in bonuses, up to $3M more in incentives.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 6, 2017
Cutler, of course, played for Gase in Chicago in 2015 when Gase was the offensive coordinator for the Bears. In 2015, running Gase’s scheme, Cutler completed 64.4 percent of his passes for 3,659 yards, 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
The rumblings of a possible signing started a couple of days ago. Cutler was supposed to do color for FOX NFL broadcasts this season, but had an out if he did decide to return to the NFL. It looked like that wasn’t going to happen, but Tannehill’s injury and Cutler’s history with Gase actually made this an easy call.
Fox will have to scramble now, with barely a week’s notice, to replace Cutler in the booth. No one really cares about that.
Jay Cutler is signing with the Miami Dolphins, here he is in Madden. pic.twitter.com/HDDklU3nVa
— Steve Noah (@Steve_OS) August 6, 2017
What people will care about is everybody’s favorite unemployed quarterback, Colin Kaepernick.
You’re going to hear plenty of bullshit comparing Cutler to Kaepernick after this and it’s probably already happening all over your Twitter feed. Was Kaepernick ever really in the mix for Gase and Miami? Maybe, but Cutler is, without question, the better option for them. Not only is Cutler a better quarterback than Kaepernick (he is, anybody that says different doesn’t know shit about shit and doesn’t really watch the NFL), but he’s a better fit for Gase’s offensive scheme. Even the most addled among us should realize that. Kaepernick has never completed 64 percent of his passes in his life.
Jay Cutler would be the Dolphins' 18th starting QB since Dan Marino retired.
The only AFC team to use more than 18 since 2000 is the Browns
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) August 6, 2017
Kaepernick, I can tell you, would not have beaten out current Dolphins back up Matt Moore. Hell, there’s a chance Cutler won’t either. A small one, but it’s there nonetheless. Kaepernick would be a better option than the other guys on the Dolphins’ depth chart, Brandon Doughty and David Fales, and that’s where he would have ended up. A back up to Moore and Fales would have been on the street.
As it is, Kaepernick’s best option remains the Baltimore Ravens and I think that’s basically a done deal if they can get a good contract number. It’s sure as hell not going to be $10 million and if he expects that, he might as well go ahead and retire. Kap is a $3-4 million guy at best on a one-year deal.
Say what you want about Jay Cutler, but signing with the Dolphins is good news for the fantasy stock of Landry, Parker and Stills. …
— Michael Fabiano (@Michael_Fabiano) August 6, 2017
The good news for Cutler, and this likely enticed him back as much as the money and reuniting with Gase, is this Dolphins team will be the best he’s played on in years. They have elite weapons at wide receiver in DeVante Parker, Kenny Stills and Jarvis Landry, a great pass-catching tight end in Julius Thomas, a solid offensive line and one of the best running backs in the league in Jay Ajayi. They also have one of the better defenses in the league.
This is why Gase wanted to bring in Cutler. He’s knows he’s on the cusp of something good in Miami and the Tannehill injury was about to ruin it. If Gase can coach up a 2015 version of Jay Cutler, the Dolphins will make the playoffs again.
Linval Joseph and Vikings complete high-value merger
The Minnesota Vikings are taking no chances when it comes to the linchpins of their defense. Saturday afternoon the team announced they’d signed defensive tackle Linval Joseph to a four-year, $50 million contract extension with $31.5 million in guaranteed cash.
The Vikings have re-signed Linval Joseph to a 4 year $50 million deal! The Big Goon is here to stay! pic.twitter.com/BLQ1lL5Uvo
— Vikings Outlet (@VikesOutlet) August 5, 2017
Last season Joseph recorded 77 tackles, four sacks and three forced fumbles.
Joseph is the third Vikings defender to cash in for 2017. Cornerback Xavier Rhodes and defensive end Everson Griffen both recently signed contract extensions.
49ers lose Malcolm Smith for the season
A torn pectoral muscle will cost the San Francisco 49ers one of their key free agent acquisitions. Linebacker Malcolm Smith will miss the entire 2017 season after suffering the injury to his chest muscle last week.
Smith had just joined the 49ers on a five-year, $26.5 million deal with $13 million guaranteed. Luckily for San Francisco, they have Smith’s replacement on the roster after drafting Reuben Foster out of Alabama late in the first round of April’s NFL Draft.
Rough blow: #49ers veteran LB Malcolm Smith is out for the season with a torn pec, sources say. The MRI revealed the news.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 5, 2017
Last year with the Oakland Raiders, Smith recorded 103 tackles, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, three passes defended and one interception.
Foster, last season with the Crimson Tide, recorded 115 tackles, 13 for a loss, five sacks and two passes defended.
Jalen Collins suspended for 10 games
Atlanta Falcons cornerback Jalen Collins was notified Sunday that he will have to sit out the first 10 games of the 2017 season for violating the NFL’s performance enhancing drugs policy.
Falcons announce CB Jalen Collins suspended 10 games for violating PED policy. Explains his recent demotion
— Gregg Rosenthal (@greggrosenthal) August 6, 2017
Collins was suspended for the first four games of last season for the same reason.
“We are extremely disappointed that for the second straight season we are dealing with a suspension for Jalen,” Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said in a statement. “Such are the consequences when certain choices are made. Our decisions going forward will be based on what Dan and I feel is best for the team.”
Collins, when he did return last season, was pretty damn good. He started six games for the Falcons and recorded 31 tackles, 10 passes defended and two interceptions. That stat line will likely keep Collins a job with the Falcons this season. If he’s still as solid in the final six games of the season, all will be forgiven.
Other NFL News
Washington Redskins wide receiver Josh Doctson may have injured his hamstring and is being evaluated according to the team.
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins injured his ankle, to no one’s surprise, but did return to practice Sunday.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce missed Sunday’s practice with a banged up knee. He experienced some swelling on the knee Friday. Safety Eric Berry and linebacker Derrick Johnson were also held out of practice. Berry has an injured heel and Johnson a sore Achilles.
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