The problem is that Cutler's caliber is that of a below-average starting quarterback.
Below average?
There are a lot of really bad QBs in the league.
There are 10 I'd take over Cutler, no questions asked - Brees, Rothlisburger, Luck, Ryan, Rodgers, Rivers, Brady, Tannehill, Wilson, and Newton.
I'd take Cutler over Peyton Manning right now because Manning is two years removed from back surgery, recently admitted that he can't feel his fingers on his throwing hand, looked like his arm fell off in the last quarter of last season, and will turn 40 this year.
Eli Manning throws interceptions at the same rate as Cutler, with a lower career completion percentage, lower TD rate, lower yards per attempt and lower QB rating, despite playing for better teams. He's two years older and is paid more than Cutler.
Both last year, and for their respective careers, Cutler is better than Matt Stafford in almost every statistical category except interception rating. And there isn't enough of a difference there to make me want Stafford over Cutler this year. Obviously, Stafford is quite a bit younger and I'd prefer him long term.
Joe Flacco - see Matt Stafford.
Tony Romo is good-looking Jay Cutler. They could trade places and the results would be the same.
Andy Dalton is ginger Jay Cutler. They could trade places and the results would be the same.
A year ago, Kaepernick would have definitely been in the "No-doubt, want him more than Jay" category, but he's coming off an off-year and has a contract that makes Jay's look team-friendly by comparison. I'll be curious to see how he does this year with a significantly less talented team than he's had in the past.
Do we really need to talk about Teddy Bridgewater? Alex Smith?
Look, I'm not saying Cutler is an All Pro. All I'm saying is he's somewhere between the 11th and 17th best QB in the league, and depending on how you want to figure it (averaged total, average guaranteed total, cap hit this year, average cap hit, whatever), he's somewhere between the 10th and 16th highest paid qb in the league. His salary is not out of whack with his performance.