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WARHORSE
03-16-2009, 02:38 AM
Denver Broncos (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=den) quarterback Jay Cutler (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=9597) said Sunday night that he will not report to the team's first meeting on Monday and has formally asked to be traded. He confirmed that a Saturday meeting with first-year coach Josh McDaniels ended badly from his perspective while McDaniels offered another viewpoint on Sunday night.
"I went in there with every intention of solving the issue, being a Bronco, moving forward as a Bronco," Cutler said. "We weren't in there but about 20 minutes, [McDaniels] did most of the talking and as far as I'm concerned, he made it clear he wants his own guy. He admitted he wanted Matt Cassel (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=8644) because he said he has raised him up from the ground as a quarterback. He said he wasn't sorry about it. He made it clear that he could still entertain trading me because, as he put it, he'll do whatever he feels is in the best interest of the organization.


"At the end of the meeting, he wasn't like, 'Jay, I want you as our quarterback, you're our guy.' It felt like the opposite. He basically said that I needed to tell him if we can't work this out, to let him know," Cutler added. "I thought he was antagonizing me and that was disappointing because I was ready to move on, committed as a Bronco. Really, I figured we'd hash things out, shake hands, laugh a little and move forward. What happened [Saturday] was the last thing I expected. If I didn't think it could be fixed, I never would have come back to Denver. It was painfully obvious to me and Bus [Cook, his agent] it's not something they want to fix."
Consequently, Cutler instructed Cook, who also attended the meeting, to formally request a trade. The quarterback said he left town late Sunday and would skip McDaniels' first team meeting on Monday as they begin their offseason program.
Broncos owner Pat Bowlen told the Denver Post on Sunday that he was disappointed with how Cutler has handled the situation. In a telephone interview with ESPN, McDaniels was reluctantly expansive on the story.
"I really have wanted to avoid a he-said, she-said thing but it's only fair for us to present the Bronco side of the story rather than let things get taken out of context," McDaniels said. "There's been a pattern here for the past two weeks the way things [have been represented] in our communications. I don't think anythng that happened [Saturday] was out of the ordinary. At the end of the meeting, Jay said he had thought about things quite a bit and requested a few more hours to mull things over. He said he wanted to talk to Bus on how to proceed. He was gonna call me on my cell phone and that never happened. Instead, Bus called [GM] Brian [Xanders].
"Again, I think that's been a pattern. I couldn't get [Cutler] to talk to me for two weeks or to talk to Mr. Bowlen. Then when he came here this weekend, we couldn't get a one-on-one meeting, just me and him alone. He wanted Bus in there, so I had Brian sit in, too. And it was the four of us. There wasn't any yelling, none of that. I can't believe we get to a totally different [interpretation].


"It's an unfortunate set of circumstances that has cropped up, a potential distraction and we've done our best to limit that. The main message I want to get out is that we're excited to start our offseason program [Monday]. It's an exciting time for us."
Cutler won't be present at the team meeting.
"I certainly went back there, expecting I'd be there [Monday] but not now," Cutler said. "It's not mandatory. I'll attend every mandatory mini-camp and training camp but that's it. Really, it's best for me to move on. As coach said, he needs every eye in the meeting room to be on him and not me."
As McDaniels pointed out, Cutler had a completely different expectation when he left their private meeting on Saturday.
Cutler said: "You know, even after the meeting, I hung around town, kind of expecting him to call me and say, 'Hey, let's just me and you get away and have lunch or a cup of coffee' and mend things, but that didn't happen. So, I get it, really, it's a business. I'm disappointed beause I love being a Bronco but I think it's run its course."
Cutler denied recent reports that he had asked to be traded when the Broncos fired offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates.
"Yes, I was upset when they let Jeremy go because Mr. Bowlen had assured me when Mike [Shanahan] was fired that the offense wouldn't change because it was the second-ranked offense in football," Cutler said. "But I didn't push for a trade then."
McDaniels and Cutler agreed on at least one element of the controversy, knocking down a Sunday report on NFL Network that the coach had criticized the quarterback's play in 2008.
"That just isn't true," McDaniels said. "Not a word has been said about that."
Cutler added: "Josh has never said anything negative to me about my play or anything else, for that matter."
McDaniels admitted that the team got involved in trade discussions for Cassel, who instead was dealt to the Kansas City Chiefs (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=kan). However, he said any perception Cutler felt that the team could still trade him was misleading.
"That's what we have communicated ever since the deal with Cassel didn't happen," McDaniels said. "Other teams have called but we're not interested in getting draft picks for Jay. I never made a statement [Saturday] that 'you can be traded at any time.' They asked a question and I told them it was the time of year when people inquire about your team. Your job, as a head coach and general manager, is to listen and not bypass any opportunity to help your team improve. I think most people [in the NFL] feel the same way. You make smart, educated decisions that are best for your football team."
Cutler feels like McDaniels lost his credibility with him when he initially denied to the quarterback that the Broncos tried to acquire Cassel only to admit it later.
"Before this trade for Cassel thing ever came up, in the two weeks or so I had spent with McDaniels, he was basically telling me that he came to Denver because he wanted to coach me and that we needed to trust each other," Cutler said. "He's never been critical to me. But trust now? How can I trust him now?"

