Jason Cole at the Bleacher Report says that the idea of trading quarterback Jay Cutler to the Tennessee Titans to take Marcus Mariota with the second overall pick is “gaining traction” within the Bears organization in the video below.
Cole is getting this from “a source he talked to over the weekend”. Who want to bet its quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains, who apparently helped push the Browns into taking Johnny Manziel last year?
I don’t believe this for a second. The last time there was a trade up in this kind of scenario, the Redskins gave three first round picks to the Rams to get Robert Griffin III. I refuse to believe the Bears are that stupid. Nor do I believe that Bears general manager Ryan Pace and Bears head coach John Fox would allow themselves to be bullied into taking such a risk because a “source” like Loggains or someone like him tried to drum up support for it. Say what you want about George McCaskey, he’s not dumb enough to demand that the Bears take Mariota because someone other than the general manager wants him.
There’s just one problem with your point. Pace has said publicly that he thinks Mariota will be a “good” QB, so it’s not just one person who likes him and Loggains is supposedly friends with Cutler so I doubt it’s him looking to build up support to trade him. Also, the rumor is that Cutler and 7 would go for the 2nd pick, not a bunch of picks like RG3. You are right in that I don’t think the Bears would deal a bunch of picks to move up but if the deal mentioned were there I think they’d do it.
I don’t doubt that Pace likes Mariota well enough to take him at 7 if he falls. But I can’t imagine he’d trade up. The Titans would have to be fools to take a first and Cutler – just another reason not to believe it. With that contract and the fact that no one else apparently wants him? I assume he’d be a throw in at best. Heck, if I was them, I’d be tempted to demand more from the Bears in the trade to take the contract off their hands. So what they might was well actually be saying is #2 overall for #7 overall almost straight up. Not quite that bad but not far off.
I don’t believe this is coming from Pace and I don’t believe this is coming from Fox. I can’t say for sure its Loggains. But he’s the next logical candidate as the quarterbacks coach who has undoubtedly been scouting him. And, admittedly reading between the lines, he has a history of playing political games to get his way.