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Kyle Orton Waived; Will Bears Be Interested?

(CBS) Quarterback Kyle Orton was waived by the Denver Broncos Tuesday, opening the door for a possible return to the Bears.

With Jay Cutler being shelved with a broken thumb, the Bears are in need of a quarterback to backup Caleb Hanie. Orton would be a more than suitable backup and could even start if Hanie falters.

The Bears drafted Orton in the fourth-round of the 2005 NFL Draft. The quarterback started 33 games for the Bears over three seasons, with his best year coming in 2008 when he threw for 18 touchdowns and 2,972 yards. He was traded to the Broncos in 2009 for Cutler.

Even if the Bears are interested though, Orton may not be available to the Bears. The quarterback will go on waivers and every team with a worse record than the Bears will have an opportunity to claim him first.

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