He also explained that his house being put up for sale was "nothing more than a coincidence."
"I had already shown my house privately to some interested buyers a couple of months ago," Cutler said. "I've really been looking to buy 40 to 70 acres of land there."
As for ignoring phone calls from McDaniels and Bowlen, Cutler said: "Josh and I have exchanged text messages. We had a conference call. And if Pat wanted to speak to me, why didn't he come to the meeting on Saturday?"
Cook said that as an agent he was "totally in shock" that it has gotten so ugly.
"I would have bet my house going into Saturday's meeting that everyone would be shaking hands and smiling," Cook said. "I thought it was going to get worked out. But it was very clear to me that Jay Cutler is not their choice to be quarterback of that team."
Yet Cook admitted that when he called Xanders to request a trade on Saturday night, the team's general manager said it wasn't going to happen and that "Jay should show up Monday."
That wasn't going to happen, either.


Well, now that we have actual quotes from Cutler and McDaniels.....guess McDaniels was rubbing Cutlers back while holding Cassells hand. As I stated earlier, this is the BUNK that McDaniels brought into the door when he walked in.

He should have made it known to Bowlen from jump street, and instead of pulling Cutlers chain, he should have told Cutler he was in the process of EVALUATING the team instead of telling him they need to trust each other.


Dont know if its cause McDaniels is 32 yrs old, but he obviously is oblivious to what hes saying. He wants to play big wig, and big wig is what he will get. If he trades Cutler, DUMBEST FRONT OFFICE MOVE OF THE CENTURY.


I told you that Cutler is small town, and small town dont play that crap. McDaniels came in yanking Cutlers chain, knowing ALL ALONG HE WANTED CASSELL..........he ADMITTED IT. If thats the way you think your gonna get a lockeroom to play for you.......youre SADLY mistaken.

Now that we have actual quotes from Cutler and McDaniels, it sure sounds to me like Cutler is the one whos trying to bring it together.

We ALL heard from McDONKEYs own mouth in his opening press conference how he carried on about getting to work with Cutler, etc, etc.

All lies.

But looks like McDONKEY doesnt know how to say he screwed the pooch on this one.


DUMB.


DUMB.

DUMB!

JKcatch724
03-16-2009, 02:47 AM
I'm now accepting applications for a cult-like mass suicide. We will all be wearing Cutler jerseys when found. That'll show McDaniels.

dogfish
03-16-2009, 02:52 AM
War, I salute you!


:salute:



Signed,

Bief Stue

DenBronx
03-16-2009, 02:59 AM
deffinitely one of the dumbest front office moves ive ever seen and it happens to be my team were talking about.

Kapaibro
03-16-2009, 03:03 AM
Wait a minute...

McD asked Jay to let him know if things can't be worked out, and he's ANTAGONISING him? Seems to me McD was asking if they could work together to resolve the situation.

That is some mighty thin skin Jay has.

fcspikeit
03-16-2009, 03:11 AM
Wait a minute...

McD asked Jay to let him know if things can't be worked out, and he's ANTAGONISING him? Seems to me McD was asking if they could work together to resolve the situation.

That is some mighty thin skin Jay has.

