Broncos to Trade Cutler

Pat Bowlen, owner of the Broncos, has made it clear that the team will look to trade young quarterback Jay Cutler. The relationship between Cutler and the organization began to sour after Josh McDaniels allegedly tried to acquire Matt Cassell from the New England Patriots.

While Cutler has all the physical tools in the world, McDaniels probably can do without the 18 interceptions (2nd in the league). The system he'll implement in Denver will likely be less vertical, so the need for Cutler's huge arm won't be necessary. Decision making will be at a premium, and McDaniels likely has more faith in a guy of Matt Cassell's mold.

However, I feel good quarterbacks are hard to find, and Denver made a big mistake by flirting with the possibility of acquiring Matt Cassell. Maybe Cutler still has some holes in his game and doesn't fit McDaniels system perfectly, but a good head coach will find a way to make a talented player fit his system.

Now the Broncos are in a situation where Chris Simms is the only experienced signal caller on the roster. The options on the free agent market aren't anything to write home about either. Meanwhile, the draft's top quarterbacks are underclassmen. Who knows, maybe the Broncos like Mark Sanchez. He played in a West Coast offense at USC and might be able to fit in well with McDaniels. Still, he is a player who only started one season in college, and played in a conference with suspect defenses. Not exactly an upgrade over Cutler.

McDaniels really shot himself in the foot here. The New York Jets, Tampa Bay Bucs, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, or San Francisco 49ers would all glady welcome the presence of somebody like Cutler to their lineups. He'd be the immediate answer at the most important position in the game. On the other hand, the Broncos will be starting over. A new QB, a new offensive gameplan, and the transition to the 3-4 defense.

At least with Cutler they would've been competitive through this transitional year. Now, Denver might end up being the worst team in the AFC West. Good job, Josh!