Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler said he hopes to begin throwing in a few weeks as he recovers from surgery on his right thumb.

Cutler broke the thumb against the San Diego Chargers on Nov. 20, and has missed the past two games -- both losses as the Bears fell to 7-5, muddying their playoff chances.

"We were doing some grip stuff this past week, trying to get some flexibility and mobility back in there," Cutler said Wednesday on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. "The next couple of weeks hopefully I'll be able to throw the football and hopefully some of this pain subsides."

During Cutler's Nov. 23 surgery, doctors inserted three screws and two pins to stabilize the right thumb. Cutler said he had an X-ray last week and had the stitches removed on Wednesday.

"Everything is kind of on track, it's just a matter of letting that bone really heal and maybe taking the pins out, maybe not," Cutler said. "It's just time and time is not really on our side right now, but that's the only thing we can really do."

Bears general manager Jerry Angelo and coach Lovie Smith both have said they're optimistic Cutler could return before the end of the regular season. But Cutler admitted last week that he could be done for the rest of the season because of the uncertainty in the healing process.

Cutler chose Dr. Randy Viola in Vail, Colo., to perform the surgery, and the hand, wrist and elbow specialist used a rather unorthodox technique to ensure Cutler will be able to grip the football with the pins and screws inserted.

"My biggest concern with it was -- because we were going to pin it and we were going to screw it -- and my concern and Dr. Viola's concern was that even if I got some stiffness I would be able to grip the ball normally," Cutler said. "During the surgery he brought in a sterilized football and put my hand on it after he screwed everything in and made sure my grip was where I liked it, and I would have some freedom and flexibility. He's on top of his game. I didn't go out there for nothing."