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Jay Cutler is locked in as the Bears’ franchise quarterback.

The Bears announced today that Cutler, whose previous contract expired at the end of this season, will not be testing free agency. Instead, Cutler has signed a seven-year contract, keeping him in place with the Bears through the 2020 season.

There’s a very good chance that the 30-year-old Cutler will remain with the Bears for the rest of his career.

Although there was some talk that Cutler could end up leaving in free agency, he and new coach Marc Trestman appeared to mesh this season, and Trestman never wavered on his belief that Cutler is the right man to run his offense, even as backup Josh McCown put up better statistics when he filled in after Cutler got hurt.

In announcing the new contract, Bears General Manager Phil Emery called Cutler “a demonstrated winner” and said 2013 was his best season because of his “leadership, his improvement, his display of toughness.”

Now the Bears are counting on Cutler to remain the leader of their team for years to come.