After Cutler continues silent treatment, Broncos announce they will trade him

[Nick]

Broncos, Cutler reach a stalemate; trade now appears inevitable
Peter King
Posted: Tuesday March 31, 2009 9:05PM; Updated: Tuesday March 31, 2009 9:44PM

Apparently convinced that their rift with Jay Cutler is irreconcilable, the Broncos have decided to pursue a trade for their disgruntled quarterback before the April 25 draft.

In a stunning turn of events, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen released a statement at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday saying both he and coach Josh McDaniels had been unable to get Cutler to call them back over the last 10 days.

Bowlen said he spoke with Cutler's agent, Bus Cook, on Tuesday and came away convinced "that Jay no longer has any desire to play for the Denver Broncos."

Therefore, Bowlen said, "We will begin discussions with other teams in an effort to accommodate his request to be traded."

This development is in stark contrast to what the Broncos' stance was at the NFL meetings last week. McDaniels, who created a firestorm of discontent with Cutler when he attempted to secretly trade him in February and the trade failed, seemed certain last week week he would be able to mend fences with Cutler in a private meeting.

A source Tuesday night said McDaniels felt he was at the point of no return with Cutler and had no choice but to pursue a trade.

Among the teams certain to be interested are Tampa Bay, the New York Jets and Detroit, which holds the No. 1 pick in this year's draft. But the Lions may have been swayed to pick Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford No. 1 overall after his impressive workout Tuesday on the Georgia campus.

Other teams are likely to be interested, including Cleveland, Minnesota, San Francisco and possibly Carolina. It's a virtual cerainity that the Bucs and Jets, both without a bonafide No. 1 quarterback entering the draft, will bid aggressively for Cutler.

Cutler, 25, was the Broncos' first pick and 11th overall in the 2006 draft. Although his record as a starter is only 17-20, he is widely considered to be a franchise quarterback and a player a team can install at quarterback and not worry about the position for the next decade.

He threw 4,526 yards in 2008, but his relationsip with the franchise soured after the man who drafted him, Coach Mike Shanahan, was fired Bowlen in January and after an offensive coordinator he highly respected, Jeremy Bates, left for a similar position at USC when McDaniels chose not to keep him.

The day before free agency began in late February, McDaiels entertained two offers -- thought to be from Tampa Bay and Detroit -- in deals that would have netted the Broncos former McDaniels' pupil Matt Cassell from New England in a package deal that included Cutler.

When Cutler discovered he had been shopped, he was furious because McDaniels had spoken to him as though he would be the long-term quarterback. Over the last month Cutler has simply been unable to get over it. Denver's decision to cut bait with Cutler obviously comes after failed negotiations between McDaniels and Cutler.

[39thebeast]

Broncos, Cutler reach a stalemate; Denver now taking trade offers

Apparently convinced that their rift with Jay Cutler is irreconcilable, the Broncos have decided to pursue a trade for their disgruntled quarterback before the April 25 draft.
In a stunning turn of events, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen released a statement at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday saying both he and coach Josh McDaniels had been unable to get Cutler to call them back over the last 10 days.
Bowlen said he spoke with Cutler's agent, Bus Cook, on Tuesday and came away convinced "that Jay no longer has any desire to play for the Denver Broncos."
Therefore, Bowlen said, "We will begin discussions with other teams in an effort to accommodate his request to be traded."
This development is in stark contrast to what the Broncos' stance was at the NFL meetings last week. McDaniels, who created a firestorm of discontent with Cutler when he attempted to secretly trade him in February and the trade failed, seemed certain last week week he would be able to mend fences with Cutler in a private meeting.
A source Tuesday night said McDaniels felt he was at the point of no return with Cutler and had no choice but to pursue a trade.
Among the teams certain to be interested are Tampa Bay, the New York Jets and Detroit, which holds the No. 1 pick in this year's draft. But the Lions may have been swayed to pick Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford No. 1 overall after his impressive workout Tuesday on the Georgia campus.
Other teams are likely to be interested, including Cleveland, Minnesota, San Francisco and possibly Carolina. It's a virtual certainty that the Bucs and Jets, both without a bonafide No. 1 quarterback entering the draft, will bid aggressively for Cutler.
Cutler, 25, was the Broncos' first pick and 11th overall in the 2006 draft. Although his record as a starter is only 17-20, he is widely considered to be a player a team can install at quarterback and not worry about the position for the next decade.
He threw for 4,526 yards in 2008, but his relationship with the franchise soured after the man who drafted him, Coach Mike Shanahan, was fired by Bowlen in January and after an offensive coordinator he highly respected, Jeremy Bates, left for a similar position at USC when McDaniels chose not to keep him.
The day before free agency began in late February, McDaniels entertained two offers -- thought to be from Tampa Bay and Detroit -- in deals that would have netted the Broncos former McDaniels' pupil Matt Cassell from New England.
When Cutler discovered he had been shopped, he was furious because McDaniels had spoken to him as though he would be the long-term quarterback. Over the last month Cutler has simply been unable to get over it.

