Brian Hoyer could maintain his hold on the Bears starting job beyond this week, according to team sources, should he continue to play solid football, even with Jay Cutler nearing a return from his thumb injury. Cutler has fallen out of favor with some on the coaching staff, and coach John Fox wants fewer turnovers out of the quarterback position. Cutler's future in Chicago beyond this season appears more bleak than ever.

While hardly spectacular, Hoyer has operated the offense in a stable fashion. He managed to beat Detroit last week, and while Cutler has been lobbying to return to action since injuring his thumb in Week 2, the coaches are in no rush to put him back in, sources said. Fox alluded to leaving the quarterback competition open during his coach's show last week, and sources said if anything Hoyer is probably the more popular option among the staff right now.

It is not out of the realm of possibility that Hoyer holds on to the position at least for the short term should he continue to execute. The Bears face the Colts and Jaguars the next two weeks, who have a win each and have struggled on defense. They then have a short turnaround against Green Bay followed by an extended break before playing on a Monday night.

There were some heated words exchanged between coaches following Cutler's last appearance, sources said, about whether he should have been out of that game sooner, and Cutler's status in the Bears' locker room has long been under debate. The guaranteed money on his latest contract extension is up after this season, and the Bears can move on from him without any significant cap or cash ramifications in 2017.