|
 The Bears' next game is at Minnesota on Sunday, and coach Marc
Trestman said he expects Cutler to remain sidelined because of a
high left ankle sprain.
Chicago then hosts Dallas on Dec. 9. If he's not ready for that
Monday night game against the Cowboys, Cutler expects to return at
Cleveland on Dec. 15.
"I will be playing either that Monday game or wherever we play after
that," Cutler said Monday during his weekly appearance on WMVP-AM
1000 in Chicago. "Let's lean toward the Monday game, though."
Cutler said that he won't need surgery and there's "zero chance"
he's finished for the season.
Trestman is also confident that his quarterback will return in
December. But Cutler will likely sit out his third straight game
when the Bears visit the Vikings.
"I'm totally confident he'll play again this season," Trestman said.
"I don't have any reason based on what I've been told. It's still
week-to-week. I'm confident. I think Jay is confident. You have to
leave yourself an opening, but there is no underlying information
here."
Trestman also said Monday that Matt Forte slightly hyperextended his
knee the previous day in a loss at St. Louis and ruled out
linebacker Lance Briggs (shoulder) for the Minnesota game.
[to top of second column] |
As for Cutler, the past month has been a rough
one.
Cutler tore his left groin muscle against Washington on Oct. 20
and missed the next game at Green Bay two weeks later. He
returned earlier than expected against Detroit on Nov. 10, only
to injure his ankle. Josh McCown has played well in his place.
The injuries cast another layer of questions surrounding
Cutler's future in Chicago. He has an expiring contract and
could be hit with the franchise-player tag after this season.
If that happens, Cutler told the radio station he would be fine
with it and that he wants to stay in Chicago.
"I'm not going to take anything personally," Cutler said. "If
they want to franchise me, I'm going to feel good about the
situation we're in. We're going to be in our second year of the
offense with these guys. We're going to be better, I'm going to
be better, so it's not personal. It's business."
___
Online:
AP NFL website:
http://pro32.ap.org/
[Associated
Press; ANDREW SELIGMAN, AP Sports Writer]
Copyright 2013 The Associated
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