Kyle Orton Trade Rumors: The Market Remains Cold as Always for This Proven QB

This is one of the most dynamic times in NFL history when it comes to quarterbacks changing hands, both through trades and free agency. Two quarterbacks with Super Bowl experience have already changed hands - Matt Hasselbeck to Tennessee and Donovan McNabb to Minnesota. Another seven quarterbacks have been on the market who have started at least half an NFL season.

So the question is this: when teams trade for Tavaris Jackson (Seattle) or sign Bruce Gradkowski (Cincinnati) and Tyler Thigpen (Buffalo), why has there been so little action for a proven player like Kyle Orton?

A fourth round pick from Purdue, Orton stepped into the starting lineup as a rookie in Chicago after first-round bust  Rex Grossman went down with an injury in the 2005 preseason. While his numbers were anything but impressive, his 10-5 record was; Chicago earned a playoff appearance that year, which Grossman lost to Carolina. In four seasons with Chicago, Orton posted a 21-12 record when he started.

The Bears didn't have much faith in him leading their team into the playoffs, throwing him in to their blockbuster trade for Denver's Jay Cutler. The next season, Orton posted an 8-7 record with the Broncos, throwing for over 3800 yards and a 21-12 touchdown to interception ratio.

Denver hasn't seemed to give him much confidence, either, drafting Tim Tebow in the first round the following year. Orton continued to start, throwing for 3600 yards and 20 touchdowns despite losing his primary receiver, Brandon Marshall.

Fast forward to today; Orton is rumored to be headed to Miami or Arizona, but apparently a deal for jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none running back Reggie Bush was a higher priority deal to get done. And while other teams expressed interest in Orton's services (Seattle, Minnesota, Arizona), two of the three quickly moved on to other options.

Arizona has also appeared to be more focused on securing Philadelphia's Kevin Kolb, who has a much less impressive resume (11 starts in four years) and much larger price tag (a predicted second-round pick and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie for Kolb versus a conditional third-round pick for Orton).

So why the lackluster market for a proven commodity? Orton may never see his face bronzed and placed in Canton, but there are plenty of teams starting less accomplished quarterbacks in the league. Plus, bringing in Orton would pair him back up with Marshall; both had their greatest success when working together; it wouldn't take long for them to rebuild their rapport and give Miami their most dangerous passing offense since Dan Marino.

If the Dolphins know what's good for them, they'll hurry up and secure a trade for arguably the most successful journeyman quarterback in the league. The last time Miami balked on acquiring a quarterback, New Orleans secured the services of a player named Drew Brees. All he did was win a Super Bowl and revitalize a city.