March 2017 - Chicago Bears Wiretap

Victor Cruz Signs One-Year Deal With Bears

May 28, 2017 12:49 AM

Victor Cruz has agreed to a one-year deal with the Chicago Bears.

Cruz, 30, joined the Giants as an undrafted free agent out of UMass in 2010 and quickly made his mark. He starred on their Super Bowl XLVI-winning team in 2011 and had 303 catches, 4,549 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns during his time with the Giants.

The Bears were thin at wide receiver following the departure of Alshon Jeffery.

Cruz is 2½ years removed from major knee surgery and would have counted for $9.4 million against the Giants' salary cap in 2017. New York freed up $7.5 million in cap space with his release.

ESPN

Tags: Chicago Bears, New York Giants, Free Agent Rumor, Misc Rumor, Signing

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Cutler Advises Bears Not To Play Trubisky If Team Has Bad Start

May 6, 2017 4:23 PM

Former Bears quarterback-turned-Fox analyst Jay Cutler advised against Chicago playing 2017 second overall pick Mitchell Trubisky if the club gets off to a bad start.

"If it's going downhill, there is no way I'm playing him," Cutler said on ESPN 1000's Waddle and Silvy Show. "For what? So he can go out there and take a beating and get off to a rough start as an NFL quarterback?"

ESPN.com

Tags: Chicago Bears, Misc Rumor

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Jay Cutler Hired By Fox Sports As Color Commentator

May 6, 2017 1:03 PM

Fox Sports has hired Jay Cutler as a color commentator.

Cutler found his free agent market tepid this offseason, which prompted the move. Cutler isn't prepared to fully say he's done with football.

"I don't know if retirement is the right word; I don't feel that anyone ever really retires from the NFL," Cutler told ESPN's Jeff Darlington. "You are either forced to leave, or you lose the desire to do what's required to keep going. I'm in between those situations at this point in my life."

Two NFL general managers of QB-needy teams say they did not anticipate Cutler getting a role that would allow him to compete for a starting job. An injury could give Cutler a shot to return.

ESPN

Tags: Chicago Bears, Free Agent Rumor, Misc Rumor

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Teams Tried To Trade Up For Mitch Trubisky, But Not As High As No. 2

May 3, 2017 11:49 PM

The Chicago Bears weren't the only team that wanted to trade up to select Mitch Trubisky, but they were the only team willing to move all the way up to No. 2.

Jon Robinson, the general manager of the Tennessee Titans, told SiriusXM NFL Radio that he fielded calls from teams interested in the fifth pick. When the Bears traded up to the second selection, he said teams stopped calling.

"We had some calls about pick No. 5," Robinson said. "When the trade happened between San Francisco and Chicago, it kinda threw water on anything in that spot."

Michael David Smith/Pro Football Talk

Tags: Chicago Bears, Draft, Misc Rumor, Trade Rumor

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Mike Glennon Feels 'Cheated On' After Mitchell Trubisky Pick

May 2, 2017 3:32 PM

Mike Glennon wasn't thrilled to see the Chicago Bears move up to draft Mitchell Trubisky with the second overall pick last Thursday.

The pick left Glennon feeling like he was "cheated on" less than two months after signing with the Bears.

Glennon's deal only guarantees him $2.5 million next year.

Rich Campbell/Chicago Tribune

Tags: Chicago Bears, Misc Rumor

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49ers Thought Bears Were Targeting Solomon Thomas

May 1, 2017 10:48 AM

The Chicago Bears refused to tell the San Francisco 49ers who they were targeting at No. 2. The Bears, however, weren't the only team to call the 49ers with serious interest in moving up.

The 49ers had Myles Garrett first on their board, followed by Solomon Thomas and Reuben Foster. The 49ers assumed it was Thomas.

“We got some good action on the pick,” said Paraag Marathe.

When Garrett went to the Browns at No. 1, John Lynch asked Marathe to call the Bears to get a little bit more.

Marathe called the Bears. “To try to solidify this now,” Marathe said to Pace, “we’re gonna need a little bit more to finish. It wouldn’t have to be much. Like, your four. So let’s say your third, 67 overall, this year, your three next year, and your four this year, 111 overall … I’m not gonna string you along … No … I will do it quickly. Let me get with John and Kyle (Shanahan) and I’ll call you right back.”

The Bears agreed to give up two third round picks and a fourth rounder to move up just one spot.

“Man, who do they want?” Lynch said. “Gotta be Solomon, right?”

“Call me crazy,” Marathe said. “But I think it’s (Mitchell) Trubisky.”

“Then why’d they go get [free-agent quarterback Mike] Glennon?” Lynch said.

Peter King/Sports Illustrated

Tags: Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, Draft, Draft Misc, Misc Rumor

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