[r8rh8rmike]

See, if you stomp your feet and pout long enough, you get what you want. Maybe he can start whining to the press again and demand that Shanahan and Bates be hired by a team before he'll play for them. His new teammates are just going to love his act.

[Ramblin` Ram]

well that screws up my 1st round mock..i had only one trade in it and that was the Jets trading for the Packs 9th and taking Sanchez..guess that could still happen but someone will give their 1st for him...im thinking the Vikings or Bucs but there could be a whole lot more..

[Mooselini]

I agree with mike...to an extent.

We know that Cutler has whined about this for too long, but do you think he will whine after he gets traded? I don't think so. He's going to be happy. Denver wasn't a winning team anyways, so what does it matter if he gets traded to a contender or not? All I know is, that Cutler is a player with tremendous upside and will improve...unless he gets traded to Oakland. :P

[laram0]

Cutler needs to take his thumb out of his mouth and just play football!!!!!

[HUbison]

See, if you stomp your feet and pout long enough, you get what you want. Maybe he can start whining to the press again and demand that Shanahan and Bates be hired by a team before he'll play for them. His new teammates are just going to love his act.

Sadly, it does seem to be effective. Worked for both Eli Manning and John Elway.

[Slug]

I feel bad for the locker room of whatever team lands this tool. "Hey guys, here's your new battle-field leader - a tantrum throwing, spoiled, over-privileged brat! Now all you hard working, blue collar guys be sure to give him respect!" Yeeeeeeeah.

[Fat Pang]

Cutler hasn't done himself any favours but McDaniels hasn't either.

I don't understand why the focus here is all on Cutler, to me McDaniels deserves an equal share of the blame for what was an appallingly cack-handed attempt at a trade that was then compounded by some inept man-management.

One amateur episode has the potential to impair McDaniels first season in the head man's chair and he only has himself to blame.

Cutler meanwhile, has to find a place where he can re-build his image and confirm that he was headed in the right direction before this debacle.

[r8rh8rmike]

Sadly, it does seem to be effective. Worked for both Eli Manning and John Elway.

The difference though is that Manning and Elway weren't having a temper tantrum about a team they were a part of and under contract with. Cutler needs to grow up and realize that football is a business and that he's not in a position to dictate hirings and firings. What's going to happen if he doesn't like the situation with his next team?

[HUbison]

The difference though is that Manning and Elway weren't having a temper tantrum about a team they were a part of and under contract with. Cutler needs to grow up and realize that football is a business and that he's not in a position to dictate hirings and firings. What's going to happen if he doesn't like the situation with his next team?

Oh, I agree. Cutler's needs to chug down a big can of "grow the heck up". I'm just saying unfortunately it seems to work in the NFL.

[Nick]

Cutler hasn't done himself any favours but McDaniels hasn't either.

I don't think McDaniels has been blameless in this fiasco, but one thing I don't blame him for is trying to get a player he's comfortable with over one he doesn't believe can run his system. Where McDaniels has failed, and you touched on this, is in how he's tried to pick up the pieces after the trade did not go through. After the Cassel deal, I don't think McDaniels did a great job trying to mend fences.

That being said, numerous reports indicate that Cutler has refused to communicate at times with both McDaniels and Broncos owner Pat Bowlen. McDaniels could have done a better job reaching out to Cutler after the attempted deal, but at some point he's got to find a hand reaching out to him on the other end.

This is going to sound crazy, and I'm only semi-serious, but I'm starting to wonder if Cutler has some kind of multiple personality disorder.

Two seperate reports indicate that Cutler actually wanted to be traded after the former Broncos staff was fired, and then he turns around and is shocked and outraged when Denver's new staff actually tries to trade him. How do you go from wanting to be traded to outraged when your team tries to trade you?

Even last night, Cutler told Jay Glazer of Fox Sports that he didn't want to be traded and was "surprised they decided to trade me this soon," yet he told ESPN that on March 15th he had formally requested a trade from the Broncos. HUH!?!

What's going to happen if he doesn't like the situation with his next team?

Cutler and his agent will likely try to have some kind of input into where he's traded. Cutler's agent, Bus Cook, also represented Brett Favre, and though Favre now claims he didn't approve his trade to the Jets, his agent last August said Favre was willing to play for either. According to the Denver Post, "NFL insiders contacted by The Post, among them former Broncos general manager Ted Sundquist, envision Cook being involved."