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Any questions about Jay Cutler's future in Chicago were resolved on Thursday morning, when Bears general manager Phil Emery announced the team has signed the quarterback to a seven-year deal that will keep him in Chicago through 2020.

The Bears also announced cornerback Tim Jennings and guard Matt Slauson received four-year contracts.

According to Alex Marvez of FOXSports, Cutler’s deal averages $18 million per year for the first three years of the contract.

As Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio suggests, the initial impression is the deal is good for Cutler, but it doesn’t put him in the highest tier of quarterback deals.

Florio went on to explain that how it stacks up in the short run matters a lot more than the inflated seven-year numbers. But it certainly slots in below the $20 million-plus per year averages of quarterbacks on new deals such as Aaron Rodgers, Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan.

Still, the new contract makes it very likely the 30-year-old Cutler will remain with the Bears for the rest of his career.

"We're very excited to have Jay for the long term," Emery said. "He battled through the tough times and kept fighting."

After reciting some of Cutler's statistics, Emery said, "I see improvement in his ball security, distribution to his targets and a transformation in his demeanor as a leader."

Now, if they can figure out how to improve his pass protection and keep him on the field for a full 16-game slate (something he's only done three times in his eight-year career and which hasn't happened in the last four seasons), it's safe to say Cutler has the coach and supporting cast to produce at a high level.

Despite missing five games this season, his first under head coach/quarterback guru Marc Trestman, Cutler finished the year with his best passer rating (89.2), completion percentage (63.1) and yards per game (238.3) since his arrival in Chicago in 2009.

Going forward, a receiving corps built around wideouts Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery, a strong tight end in Martellus Bennett and excellent receiving back in Matt Forte -- along with Trestman's scheme and coaching -- are certainly reasons for optimism.