It was ANTAGONIZING him, Cutler was saying he wants to work it out.. Why else would he even be here and planning on showing up on Monday? McKid won't let it go.

If you told someone "I want to work this out with you and move past this" and they turned right around and asked you "let me know if things can't be worked out" What would you think they were doing?

Seriously, Why would McKid ask him that if he was right there telling him he wanted to work it out?

Kapaibro
03-16-2009, 03:15 AM
As a mature adult, I would think they are asking me to think long and hard about the situation and to let them know if things can be resolved.

I would not think that was antagonistic, I would think they were giving me a chance to decided what I really wanted to do.

WARHORSE
03-16-2009, 03:16 AM
Wait a minute...

McD asked Jay to let him know if things can't be worked out, and he's ANTAGONISING him? Seems to me McD was asking if they could work together to resolve the situation.

That is some mighty thin skin Jay has.



Read it again.......slower this time.

fcspikeit
03-16-2009, 03:17 AM
Denver Broncos (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=den) quarterback Jay Cutler (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=9597) said Sunday night that he will not report to the team's first meeting on Monday and has formally asked to be traded. He confirmed that a Saturday meeting with first-year coach Josh McDaniels ended badly from his perspective while McDaniels offered another viewpoint on Sunday night.
"I went in there with every intention of solving the issue, being a Bronco, moving forward as a Bronco," Cutler said. "We weren't in there but about 20 minutes, [McDaniels] did most of the talking and as far as I'm concerned, he made it clear he wants his own guy. He admitted he wanted Matt Cassel (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=8644) because he said he has raised him up from the ground as a quarterback. He said he wasn't sorry about it. He made it clear that he could still entertain trading me because, as he put it, he'll do whatever he feels is in the best interest of the organization.


"At the end of the meeting, he wasn't like, 'Jay, I want you as our quarterback, you're our guy.' It felt like the opposite. He basically said that I needed to tell him if we can't work this out, to let him know," Cutler added. "I thought he was antagonizing me and that was disappointing because I was ready to move on, committed as a Bronco. Really, I figured we'd hash things out, shake hands, laugh a little and move forward. What happened [Saturday] was the last thing I expected. If I didn't think it could be fixed, I never would have come back to Denver. It was painfully obvious to me and Bus [Cook, his agent] it's not something they want to fix."
Consequently, Cutler instructed Cook, who also attended the meeting, to formally request a trade. The quarterback said he left town late Sunday and would skip McDaniels' first team meeting on Monday as they begin their offseason program.
Broncos owner Pat Bowlen told the Denver Post on Sunday that he was disappointed with how Cutler has handled the situation. In a telephone interview with ESPN, McDaniels was reluctantly expansive on the story.
"I really have wanted to avoid a he-said, she-said thing but it's only fair for us to present the Bronco side of the story rather than let things get taken out of context," McDaniels said. "There's been a pattern here for the past two weeks the way things [have been represented] in our communications. I don't think anythng that happened [Saturday] was out of the ordinary. At the end of the meeting, Jay said he had thought about things quite a bit and requested a few more hours to mull things over. He said he wanted to talk to Bus on how to proceed. He was gonna call me on my cell phone and that never happened. Instead, Bus called [GM] Brian [Xanders].
"Again, I think that's been a pattern. I couldn't get [Cutler] to talk to me for two weeks or to talk to Mr. Bowlen. Then when he came here this weekend, we couldn't get a one-on-one meeting, just me and him alone. He wanted Bus in there, so I had Brian sit in, too. And it was the four of us. There wasn't any yelling, none of that. I can't believe we get to a totally different [interpretation].


