AP

The Bears kicked the can down the road a year with Henry Melton, failing to reach a long-term contract with their franchise-tagged defensive tackle.

Likewise, they elected to wait to do a deal with quarterback Jay Cutler after some degree of talks.

According to Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune, the Bears had previously discussed a deal that would have paid Cutler around $15 million per year. But those discussions were before they hired coach Marc Trestman.

While it’s hard to argue that Matt Stafford deserves that kind of money and Cutler doesn’t (though Cutler doesn’t have the Bears over the same financial barrel), it does create an interesting dynamic for the Bears.

Their quarterback’s in a prove-it year financially, with a coach he has no background with, who may be deciding if they can work together well.

Cutler’s due to make $8.97 million this year, the final year of his contract. To his credit, he hasn’t created a stink about his contract situation, saying in April “You’ve got to win games to earn those contracts.”

And apparently, you have to impress the new boss.