Thursday, April 02, 2009

Bears trump 'Skins, acquire Cutler

The Chicago Bears acquired QB Jay Cutler and a 2009 fifth-round draft pick (140th overall) in a trade with the Denver Broncos today for QB Kyle Orton, a 2009 first round draft pick (18th overall), a 2009 third round draft selection (84th overall) and a 2010 first round draft pick.

Cutler was named to his first Pro Bowl in 2008 after passing for a Broncos franchise record 4,526 yards in 16 starts. He completed 384 of 616 pass attempts (62.3 percent) with 25 touchdowns and 18 interceptions for a 86.0 passer rating last season. Cutler’s 29 completions of 25-plus yards ranked tied for seventh in the NFL and his eight 300-yard passing contests were second most.

In three NFL seasons after being selected 11th overall by the Broncos in the 2006 NFL Draft, Cutler has completed 762 of 1,220 passing attempts (62.5 percent) for 9,024 yards, 54 touchdowns and 37 interceptions for an 87.1 passer rating in 37 starts. Since being named the Broncos’ starting quarterback in Week 13 of the 2006 season, Cutler’s 9,024 passing yards rank third in the NFL, his 54 touchdowns rank tied for seventh and his 60 completions of 25-plus yards rank tied for fifth.

The Bears also got Cutler a new left tackle, inking Orlando Pace to a three-year deal.

Pace, a seven-time Pro Bowler (1999-2005) has started 154 of 158 career games played in 12 NFL seasons, including 14 contests in 2008.

The 6-7, 325-pounder was the first overall pick in the 1997 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams out of Ohio State. During his string of seven-straight Pro Bowl seasons, Pace helped lead the Rams to the Super Bowl XXXIV title, a Super Bowl XXXVI appearance and blocked for three-straight NFL MVPs (QB Kurt Warner in 1999 and 2001 and RB Marshall Faulk in 2000).

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