"It's an unfortunate set of circumstances that has cropped up, a potential distraction and we've done our best to limit that. The main message I want to get out is that we're excited to start our offseason program [Monday]. It's an exciting time for us."
Cutler won't be present at the team meeting.
"I certainly went back there, expecting I'd be there [Monday] but not now," Cutler said. "It's not mandatory. I'll attend every mandatory mini-camp and training camp but that's it. Really, it's best for me to move on. As coach said, he needs every eye in the meeting room to be on him and not me."
As McDaniels pointed out, Cutler had a completely different expectation when he left their private meeting on Saturday.
Cutler said: "You know, even after the meeting, I hung around town, kind of expecting him to call me and say, 'Hey, let's just me and you get away and have lunch or a cup of coffee' and mend things, but that didn't happen. So, I get it, really, it's a business. I'm disappointed beause I love being a Bronco but I think it's run its course."
Cutler denied recent reports that he had asked to be traded when the Broncos fired offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates.
"Yes, I was upset when they let Jeremy go because Mr. Bowlen had assured me when Mike [Shanahan] was fired that the offense wouldn't change because it was the second-ranked offense in football," Cutler said. "But I didn't push for a trade then."
McDaniels and Cutler agreed on at least one element of the controversy, knocking down a Sunday report on NFL Network that the coach had criticized the quarterback's play in 2008.
"That just isn't true," McDaniels said. "Not a word has been said about that."
Cutler added: "Josh has never said anything negative to me about my play or anything else, for that matter."
McDaniels admitted that the team got involved in trade discussions for Cassel, who instead was dealt to the Kansas City Chiefs (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=kan). However, he said any perception Cutler felt that the team could still trade him was misleading.
"That's what we have communicated ever since the deal with Cassel didn't happen," McDaniels said. "Other teams have called but we're not interested in getting draft picks for Jay. I never made a statement [Saturday] that 'you can be traded at any time.' They asked a question and I told them it was the time of year when people inquire about your team. Your job, as a head coach and general manager, is to listen and not bypass any opportunity to help your team improve. I think most people [in the NFL] feel the same way. You make smart, educated decisions that are best for your football team."
Cutler feels like McDaniels lost his credibility with him when he initially denied to the quarterback that the Broncos tried to acquire Cassel only to admit it later.
"Before this trade for Cassel thing ever came up, in the two weeks or so I had spent with McDaniels, he was basically telling me that he came to Denver because he wanted to coach me and that we needed to trust each other," Cutler said. "He's never been critical to me. But trust now? How can I trust him now?"

He also explained that his house being put up for sale was "nothing more than a coincidence."
"I had already shown my house privately to some interested buyers a couple of months ago," Cutler said. "I've really been looking to buy 40 to 70 acres of land there."
As for ignoring phone calls from McDaniels and Bowlen, Cutler said: "Josh and I have exchanged text messages. We had a conference call. And if Pat wanted to speak to me, why didn't he come to the meeting on Saturday?"
Cook said that as an agent he was "totally in shock" that it has gotten so ugly.
"I would have bet my house going into Saturday's meeting that everyone would be shaking hands and smiling," Cook said. "I thought it was going to get worked out. But it was very clear to me that Jay Cutler is not their choice to be quarterback of that team."
Yet Cook admitted that when he called Xanders to request a trade on Saturday night, the team's general manager said it wasn't going to happen and that "Jay should show up Monday."
That wasn't going to happen, either.


Well, now that we have actual quotes from Cutler and McDaniels.....guess McDaniels was rubbing Cutlers back while holding Cassells hand. As I stated earlier, this is the BUNK that McDaniels brought into the door when he walked in.

He should have made it known to Bowlen from jump street, and instead of pulling Cutlers chain, he should have told Cutler he was in the process of EVALUATING the team instead of telling him they need to trust each other.


Dont know if its cause McDaniels is 32 yrs old, but he obviously is oblivious to what hes saying. He wants to play big wig, and big wig is what he will get. If he trades Cutler, DUMBEST FRONT OFFICE MOVE OF THE CENTURY.


I told you that Cutler is small town, and small town dont play that crap. McDaniels came in yanking Cutlers chain, knowing ALL ALONG HE WANTED CASSELL..........he ADMITTED IT. If thats the way you think your gonna get a lockeroom to play for you.......youre SADLY mistaken.

Now that we have actual quotes from Cutler and McDaniels, it sure sounds to me like Cutler is the one whos trying to bring it together.

We ALL heard from McDONKEYs own mouth in his opening press conference how he carried on about getting to work with Cutler, etc, etc.

All lies.

But looks like McDONKEY doesnt know how to say he screwed the pooch on this one.


DUMB.


DUMB.

DUMB!

