My First and Final Jay Cutler Post

I had a friend console me yesterday. She said, "If it was meant to be, he [ex-Bronco quarterback Jay Cutler] will be back."

I nearly doubled over in agony when she said this; the thought of a return is unthinkable at this juncture. But I learned something:

1) Never engage a female to talk about sports, especially when the subject involves a player leaving the team. Their autopilot response is to synthesize the situation into something relationship-based. [But I appreciate her sentiments anyway.]
2) Football (and all sports, in general) is a business. There is no place in it for egos.

I have never experienced the sense of entitlement that Cutler had. But then again, I do not make $11 million in guaranteed money nor was I blessed with his abilities. I suspect, though, that your ego would be hard to reign in when you have grown up for most of your adult life with followers who praise your every move. It may be likened to world leaders and their cult of personality. In the end, there was just no reconciling the differences between Josh McDaniels and Cutler. And so it is, that Broncos Country lost their heir apparent to John Elway yesterday.

I can not lie, a little part of me died when the Broncos announced the trade with the Chicago Bears for Kyle Orton and draft pick compensations (1st and 3rd round in 2009, and another 1st rounder in 2010). You can brace yourself all you want, but it is frustrating and painful nonetheless. My take on the trade is that on balance, it was fair. The Bears gave up a lot in that deal, one they may not know the repercussions of for many years. You can not replicate those early draft picks no matter how hard you work at free agency pickups. In a sport where more young players are making impacts each year, and at lower costs, drafts pick can revitalize any team. Just ask Chris Johnson and the Tennessee Titans or Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons.

The Broncos would be well served to use their high draft picks in 2009 (5 out of the top-84 picks) to bolster a crumbling defensive interior and get younger on the corners. Some want McDaniels to move up to draft Mark Sanchez (USC). I say forget it. Invest in Orton, at least for two years. There, I said it. I think Kyle has the potential to be a good system quarterback. Many people forget about his prolific years with Purdue's shot gun offense. His arm, during the 2004 combines, was rated at B+. This grade was based on strength, accuracy, consistency and range. If you are curious, Cutler's grade was an A-. If you think I'm trying to compare Orton to Cutler, let me stop you right there. I am intimately aware of the immense talent Denver lost. He had the elite skill sets and intuitions of a great QB. He could scramble and make things happen as things broke down, and by all locker room accounts, he was a likable guy. But there were some intangibles he was still missing, and you could spot it every Sunday. Perhaps it was a look he gave or an order he shouted. He was impetulant. He could not inspire his teammates to become better. He was not championship-caliber, at least not in this respect. His maturity has a ways to go.

Now, my thoughts on McDaniels... I don't blame him entirely for the outcome of this saga. His job, as a head coach, is not to appease, but the win football games. But I also think there is a fine line you walk between showing toughness and command of your domain, and being the gunslinger at the OK Corral. A leader has to use good judgment and be the team's best psychologist. You have to understand each and every individual's personalities and be able to adapt. This situation spiraled out of control too quickly for McDaniels' to nip it in the bud. Anyone in his position would have had a difficult time making amends with Jay after the point of no reconciliation. But there's a reason why coaches like Gibbs, Ditka and Parcells can command respect immediately. They have been around the block. Josh has not. There was no way a 32 year old coach with zero head coaching experience was going to contain this situation.

What's next? It's time to scream obscenities and punch walls. It's also time to move on. I need to recommit as a Bronco fan and not think about Jay Cutler, whom we [Broncos fans] all secretly hailed as our "Savior". He's just another football player. I don't hate him, he's only 24 and he is going to be damn good. If the value is there next season at QB, I will draft him in my fantasy leagues despite his mediocre supporting cast. By no means will he become a fantasy casualty in all this, he is simply too talented. It will hurt because I had invested so much mentally to him. This may not be the most accurate way to describe it but imagine as if you had your heart set on going to see a movie and it is sold out. You choose another movie to see but it's not quite the same. Can't help but feel like you somehow missed out.

I certainly wish Jay Cutler the best in his future with the Bears. I know in his heart of hearts that he enjoyed Denver. When he matures, he will probably realize the silliness of how this situation played out. I will probably cheer him on if he takes another team to the Super Bowl someday (as long as it's not against Denver). Football is a business and it has no place for big egos. Pat Bowlen and the Broncos front office did the right thing by cutting their losses. Time to rebuild the dynasty... I can live with that.