Josh McCown has gained notoriety for filling in capably under center for the Chicago Bears in the absence of Jay Cutler, so much so that former Bears linebacker turned NFL analyst Brian Urlacher believes that McCown should be the team's starting quarterback even when Cutler is healthy enough to return.
According to ESPN, Urlacher said on Fox Football Daily that McCown has earned the right to continue as the signal caller for the Bears (7-6) even when Cutler is medically cleared to return from the high-ankle sprain that has kept him sidelined over the past four games.
"It's going to be awfully hard to take Josh out of there right now the way he's playing," Urlacher said on the show, per ESPN. "In my opinion, [McCown] should be the guy. He should be the starting quarterback of the Bears, even if Jay Cutler is healthy. You can't take a guy who's this hot out of the football game. If I was on that team, I would have a hard time with them taking him out."
Cutler and McCown are both scheduled to become unrestricted free agents after this season.
McCown got the honors of NFC Offensive Player of the Week on Wednesday after going 27-for-36 for 348 yards and four touchdowns in Monday's rout of the Dallas Cowboys. Overall, McCown is 147-220 (66.8%) for 1,809 yards with 13 touchdowns and one pick this season through seven games and he became the first player for the Bears to ever throw for 300 or more passing yards in three straight games.
Cutler, who practiced last week on Thursday and Friday and then rested the ankle on Saturday, is set to be the team's No.1 quarterback again when he's ready to return and the team has been adamant about that.
"There's no change in the plan," coach Marc Trestman said after Monday's win via ESPN. "We'll see where Jay is this week. He'll have to be released by the doctors. When Jay is ready to play, he'll be playing. When [Cutler] is good to go and can have a full week of practice, he'll be our quarterback."
Cutler has appeared in eight games and is 167-for-265 (63.0%) for 1,908 yards with 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions this year.
McCown is enjoying his newfound success, but knows that this is Cutler's offense once he returns.
"I understand that Jay's the starter, and he does too, and our team does and we're building this thing around him," McCown said per ESPN. "More importantly, for everybody, it's not just Josh and Jay, let's just be for the Bears and for the Bears playing good football and winning football. That's the thing that matters the most, no matter who's in at quarterback. That's all I care about."
McCown added: "As soon as Jay is ready and healthy and back out there ... he's been so good for me the last few weeks and how much he's helped me. I want to go back and return that favor to him and continue to help him. It's all about our team, and everybody has that 'C' on their helmet, and that's all that matters. It's not about if this guy plays or that guy plays, it's about our team winning. And that's all we care about. When Jay gets back in there, I have full faith that he'll do a heck of a job and that he'll lead our team like he has already."
It remains to be seen when Cutler will be healthy, but Urlacher believes that either way the Bears should stick with McCown as they aim to win the NFC North.
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