Football The buzz among insiders is that the Lions might not get a shot at Jay Cutler [Archive]

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Quesadilla Joe

03-22-2009, 05:32 PM

The buzz among insiders is that the Lions might not get a shot at Jay Cutler
by Tom Kowalski
Sunday March 22, 2009, 6:36 PM

DANA POINT, Calif. -- Based strictly on the talk among league media and personnel types at the owners' meetings, it appears the Denver Broncos will continue their efforts to mend fences with disgruntled quarterback Jay Cutler before they entertain any serious trade talks. The Detroit Lions are believed to be among 10 teams interested in dealing for Cutler. Those close to the situation say the Broncos are still trying to work out another meeting between Cutler and team officials.

Cutler's unhappiness in Denver hit a high when he found out he had been the subject of trade talks involving Detroit and Tampa Bay several weeks ago. At the time, the Broncos were attempting to get Matt Cassel in a trade exchange, but that fell through. Now that it appears unlikely the Broncos can acquire a young quarterback of Cutler's caliber in a deal, they're working hard to smooth over any ill feelings.

Because the team has been unable to get everyone on the same page yet, the belief is that teams will ratchet up their offers for Cutler during the owners meetings and that something might break quickly. So far, though, it's been quiet.

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/03/the_buzz_among_insiders_is_tha.html
:)

Bowser

03-22-2009, 05:34 PM

Done deal. Cutler will be a Lion week 1.

Mr. Flopnuts

03-22-2009, 05:36 PM

|Zach|

03-22-2009, 05:53 PM

Works for me. Other teams can live inside of his head for another year.

Bwana

03-22-2009, 05:55 PM

ROFL

InChiefsHeaven

03-22-2009, 06:40 PM

I work with Tony Veland, former Husker and Bronco, with the Omaha Beef. His take was that this was a lot of hot air for a new contract, and that the Donks will pay whatever they need to keep Cutler around. FWIW...

SBK

03-22-2009, 07:12 PM

Until the day Cutler proves to have the brain a QB needs I hope he stays in Denver.

Halfcan

03-22-2009, 07:44 PM

Cuntler is a crybaby of Peyton Mangina proportions.

whoman69

03-22-2009, 07:56 PM

Cutler is too much of a headcase to be on a winning team.

wild1

03-22-2009, 08:01 PM

InChiefsHeaven

03-23-2009, 05:40 AM

the Lions are the one team that Cutler does not make sense for.

They can have their pick of Stafford or Sanchez without having to give up a bunch of extra stuff.

I don't see what Cutler gives them that Stafford couldn't. They both are good QB's, on paper. Stafford is new to the league. Cutler hasn't proven he can win or be a team player, and is going to want to be catered to. Stafford might make more sense because he's younger and the Lions have further to go before they are rebuilt.

If I am the Lions, I just pick my favorite of the top 2 QBs and not worry about trading a king's ransom for cutler

Um...Cutler is a 3rd year guy, pro bowl QB who led one of the top offenses in the league last year. A proven commodity, even with the whiner effect. Stafford is a shiny new toy that may or may not work when you open the box.

I'd say any team in the league would be rather happy to have him.

Mile High Mania

03-23-2009, 07:38 AM

Quesadilla Joe

03-23-2009, 08:19 AM

News Item: I don't see Jay Cutler getting traded.

That's my feeling after talking to the involved parties for a (insert shameless plug here) Sports Illustrated story this week. Now, I can't say with conviction that Cutler's going to be the Broncos' opening day starter, but I do think coach Josh McDaniels will exhaust every avenue to try to get Cutler to stay, and I do think nothing's going to happen here. Funny thing is, around the lobby and meeting rooms, I couldn't find any coach who thought the Broncos should even think of trading Cutler.

"Say you're the Broncos, and Tampa Bay offers you two ones [two first-round picks] plus [second-year quarterback] Josh Johnson for Cutler,'' one NFC coach told me. "Denver makes the deal and picks a quarterback with one of the ones. You've traded the best young quarterback in football for two guys who might have a chance, but might be washouts too. Denver's problem is they could never get fair value for him.''

I called Charlie Weis, the Notre Dame coach and mentor of McDaniels, and asked what I considered the biggest question McDaniels must ask himself as he figures how far he'll go to keep Cutler: If I have to kiss this kid's feet and kowtow to him to make him feel comfortable enough to stay, is that any way to form a coach-player relationship with the most important player on the team?

"It's a rhetorical question, but it's one I definitely would ask,'' said Weis, who left the Patriots' for Notre Dame in 2005, ceding the offensive coordinator's role to McDaniels. "That thought would go through my mind. You've got to be able to coach a quarterback, and coach him hard. You don't want to start your relationship that way.

"Look, I'm not taking sides here. I know Josh very well, and I don't know Jay. But the one question I would ask is: Why wouldn't anyone faced with such a big decision not go have a one-on-one meeting with the coach? It's common sense. Even if you end up telling the guy to go to hell, don't you have to actually talk face to face, alone, before making such a huge career decision?''

Last week, the venom from the Cutler camp was so toxic I said I thought he'd have to be traded. But it was interesting here, listening to former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice speak to the body of league people (including McDaniels) and media here Sunday night. She talked at one point about how "history has a long arc,'' and how you have to take a long view of things. If you're always chasing the day's headlines, she said, you'll eventually become so reactionary that you'll ignore long-term good for short-term satisfaction, and you'll fail. I was thinking of McDaniels and Denver management. I think, like Rice used to do in the Middle East, the Broncos will exhaust all diplomatic means. And with agent Bus Cook on record as saying Cutler will report to mandatory mini-camps and training camp, why trade the guy, there's certainly no reason to do anything fast ... even if that means you don't have a definitive answer on Cutler by draft day.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/peter_king/03/22/owners/index.html?eref=sircrc