He didn't have to tell Jay he screwed the pooch WAR, all he had to do was tell Jay I want you to come tomorrow and lets forget about all this shit..

Even after the meeting was over, Cutler still held out hope McKid would call him and tell him to come tomorrow.. Cutler felt like McKid didn't want him in Denver. That's why he said, "I get it" He believed McDaniels was telling him he doesn't want Cutler on the team anymore..

Just look at what his agent said... "But it was very clear to me that Jay Cutler is not their choice to be quarterback of that team"

Jay Cutler is not coming tomorrow because he believes McDaniels didn't want him to come.

Kapaibro
03-16-2009, 03:22 AM
Read it again.......slower this time.

screw that

this whole bs is starting to bore the crap out of me.

This whole thing has polarised the boards like the Jay vs Jake saga.

That got old too.

fcspikeit
03-16-2009, 03:24 AM
As a mature adult, I would think they are asking me to think long and hard about the situation and to let them know if things can be resolved.

I would not think that was antagonistic, I would think they were giving me a chance to decided what I really wanted to do.

If you were sitting there telling them how you wanted to play for the Broncos and how you wanted to get past all this, there would be no reason for them to even ask you unless they were saying it just so they could say they asked you.

Look at the choice of word "antagonistic", Why would someone ask you the same question after you just answered it?

Did McDaniels even say he wanted Cutler to show up tomorrow? No this is what he said, "The main message I want to get out is that we're excited to start our off season program [Monday]. It's an exciting time for us."

He is moving along without Cutler, that is what Cutler and his agent both believed he was telling them..

WARHORSE
03-16-2009, 03:31 AM
he didn't have to tell jay he screwed the pooch war, all he had to do was tell jay i want you to come tomorrow and lets forget about all this shit..

Even after the meeting was over, cutler still held out hope mckid would call him and tell him to come tomorrow.. Cutler felt like mckid didn't want him in denver. That's why he said, "i get it" he believed mcdaniels was telling him he doesn't want cutler on the team anymore..

Just look at what his agent said... "but it was very clear to me that jay cutler is not their choice to be quarterback of that team"

jay cutler is not coming tomorrow because he believes mcdaniels didn't want him to come.


bingo.

WARHORSE
03-16-2009, 03:32 AM
screw that

this whole bs is starting to bore the crap out of me.

This whole thing has polarised the boards like the Jay vs Jake saga.

That got old too.

Yeah........dead on. My bad dude.

fcspikeit
03-16-2009, 03:40 AM
Also, Mods please don't merge this thread with the other. This article needs to be in the OP so everyone can actually read it.. TIA

Kapaibro
03-16-2009, 03:51 AM
Whether McD has been lying, or Bus Cook is pissing in the media's collective ear, or Jay is a whiny brat or vice versa....

I'm about ready for Jay to be traded just so we can all move on.

claymore
03-16-2009, 08:10 AM
screw that

this whole bs is starting to bore the crap out of me.

This whole thing has polarised the boards like the Jay vs Jake saga.

That got old too.

That was minor in comparison. At that point we had a budding star QB. Now we have Chris Simms, an unproven head coach, and a senile owner.

This is major.....

Who would have thought in January..... THat Cutler, Marshal, and Scheffler would be gone this year? Not me..... Its a nightmare, and I want to wake up.

CoachChaz
03-16-2009, 08:29 AM
I have to admit that I am shocked. It really blows me away that people I have come to respect on this forum just cant possibly see things any other way than what they want.

I'm REALLY trying to see how this situation can be 100% McDaniels fault and I just cant do it. No matter how I try to spin the scenario, I just cant put the blame solely on one person. Yet, reasonable, educated adults just cant see it otherwise. I really get the idea that Cutler could stand in front of the media and say, "I am an idiot. Everything Josh says is true and I apologize"...and people would STILL blame McDaniels.

It's insane

Mike
03-16-2009, 08:36 AM
I have to admit that I am shocked. It really blows me away that people I have come to respect on this forum just cant possibly see things any other way than what they want.

I'm REALLY trying to see how this situation can be 100% McDaniels fault and I just cant do it. No matter how I try to spin the scenario, I just cant put the blame solely on one person. Yet, reasonable, educated adults just cant see it otherwise. I really get the idea that Cutler could stand in front of the media and say, "I am an idiot. Everything Josh says is true and I apologize"...and people would STILL blame McDaniels.

