Thread: Cutler and McDaniels Talk

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_11457713

After a couple of missed connections and a game of phone tag, new Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels finally got to speak with quarterback Jay Cutler on Wednesday.

McDaniels told KCNC-4 that the two had "a great back-and-forth" conversation as they discussed what type of offense McDaniels is going to have Cutler run next season.

"We had a great conversation about where we're going, what we're going to do and some of the things we've done in New England in the past and some of the things they did here," McDaniels told KCNC-4. "We had a very, very lively conversation. I can't wait to meet him."

Cutler left Denver for vacation just hours after the team returned from San Diego on Dec. 29 and has not been back in town or spoken publicly since McDaniels was hired.

The distance — not to mention McDaniels' hectic schedule during his first days on the job — meant the two had to exchange messages for a bit before finally connecting.

McDaniels told reporters Monday that establishing a relationship with Cutler will be important to him, and that he intends to work closely with the quarterbacks.

Perhaps the strongest part of McDaniels' resume is his track record with quarterbacks in New England — first with star Tom Brady, especially in 2007 when McDaniels choreographed the Patriots' record-setting offense; and then this season, when he helped Brady's backup, Matt Cassel, win 11 games despite not starting since high school.

"I think that's just time spent and effort put in on his part, my part, the quarterback coach's part, whoever it is that is working with him at that particular time," said McDaniels, who replaced Mike Shanahan. "We're going to work hard to get (Cutler) just as comfortable with my system and this system as he was in Mike's system."