Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler isn't known for his pristine mechanics. He's much more Brett Favre than Peyton Manning -- without the wins of either.
The organization hired quarterbacks guru Marc Trestman as coach and his top priority will be the Cutler rejuvenation project. It's back to basics for the seven-year veteran.
"We're going to go to work as soon as we leave here on multiple levels with Phil and our personnel, but part of the calendar is getting together with Jay, taking it play by play throughout the season, evaluating his performance in different ways, on a macro level and on a micro level," Trestman told the Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs. "The big things he does that he wants to improve on, that we want him to improve on, and the micro level, from taking a snap to dropping back and throwing the football or a 20-year-old who played eight or 10 years in the National Football League. I had a 41-year-old quarterback this year. Every first day of training camp, it's, 'This is a football.' The fundamentals and techniques are the most important thing to help our team win.
"The quarterback has a big job. He has to protect the ball. He has to live for the next play. He does it a number of different ways. At the snap, in the running game, in the confines of the pocket, locating the ball and outside the pocket. There are fundamentals and skill and techniques you have to do that. We're going to start at day one in trying to get that done."
This answer is another glimpse of the cerebral approach Trestman brings. This is someone who already has a calendar schedule of the next 13 months, including the Super Bowl parade.
Some players never develop textbook mechanics -- they're just better freelancing. Trestman will be judged on how he gets Cutler to meld the two.
Follow Kareem Copeland on Twitter @kareemcopeland.
