One reason the Denver Broncos have been the busiest team is free agency is the pitch new coach Josh McDaniels has used to land his 16 recruits: Lets win now and leave the rebuilding to someone else.

I didnt want to go into no situation where a teams going to be rebuilding again, said new Broncos linebacker Andra Davis.

But can the Broncos realistically expect to win right away if Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler gets his wish to be traded?

Could they win with another established quarterback they might land by granting their best player his request? Can Denver return to the playoffs after a three-year drought behind newcomer Chris Simms, who has thrown just two passes since 2006?

What if the Broncos go with a rookie passer plucked from the college ranks on draft day?

Its not something Davis wanted to contemplate Thursday after running wind sprints at altitude.

Ive been through a lot of quarterback controversies in Cleveland and I play defense. The quarterbacks and the management, they handle all that, Davis said. Whatevers going to happen is going to happen. We just have to focus on ourselves. We cant worry about nobody else.

Cutler asked for a trade through his agent, Bus Cook, after talks with McDaniels failed to soothe his hurt feelings, which stemmed from McDaniels bringing up his name in trade talks for Matt Cassel, his protege in New England who was dealt to Kansas City instead.

McDaniels, who spent the past three seasons as the Patriots offensive coordinator, would rather iron things out with Cutler than trade him on his terms.

There are several prospective suitors who need a quarterback of Cutlers caliber, however, and McDaniels and general manager Brian Xanders are sure to be approached by those teams when the NFL owners gather Sunday in Dana Point, Calif., for their annual meeting.

Cutler is only 17-20 as a starter but thats deceiving: the Broncos have had horrendous defenses ever since he took over from Jake Plummer late in 2006.

In games that the Broncos have allowed 21 points or fewer, Cutler is an impressive 13-1, and that only loss was to Green Bay in 2007 when the Packers won the coin toss and Brett Favre threw an 82-yard touchdown pass on the first play of overtime.

Cutler is skipping the teams voluntary offseason training program, where players have been running and lifting weights this week and having to answer questions about their AWOL quarterback.

All I know is it would be nice to have Jay here and it would be nice if Jay and the coaching staff can work out what they need to work out, defensive lineman Darrell Reid said Thursday. Coach McDaniels, this organization, this staff, they have a vision for where they want this team to be, and Im just glad to be a part of that vision.

But does that vision get altered if Cutler gets his walking papers?

Or can the refurbished Broncos quickly return to respectability with someone else under center?

Obviously you need a good quarterback, Reid said. Let me say this first, I come from the Indianapolis Colts, OK? Let me say that first. I come from the Indianapolis Colts, where Peyton Manning is the quarterback. So, for me to sit here and say, Oh, you can win without a good quarterback? Who am I to say that? I cant make that determination because Ive never been on a team … with decent, average quarterbacks.

And hes hoping he wont be this season, either.

We had a Hall of Fame quarterback in Indianapolis, so I would say you do need a good quarterback to win in this league, especially in the playoffs, Reid said. You go back as far as you want, Super Bowl teams, I think Baltimore might have been the last one that won without a good quarterback.

The Broncos havent been to the playoffs since 2005, a drought that led to Mike Shanahans ouster and the hiring of McDaniels, who chose to use free agency as his primary tool for fixing the franchise that has won just one playoff game in the past decade.

McDaniels first foray into free agency landed Brian Dawkins, who had spent his entire 13-year career in Philadelphia and was one of the first free agents to hear McDaniels spiel about winning right away.

Were not trying to rebuild something, were trying to build right now and to win right now, Dawkins said after signing a five-year, $17 million contract. Thats one of the reasons I bought in. At this point in my career, Im not looking to really go to places that are rebuilding. Obviously, they wouldnt be bringing me in here if they were rebuilding, anyway, because theyd want to get young and start from there.

Dawkins added: I know what they have on the offensive side of the ball and I wanted to help bring something to the defensive side of the ball.

While Dawkins was making those comments at his introductory news conference Feb. 28, Cutler was being informed that his name had come up in trade talks, igniting the firestorm the Broncos find themselves trying to put out.

Posted on March 20th, 2009 by admin
Filed under: NFL football news