New York Jets Lose the Jay Cutler Bidding and Win

The Denver Broncos traded Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler and a fifth-round pick in the 2009 draft to the Chicago Bears for signal-caller Kyle Orton, first-round picks in both the 2009 and 2010 drafts, and a third-round pick in this April's draft.

The trade materialized less than two days after Broncos owner Pat Bowlen announced  the rift with his former leader and 11th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft was irreconcilable.

Bowlen said he spoke with Cutler’s agent, Bus Cook, and realized that “Jay no longer has any desire to play for the Denver Broncos.”

The Broncos beleaguered owner continued, “We will begin discussions with other teams in an effort to accommodate his request to be traded.”

Cutler’s relationship with the Broncos organization deteriorated after head coach Mike Shanahan was fired and replaced by the New England Patriots offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels.

McDaniels, 32, an unprepared and incapable joke that has zero chance whatsoever of succeeding as a head coach in the NFL, considered trading Cutler, 25, in a three-way deal that would have sent the 2005 SEC Offensive Player of the Year from Vanderbilt University to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and reunited the former New England coach with his Foxboro pet project, quarterback Matt Cassel.

Understandably, in the immediate aftermath of a tremendous 2008 campaign on the gridiron, the trade rumors chapped Cutler’s ass and he subsequently listed his Colorado home for sale and officially asked the Broncos to trade him to a more logical organization.

There is little question that Cutler behaved like a bitchy, Zsa Zsa Gabor-like diva during this entire fiasco in the Mile-High City and he absolutely deserves some blame for the disastrous and needless divorce.

Nevertheless, why in the world would McDaniels stroll into Denver and immediately attempt to jettison the Broncos leader and franchise player?

The unqualified McDaniels in actuality was hired because he rode the brilliance of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady to the top and, as Billy the Kid once said, "I wouldn't give a bucket of piss" for his future as a coach on the professional sidelines.

The Bears won the heated bidding war for Cutler over approximately 10 teams. The highest bidders for the gunslinger with Type One diabetes were reportedly the New York Jets, Washington Redskins, and  Tampa Bucs. 

For a reasonable price Cutler, who completed 23 reps of a 225-pound bench press and ran a 40-yard dash in 4.77 seconds at the 2006 NFL Scouting Combine, would have been a superior acquisition for the Jets.

New coach Rex Ryan has vastly improved Gang Green's already adequate defense this offseason via free agency and and the Jets running game should remain very solid with AFC rushing champion Thomas Jones and firecracker Leon Washington returning to East Rutherford for the upcoming year.

However, the price for Cutler skyrocketed to an exorbitant and crippling fee and in the long-run missing out on the cannon-armed thrower could prove to be the best transaction the lowly Jets never made.

New York will flourish if they play sound defense and run the ball well. If, as expected, they are able to successfully perform in those two areas, Ryan Leif could give the the 2009 Jets opportunities to win games lining up behind the gun. 

By landing Cutler, the Bears will have the first Pro-Bowl quarterback calling plays at Soldier Field since Jim McMahon was traded from the Windy City to the San Diego Chargers in 1989.

Still, despite Cutler's enormous skills, the value forfeited by Chicago may make Virginia Halas McCaskey's team face an even more severe bear market than many others in the coming seasons.

On the flip side, although considered unlikely by analysts, if either Kellen Clemens, who was selected 38 picks after Cutler in the 2006 Draft and has never been provided a genuine chance to succeed in New York, or Brett Ratliffe can become a viable starting quarterback in the NFL, the Jets brass will be flying high for many years for not buckling in their hard-ball negotiations with the Broncos.

As the adage goes, sometimes the best trades are the ones that never occur. The Jets can only hope that is the case this time. If it is, failing to sign Cutler, a native of Santa Claus, Indiana, will be the gift that keeps on giving to fans of Grang Green.

http://www.newyorkyankeesnews.com/colin815/weblog/6857/jets-lose-cutler-bidding-and-win.html