[TimmyLamJones]

Cutler says he can't trust McDaniels

Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler 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 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.

Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler said while new Denver coach Josh McDaniels hasn't been critical of him, Cutler can no longer trust McDaniels.

"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. 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.

[The Reverend]

Holy smoke! C'mon Tanny!

[S-Dubb]

1st 3rd and clemens... draft the best wr on the board with our 2nd and ill see u guys in august with a big ass smile on my face

Lets see what happens.

I'd be happy either way. If we were to get him I'd be very happy, if we don't I think Ratliff and or Clemens could be our guy for the future.

With Mike Tannenbaum you never know.

[Mr_Jet]

The plot thickens.

[reg83ny]

I'm loving this soap opera. Hope we're involved at the end.

[Jetsfan0099]

I would love it if we get him. Hopefully we do, Woody Johnson says he wants a strong armed QB who can throw in the winds at the stadium, Cutler can do it was ease. 25 years old QB with a great arm and has already had success. Had a above 86 QB rating every season so far.


But the Lions will probably want him also and they have the first overall pick to trade.

[TheFuture]

I would love it if we get him. Hopefully we do, Woody Johnson says he wants a strong armed QB who can throw in the winds at the stadium, Cutler can do it was ease. 25 years old QB with a great arm and has already had success. Had a above 86 QB rating every season so far.


But the Lions will probably want him also and they have the first overall pick to trade.

Either that or they also have the 20th overall as well. I'd like to try and give them a 2nd 3rd and a 5th plus Clem for him I don't really wanna trade our first round pick.

[bluelinecop]

Interesting. If we get him, who becomes the face of our franchise? Scott or Cutler? And what shape will our cap be in?

[Tebow15]

i see the lions giving up the 20th overall pick and one of their 3rds for Cutler. I dont see us getting a deal done. Plus, Broncos are now under EX-Patriot control, you really think the coach will piss off Bellichump by giving the Jets an experienced qb?

[dayshlims]

Does Cutler have any trade clauses in his contract? Because if he does I'm guessing he would rather go to us then to the Lions. You hear him talk about having a good offense, and with Leon, TJ and Dustin, not too mention whichever WR we can grab in the draft, I think he would much rather play with us.

Not too mention the Lions have a history of bad mistakes, they would probably rather take Stafford at the 1 then have to trade away more of their picks for Cutler, because with all the picks they have right now they are potentially looking at a really good draft.

I.M.O our 1st, 3rd, Clemens and maybe a conditional pick or next years second should get it done. Tanny is smart and he knows this is the right move for our franchise. Cutler clearly is not going to play in Denver next year, the door is open for a trade and we have one of the best GMs in football. McDaniels may be from the Bellichick tree but he isn't going to turn down a good deal, and I think Tanny will make him an offer he can't refuse.

Or at least that is what I hope.

[ganggreen2003]

Tannenbaum and Rex Ryan need to get a hold of whoever in Denver and get this done...I want Cutler in a JETS Uniform...we will finally have a QB with a ARM since Testeverde

[Tebow15]

Does Cutler have any trade clauses in his contract? Because if he does I'm guessing he would rather go to us then to the Lions. You hear him talk about having a good offense, and with Leon, TJ and Dustin, not too mention whichever WR we can grab in the draft, I think he would much rather play with us.

Not too mention the Lions have a history of bad mistakes, they would probably rather take Stafford at the 1 then have to trade away more of their picks for Cutler, because with all the picks they have right now they are potentially looking at a really good draft.

I.M.O our 1st, 3rd, Clemens and maybe a conditional pick or next years second should get it done. Tanny is smart and he knows this is the right move for our franchise. Cutler clearly is not going to play in Denver next year, the door is open for a trade and we have one of the best GMs in football. McDaniels may be from the Bellichick tree but he isn't going to turn down a good deal, and I think Tanny will make him an offer he can't refuse.

Or at least that is what I hope.

and what receiver are we gunna draft if we give up a 1st and a 3rd with only a late 2nd round pick left on the first day and nothing to trade up with? Secondly, Cutler is not worth a player with 2-3 draft picks including a 1st. So if we did that trade wed pretty much be idiots. If we gave up a 1st a 3rd another conditional pick, AND Clemens, there better be a Super Bowl VICTORY otherwise anything less is a major bust on our part.

[Curtis4Fame]

so if we go for cutler, you think there would be a third team, possibly the browns, involved maybe trading anderson or quinn to the broncos for some draft picks? just a different perspective to throw out there?

[Tater Salad]

Not too mention the Lions have a history of bad mistakes, they would probably rather take Stafford at the 1 then have to trade away more of their picks for Cutler, because with all the picks they have right now they are potentially looking at a really good draft.

Knowing the Lions, they'll take Stafford #1 after they deal 20, #2 and #3 for Cutler.

[Tater Salad]

i see the lions giving up the 20th overall pick and one of their 3rds for Cutler. I dont see us getting a deal done. Plus, Broncos are now under EX-Patriot control, you really think the coach will piss off Bellichump by giving the Jets an experienced qb?

I'm starting to wonder how/why this whole thing happened in the first place.

The Broncos didn't leak this story- McDaniels denied it at first, and its not in their best interest to have those rumors out for this exact reason: upsetting Cutler.

It wasn't the Bucs- last thing they want to do is to show their fans they're coming up short again.

What about the Pats? Driving up the asking price out in KC? They surely don't have any bridges to burn with Cassel.

[The Reverend]

Jay Cutler-QB-Broncos Mar. 16 - 1:15 pm et

The Jets have reportedly begun monitoring Jay Cutler's situation in Denver.

New York has claimed confidence in Brett Ratliff and Kellen Clemens since Rex Ryan's hiring, but would "never say never" to a player of Cutler's caliber. The Jets probably would need a three-team trade with a club like the Lions or Eagles to get Cutler. Gang Green doesn't have enough ammo as it stands.
Source: Newark Star-Ledger


AHHHHHHHH (excitement)

[Tater Salad]

Not enough ammo?

Just pull a TO and negotiate with whatever the hell team you please.

[bluelinecop]

Jay Cutler-QB-Broncos Mar. 16 - 1:15 pm et

The Jets have reportedly begun monitoring Jay Cutler's situation in Denver.

New York has claimed confidence in Brett Ratliff and Kellen Clemens since Rex Ryan's hiring, but would "never say never" to a player of Cutler's caliber. The Jets probably would need a three-team trade with a club like the Lions or Eagles to get Cutler. Gang Green doesn't have enough ammo as it stands.
Source: Newark Star-Ledger


AHHHHHHHH (excitement)

oh shit

[dayshlims]

Knowing the Lions, they'll take Stafford #1 after they deal 20, #2 and #3 for Cutler.

Exactly, and then they will start Cutler at QB, with Stafford playing the Number 1 WR and Calvin Johnson as the Number 2.

That is the Detroit way of playing football.

[S-Dubb]

If anyone can pull off a 3 team trade it's Tanny.