A humorous hypothetical conversation about winning the lottery Monday turned into a revelation of selflessness by quarterback Jay Cutler regarding his willingness to work with the Chicago Bears this offseason when serious negotiations begin for a new contract.

With a year left on a five-year deal that pays $8.47 million in 2013, Cutler said he'd consider taking a "hometown discount" to remain with the Bears because less money in a contract would mean more flexibility for the team in its efforts to acquire talent.

"I'm not gonna try to break the bank," Cutler said on ESPN 1000's "The Jay Cutler Show."

The discussion came as a result of Cutler's co-host Tom Waddle suggesting the quarterback take a veteran-minimum type of salary in his new deal.

"What kind of discount we talkin'?" Cutler asked.

Waddle replied, "50 percent off."

"Ah, c'mon," Cutler said, laughing. "We can talk like 5 or 10 (percent off), but 50? This isn't a going-out-of-business sale."

After the jokes, Cutler revealed he's thought about taking less money in a new deal because as a seven-year veteran, the quarterback has already earned plenty of money.

"I want to be on a successful team, and I know that paying one or two or three players premium (salaries) hurts your chances of being able to bring in extra talent," Cutler said. "So when we get there, we'll figure it out."