It's insane

No problems with Cutler whatsoever while he has been a Bronco...new coach and all the sudden Cutler starts acting this way. Just don't buy it. Cutler has not handled this well by any means, but he has more credibility than McD has, IMO...just because we have those 3 years with him as opposed to nothing with McD.

claymore
03-16-2009, 08:56 AM
I have to admit that I am shocked. It really blows me away that people I have come to respect on this forum just cant possibly see things any other way than what they want.

I'm REALLY trying to see how this situation can be 100% McDaniels fault and I just cant do it. No matter how I try to spin the scenario, I just cant put the blame solely on one person. Yet, reasonable, educated adults just cant see it otherwise. I really get the idea that Cutler could stand in front of the media and say, "I am an idiot. Everything Josh says is true and I apologize"...and people would STILL blame McDaniels.

It's insane

I think its crazy that McDaniels entertained trading Cutler. We could never get value for him unless it was another up and coming QB.

Cutler has a right to be angry IMO. I dont feel he has lashed out or done anything wrong.

I believe McDaniels has Napoleons complex, and made this situation far worse than it should have been. This isnt the forties. You have to relate to your players, and give a mutual respect.
Having said that, I feel Cutler is roughly 20% at fault. He could have handled some things with more discretion. But what he did say wasnt bad or critical of anyone.

McDaniels in Saturdays meeting was critical of Cutler, told him he did want Cassel, and told Jay how he needed to improve in order to fit the new system. That meeting was intended to mend a relationship. Football shouldnt have even been discussed.

CoachChaz
03-16-2009, 09:00 AM
The bottom line is pretty simple. Most fans OVER value Cutler. He has talent and the strongest arm in the world, but he is not irreplaceable. Quite honestly, i would be more upset if my NEW coach didnt at least listen to trade offers. ANYTHING to make this team better than it has been the last 10 years.

If Cutler is the only hope we have for being great again, then I am more scared about futility than I ever have been.

BigDaddyBronco
03-16-2009, 09:01 AM
Cutler was shown the ugly side of NFL loyalty. No doubt about it.

But, with that being said, he needs to understand that is the way it is and deal with it. I really he had two options, do well in the new system and get that next big contract, or blow up, get a trade and get that big contract now. What do you think Bus Cook advised him to do?

I really think Cutler is hurt, but most of this being played out in the media is posturing for him to get that new deal either by trade or by the Broncos. He hasn't said that because that would turn the court of public opinion, but I really believe this is what he wants.

Denver Native (Carol)
03-16-2009, 10:12 AM
Trying to put the pieces together:

Before Saturday's meeting, McD kept stating that he had no intentions of trading Jay, and then from the espn article, - if it is true -

We weren't in there but about 20 minutes, [McDaniels] did most of the talking and as far as I'm concerned, he made it clear he wants his own guy. He admitted he wanted Matt Cassel because he said he has raised him up from the ground as a quarterback. He said he wasn't sorry about it. He made it clear that he could still entertain trading me because, as he put it, he'll do whatever he feels is in the best interest of the organization.

Also, this is a very good article in regards to McD:

http://cbs4denver.com/broncos/trade.cutler.denver.2.960109.html

Analysis: The Cutler-McDaniels Feud

Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler and Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels botched what should have been a make-up meeting on Saturday morning, and now the situation has spiraled even further out of control.

Cutler has now flown out of Denver; his agent is expected to formally request a trade; Cutler will not attend the start of the team's voluntary off-season workout program Monday, and he says that he will not report to the Broncos facility until the first mandatory mini-camp sometime in late April or early May.

This situation is perilous for both Cutler and McDaniels.

While each man clearly believes that "justice" is on his side of the argument, people are watching this feud and drawing their own conclusions. Obviously public opinion has an impact on ticket sales for the Broncos and endorsement opportunities for Cutler. But this feud also directly affects their ability to play and coach in the NFL.

McDaniels is a young, first-time coach, and while there's no doubt that he has the football expertise to run an offense, there are serious questions about whether he has the managerial skills necessary for the job.

