Doubt is growing that Jay Cutler will recover from his latest concussion without missing some time for the Chicago Bears.
ESPN's John Clayton said on air Tuesday it's "doubtful" Cutler will play in Week 11's Monday night matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.
Cutler reportedly has suffered nearly half-a-dozen concussions dating back to his days at Vanderbilt. The Bears will be careful not to rush the signal-callerback into the lineup before he's 100 percent ready. Even if the Bears are comfortable with Cutler returning, he still must pass league-mandated testing.
We'll have a better idea of Cutler's status when the Bears return to practice on Thursday. The Bears re-signed Josh McCown on Tuesday to provide some more insurance.
The 49ers might possess the NFL's most ferocious defense, another factor that is likely to be in play regarding Cutler. Jason Campbell was given a $3.5 million contract in the offseason to provide the Bears with a legitimate safety net.
There's certainly plenty of logic in taking advantage of that investment on Monday.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @danhanzus.