Kyle Orton: Why Chicago Bears Must Bite into Waiver Wire for Fallen QB
Published by Kelly Scaletta on November 22, 2011
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
Raise your hand if you lamented the idea that we couldn’t trade for the former Bears QB whom we had once traded away to acquire the injured Jay Cutler. Well, a day later, it’s almost as if the Denver Broncos felt our pain, and they have cut Kyle Orton.
Now, Bill Barnwell has tweeted that he “Can confirm Jay Glazer’s report that the Bears will attempt to claim Kyle Orton, league source tells me.”
The reality is that the Bears aren’t going to find the perfect replacement for Jay Cutler. If he were out there, he’d be starting. However, for someone who would be coming in this deep into the season, you couldn’t do much better.
There are four things about Orton that make him an outstanding choice.
- Orton has proven he can win at Soldier Field. Managing the winds here are a difficult thing to do, and it’s something that a number of quarterbacks have struggled with. It’s why the list of “great” quarterbacks in Chicago’s history is very small. It’s just a hard place to throw the ball accurately in. Orton has a 21-12 record as a Bear.
- Orton knows a lot of the team. The players who have played with him believe in him and like him. They can say the same thing about Caleb Haine but it’s not something you can say about any of the other veterans they’ve talked about coming in to back Haine up.
- He is a proven game manager.
- He’s been playing this year. The other veterans are not in game shape.
Some of those things can be said about Hanie. Some of those things can be said about the other veterans that can be brought in. Orton is the only one that you can say all four of those things about, though.
It’s worth mentioning, too, that it sounds like Orton’s release may have been his request—so that he can come to Chicago, based on this news report:
Mike Klis of the Denver Post reported Orton’s agent David Dunn began talking to the Broncos about a release for his client after Cutler was injured during Sunday’s victory over the San Diego Chargers. Orton “let it be known that Chicago would be one place he’d like to play for,” Klis reported.
I mention this because it’s always another plus when you know the guy you’re getting had you as his first choice, too. I’m pretty sure Chicago would like to see Orton return, especially right now.
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