Although the rift with Cutler is the issue that has drawn the most public attention, I've spoken to several Broncos players who believe that McDaniels sabotaged his credibility in the locker room when he cut long-snapper Mike Leach and signed former Patriots long-snapper Lonnie Paxton to a $2 million contract.

Leach has proven to be among the most reliable snappers in the NFL, and replacing him seemed completely unnecessary and out of step with the message that a new coach should be sending to his team.

The players who were drafted or signed by the previous coach want to believe that the new coach will judge them based on their ability to perform on the field. But when McDaniels got rid of Leach it sent a very clear message that no matter how well the veterans performed, the new coach would cut them and pay more money to get players with whom he was more familiar.

Engaging in trade talks for Cutler was another McDaniels mistake. It's true that any player on any team is subject to trade, but this particular trade didn't make any sense. McDaniels wanted to ship Cutler to Tampa Bay in a three-way deal that would have brought then-Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel to Denver.

This is a carbon-copy of the Leach exchange, only worse. At least Leach and Paxton have similar ability. There was no reason to swap them out, but at least it wasn't a downgrade.

In the proposed Cutler-Cassel exchange, McDaniels would have been putting a less talented player under center, and the only rationale is the McDaniels is familiar with Cassel.

Again, the message to the Broncos veterans is clear: Your ability and performance on the field are irrelevant. McDaniels will replace you with someone less talented if he has had a longer relationship with that person.

This feud has the potential to doom McDaniels first stint as a head coach.

This dispute is dangerous for Cutler's career, too. He's supposed to be the leader of this team, and at some point he has to decide whether it's more important to keep fighting this personal crusade or to step up and act like a team leader.

The off-season workout program is an important period of bonding for players. There are a lot of new players on the Broncos roster. Every day that Cutler is not there, he loses another opportunity to earn the respect of his teammates. They will acknowledge him as a leader because he's the quarterback, but acknowledgement and respect are not equivalent terms.

Cutler also risks alienating other teams. For weeks, Cutler's tantrum has been a story in the national media and that could affect his future in the NFL. Everyone knows that Cutler is an extremely talented quarterback, but how many coaches want a signal caller who will frequently and publicly defy them?

Coaches are part of a small and tight fraternity and they empathize with each other. Each of them was a first-time coach at one point in his career, so they understand what McDaniels is going through. None of them will appreciate the fact that Cutler is going so far out of his way to undermine McDaniels' authority.

It's bad enough when a wide receiver, a running back or a defensive player throws tantrums or otherwise creates distractions, but when it's the guy who touches the ball on every offensive play, that's much harder for a team to manage.

Before all of this started, the only teams that wouldn't have wanted Cutler were those that already had a franchise quarterbacks. Every other team would have viewed Cutler as an upgrade. But now, there's probably a much shorter list of teams who are prepared to deal with the tantrums and PR fiascos that Cutler might bring with him.

Plus, this feud is eroding Cutler's trade value. Every team knows that he doesn't want to be in Denver, so the Broncos might not get as much as if Cutler was publicly content. The only thing that can save his value now is if two or three teams start competing for him.

But are there two or three teams out there who a) need Cutler, b) want Cutler despite his tantrums, and c) have something that the Broncos would accept in exchange for Cutler?

Northman
03-16-2009, 10:32 AM
I'm now accepting applications for a cult-like mass suicide. We will all be wearing Cutler jerseys when found. That'll show McDaniels.

I have to agree. I like Cutler just like the next guy but man im starting to think im on the Mane or something. People thinking its going to be the end of the world and what not. :lol:

Northman
03-16-2009, 10:33 AM
I have to admit that I am shocked. It really blows me away that people I have come to respect on this forum just cant possibly see things any other way than what they want.

I'm REALLY trying to see how this situation can be 100% McDaniels fault and I just cant do it. No matter how I try to spin the scenario, I just cant put the blame solely on one person. Yet, reasonable, educated adults just cant see it otherwise. I really get the idea that Cutler could stand in front of the media and say, "I am an idiot. Everything Josh says is true and I apologize"...and people would STILL blame McDaniels.

It's insane


Im in disbelief right now. The meltdown here is just flat out embarrassing.