NFL free agency grades: Analyzing every move of the new league year

He was 5-13 as a starter with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, losing his job to Josh McCown in 2014 and later being shoved into permanent backup duties when the Bucs drafted Jameis Winston with the No. 1 pick in 2015. He accumulated more yards and touchdowns than any other Bears quarterback while picking up many other career club records, including passer rating and completion percentage.

Glennon’s arrival meant the end of the line for Jay Cutler’s Chicago career, as the Bears released him on Thursday. In 2014, he signed a seven-year contract with the team, but he played only five games in the 2016 season due to injury, a fact that irked many Bears fans.

The Bears entered free agency with more than $50 million in cap space and a massive need at the quarterback position. Glennon would’ve gone into the season as Chicago’s starter even if Cutler was still on the roster. New quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates coached Cutler in 2007-08 with the Broncos and in 2012 with the Bears.

Quarterback Mike Glennon had an unusual request for general manager Ryan Pace shortly after agreeing to a three-year contract with the Bears. Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller also said the other teams targeting Glennon decided not to pursue him further because a deal with the Bears “seems like a foregone conclusion”. From 2011-12, he threw 62 touchdowns to 29 interceptions for the Wolfpack.

The Steelers have re-signed Landry Jones to a two-year deal that will keep him as the primary backup behind quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Last but not least, it was time for the biggest signing of them all in Glennon. Now, it appears they have their sights set on Cutler. Cutler, by comparison, was interception-prone at 3.3 percent, and no team reached the National Football League postseason in 2016 with a quarterback interception rate higher than 3.1 percent (Houston/Brock Osweiler, Miami/Ryan Tannehill).

Now, for the first time since his days at North Carolina State, Glennon has the keys to the offense before the season is underway. Cutler was ridiculed for his demeanor and inconsistent production that led to only one playoff appearance with him under center. However, there are game-changing defensive players only available in the first round, and viable quarterback options will fall deep into the first round and maybe to Chicago’s 36th overall pick.

His may not be the sexy name, but quarterback Mike Glennon does make sense for the Bears.