The State Of The Broncos

Is it time to panic in Denver, or are we all just blowing this situation between new coach Josh McDaniels and quarterback Jay Cutler out of proportion?  The Broncos made some moves last weekend and almost made a very big move — one that might not be out of the question yet.

What Happened with Cutler?

There’s never a dull moment when it comes to NFL franchise quarterbacks — especially when they’re involved in trade talks after a Pro Bowl season. This past weekend, the Broncos were in conversations to trade Cutler in a three-way deal that would have included Denver, the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to CBS4Denver.com. The parameters of the deal would have sent Cutler to Tampa and brought Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel to the Broncos — and reunited him with McDaniels, his former offensive coordinator.

However, the deal lost steam and eventually fell apart when the Patriots decided to work out a trade that sent Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel and Cassel to the Chiefs for a second round pick (No. 34 overall). So where does that leave Denver? And more importantly, where does it leave the relationship between Cutler and McDaniels?

Fractured for the time being — and maybe beyond.

Why Would Denver Trade Cutler?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again as long as I cover the National Football League: Coaches want their own players. It’s a simple scenario that played out last weekend. McDaniels is coming to Denver with the Patriots’ offensive system — a west coast version of the shotgun. In his mind, he would feel a lot more comfortable going into offseason workouts and training camp knowing that Cassel would not only be under center, he would also already know the system and speak highly of it to teammates. The toughest thing for new coaches in the this league is the fear of player revolt when it comes to football-related matters — even down to the dress code on planes. If his offense begins to show signs of struggle in mini-camp, veteran players will start talking. Cassel would have provided McDaniels with proof that the system works — minus Laurence Maroney, Randy Moss and Wes Welker, of course.

I saw it during my career in the NFL many times. When a new coach comes in, he brings his guys with him -- assistant coaches and free agents. And the reality of the new regime is pretty cut and dry — no player is safe. When I was with the Redskins, new coach Joe Gibbs came in and cleaned house on both sides of the ball. Some of the players who had contributed the previous season were ushered out the door, and within a year, the face of the franchise, LaVar Arrington, was given his walking papers as well. Why? He didn’t fit the new defense we were running. As great a teammate as LaVar was -- and as great a football player -- there just wasn’t a place for him on that team. Thanks, but no thanks.

This is no different than McDaniels working the phones last weekend in hopes of getting Cassel in a Broncos uniform. By the time the second week of training camp roles around in August, I guarantee there will be some talk in that locker room. Whether it’s the length of practice, the style of practice, or even the amount of time they’re in the film room, the guys who are used to former coach Mike Shanahan’s regime will begin to grumble.

With Cassel, McDaniels would have had someone in his corner who could connect with the players, tell them that this way of football works. And it goes a long way when those words and actions come from your quarterback.

Plus, the guy can throw the football, while McDaniels goes into camp feeling comfortable that he’ll have the respect and attention of his players, especially the ones who wish that Shanahan was still around calling the shots.

Is Cutler Still on the Trading Block?

Absolutely.

Look, as much as we all want to believe the company line spit out by McDaniels that the deal is no longer going to happen, we should all know better.  Those words are used every year in this league — straight off the assembly line. What McDaniels did by talking about that trade within earshot of any NFL club is equivalent to opening the floodgates.

Teams will continue to call, they’ll continue to make offers as the draft approaches, and teams will still believe that Jay Cutler is for sale. The New York Jets need a quarterback, and so do the Detroit Lions, who have plenty of draft picks to offer. Chris Simms was reportedly in Denver to talk with the Broncos today. And how can we forget about Tampa? The Bucs were a part of the original deal that fell through. Why would a club back away now, knowing that Denver indeed had Cutler on the block? If anything, teams will increase their offers because they have a feeling that McDaniels just might bite.

We should never listen to a coach or a general manager at this time of the year because there’s too much time, and too much opportunity, left before the first player is selected in April. Every player — including Cutler — in the Broncos locker room is expendable to a new coaching staff. 

Where Does That Leave Cutler Now?

In the same spot he was before all this started.

As of today, Jay Cutler is the starting quarterback of the Denver Broncos. He is still a franchise quarterback and still one of the best young talents in the league.

Eventually, Cutler will meet with McDaniels and have one of those “talks.” There will be reports everywhere about their budding new relationship and desire to move forward and win a championship. However, the new guy in town just told the franchise quarterback that he doesn’t want him anymore. There was a better option out there — a more appealing option — and McDaniels didn’t have to tell Cutler what he felt about him as a player, because he showed him by dangling him like a carrot in front of a rabbit.  

Sure, it will affect their relationship for as long as the two wear the same colors on Sundays — because players in this league are more sensitive than you think when it comes to their value to an organization. I don’t know what will come of this situation in the end, but I do know from my own experience that the last person you want to screw with is the quarterback — unless you have a back-up plan.

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