CUTLER READY TO RESCUE DOLPHINS
The Miami Dolphins and former Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler agreed to a one-year contract Sunday, NFL sources told ESPN.
Cutler’s deal is worth $10 million, plus up to $3 million in incentives.
Cutler retired from the NFL in May and was quickly hired by Fox Sports as a game analyst for coverage of the league.
“We loved our time working with Jay and wish him the best back on the field this year with the Dolphins,” Fox Sports said in a news release issued Sunday.
Dolphins coach Adam Gase played a significant role in convincing Cutler, a former Broncos first-round draft pick, that he should play for the Dolphins, who raised the amount of money offered to Cutler to strike a deal.
As of Saturday, Cutler was reluctant about returning to the NFL as a quarterback, although he hadn’t made any decision with certainty. Aware of his reluctance, but after a day of no direct communication with Cutler, Gase was eventually able to talk to him.
The Dolphins targeted Cutler because of the likelihood that their starting quarterback, Ryan Tannehill, will undergo surgery to repair stretched ligaments in his left knee.
Falcons CB gone games.
FLOWERY for 10
Falcons cornerback Jalen Collins, a starter in last season’s Super Bowl against the Patriots, has been suspended without pay for the first 10 games of the regular season for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
Collins is due to receive $928,440 this season. The 10-game suspension will cost him $546,141.
This is the second consecutive year that Collins has violated the same league policy. He served a four-game suspension without pay at the beginning of last season.
Injury to Smith confirmed.
SANTA CLARA, CALIF.» Firstyear 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan’s fears about Malcolm Smith’s pectoral injury were confirmed Sunday when an MRI revealed a tear that could end the linebacker’s season before it gets started.
Smith suffered the injury during practice Saturday at Levi’s Stadium. Moments after that workout, Shanahan suggested that Smith would miss an extended period of time but had expressed hope that he might play this season.
• The NFL hired former 49ers general manager Trent Baalke as a football operations consultant.
Enunwa has neck injury.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.» The Jets are hoping their No. 1 wide receiver isn’t sidelined for long.
Quincy Enunwa injured his neck late Saturday night during practice at MetLife Stadium, an injury that coach Todd Bowles said was similar to the one that held Enunwa out during spring workouts.
“It wasn’t severe, but it held him out for a while,” Bowles said of the previous injury. “I’ll see the severity of it when I go inside.”
Footnotes.
The Titans acquired running back Brandon Radcliff and waived injured linebacker Victor Ochi. … While Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright remain in place as starters, the Seahawks have overhauled the rest of their group of linebackers.