NFL News: Jay Cutler To Be Benched By Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears are expected to bench quarterback Jay Cutler for at least the next game and even the rest of the season according to multiple reports. In his place, the Bears are going to start fifth year Jimmy Caulsen at the QB spot when they face the Detroit Lions in Week 16 of the National Football League (NFL) regular season.

Chicago with 5 wins in a total of 14 games so far is already out of playoff contention and Cutler is one of the main reasons why the Bears have struggled all year. The 31-year-old has a passer rating of 89.5 for the season, just the middle of the pack among all quarterbacks. Cutler has a total of 3,640 passing yards on 347-of-525 completions with 28 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. Chicago, led by Cutler for the most part, will miss th postseason for the seventh time in eight years.

Before the start of the 2014 NFL season, Cutler signed a seven-year $126.7 million contract with the Bears including a guaranteed $54 million. At almost $18 million per year, he is one of the highest paid players in the entire NFL this season. Caulsen was drafted 48th overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. Clausen has played in three games for the Bears this season and completed three of nine passes.

"We haven't been able to do the things that we want to get done. We’re working towards that. But the answer to that is obvious. I'm trying to give you the most truthful answer, and that is, we've seen moments of it, but it's not where we need to go,” Bears head coach Marc Trestman said via ESPN after their embarrassing 31-15 loss to the New Orleans Saints on NFL Monday Night Football. “It's not where we need to be. But it's not all about Jay. It's about our entire offense, working together to get it done."

Some reports on Wednesday have stated that head coach Marc Trestman is also on his way out of the Chicago camp and will be fired at the end of the season.