Trading for Jay Cutler: Is He Worth It?

When it comes to the NFL, there is one cardinal rule, one rule that trumps any other.

Plain and simple: If you can acquire a franchise quarterback, you do it.

The franchise quarterback is the most elusive of NFL commodities. Few teams have one, and those who do never, ever, let them go.

Apparently, the Denver Broncos didn’t receive the memo.

After years of looking for the replacement for John Elway, the Broncos drafted Jay Cutler, and it seemed (at least last year) that head coach Mike Shanahan and quarterbacks coach/offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates had developed the former Vanderbilt Commodore into a worthy successor.

Well, exit Shanahan and Bates, and enter Josh McDaniels.

Suddenly, the one-year wonder (he’ll be as much until he proves otherwise) Matt Cassel is more valuable to the Broncos than Cutler? The kind of sense, if any, that that makes is far beyond me.

We all know how the rest of this story goes. Bill Belichick, in a complete “wink, wink, nod, nod” fashion, traded Cassel and Mike Vrabel to Kansas City for less compensation than what was being offered by both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Detroit Lions. Consequently, McDaniels was left with a ticked off quarterback, his peeved agent, and no Matt Cassel.

The door has now been opened for other teams to try to pick up Cutler. The man himself has openly asked for a trade and has not been shy in letting the media know that he has no plans to play in Denver next year.

The question is, what will it take to pry him away from Denver? How much is a young Pro Bowl quarterback who’s just coming into his prime worth?

The last time something like this happened was in 1994, when Jeff George (then only 27) was traded from the Indianapolis Colts to the Atlanta Falcons.

The compensation? Three draft picks: a first rounder and a third rounder in the 1994 draft and what turned out to be a first-round pick in the 1995 draft.

Is Jay worth that much? Would it take three picks to “pry” him from the Broncos?

Those are the two questions that at least 10 teams (if the Denver Post is to be believed) are asking themselves right now.

Then you mix in the fact that Denver has said that they don’t want just draft picks, that another quarterback would need to be included in the package.

So just what might we be looking at?

First of all, let’s throw out the notion that there is a team out there with a quarterback that would be good enough to throw into the deal.

There are no more Matt Cassels on the market. Cleveland fans want to stand up at this point and shout “We’ll give them Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson!”

I’ll answer by asking “If you don’t want either of those guys, especially hometown boy Quinn, why would Denver?”

So now we are down to just draft picks.

Would it be worth it for a team to trade two first-round picks, one this year and one next year, plus maybe a 2009 third-round pick, for Jay Cutler? I think it would depend on where in the draft order those picks are located.

For instance, let’s say Tampa wanted to get back into the sweepstakes. They hold the 17th pick in the first round this year, as well as the 81st pick in the third round. Would it be worth it for them to trade those two picks, plus their first rounder next year, for Cutler?

I’d have to say it would. They are very close to being able to make a serious run in the Playoffs, and the key component they are missing is a franchise quarterback. And remember the rule from earlier.

What about Detroit, though?

Well, the Lions hold the first pick in the draft, as well as the 20th, 33rd, 65th, and 82nd selections. What kind of package could or should they put together if they bid for Denver’s most disgruntled?

It’s different from what the Bucs are looking at. The Lions have far more needs as a team and aren’t nearly as close.

I would have to say that a package that included the first and the 82nd picks would be a fairly decent trade for both sides. There would be no need for Detroit to give up their first rounder next year, as the No. 1 pick has a lot more value than does the 17th.

But what if Denver didn’t want the No. 1 and/or Detroit didn’t want to part with it? What if we were talking about the 20th pick?

Pick No. 20, while still in the first round, doesn’t have the value, obviously, as pick No. 1. But would it be prudent for a team with as many holes as the Lions to give up three draft picks for a quarterback of Jay Cutler’s stature?

Once again, I remind you to take a look at the rule from the beginning of the article.

As many holes as the Lions currently have, quarterback is possibly the most glaring. And frankly, Matthew Stafford, Mark Sanchez, and Josh Freeman, the three underclassman quarterbacks available in the first round this year, don’t give me the “warm fuzzies.”

I personally think that Cutler would be worth the three picks. Remember, a franchise quarterback trumps everything else. And Detroit hasn’t had one since 1958, when Bobby Lane was traded.

But hey, I don’t make the decisions for the Lions. Still, rest assured that the men who do, Martin Mayhew, Tom Lewand, James “Shack” Harris, and head coach Jim Schwartz, are all asking themselves if Jay’s worth it.

Now, this could all be a moot point, as Denver is denying that Cutler is available. But it sure is fun to speculate. That’s what we do as fans, right?

The Waiting Is the Hardest Part

Dear Football,

I can’t stop thinking about you. It’s been two long months, and I know that there is still so long to go.

You constantly are teasing me. I see you on the television, I read about you, I fantasize about you. But I know that no matter how hard I try, you won’t be coming back for a while.

We had such a great time together. You have been a part of my life for over 20 years, but it never gets any easier when you are gone.

Yes, there are other things to occupy my mind when you are gone, but nothing can fill the void that you leave in my heart.

Don’t you remember our Sundays together? Sunday was our day. Yes, I know that there was the occasional Thursday. Mondays were fun, too. But Sundays were our time together, and now I wake up on Sunday morning and a wave of depression rushes over me.

I have done everything in my power to devote my life to you and only you, but when you leave it just hurts so badly. I know I will get to see you again on April 26th, but that just isn’t enough for me.

Last year was really hard on me, and I’m sure I said a lot of things in the heat of the moment that I didn’t mean. Suffering through the worst season in history can take its toll on our relationship, but you know that no matter how bad it gets, I will never leave you.

I need you. My life is incomplete without you. Please come back!

I miss you so much. I know that you miss me, too.

Love,

Tony xoxo

NFL Draft: How Picks 11-20 Should Look

11 Buffalo Bills—Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU
The Bills managed only 24 sacks last year, which was good for 28th in the league. They need someone to get after the quarterback, and Jackson fits the bill. Plus, he is versatile and a high-character guy, which is a bonus after the Bills added T.O. to the mix.

13 Washington Redskins—Michael Oher, T, Mississippi
The ‘Skins have a glaring need at right tackle and Chris Samuels is getting long in the tooth. The ‘Skins could break him at at right tackle and groom him to eventually take over left tackle.

14 New Orleans Saints—Malcolm Jenkins, DB, Ohio State
Jenkins makes complete sense for a Saints unit that is terrible against the pass, ranking 23rd in yards allowed. He could end up playing either cornerback or safety for the Saints. Either way, he’ll represent an upgrade.

17 New York Jets—Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri
Rex Ryan could go defense, but he’d be better served adding Maclin to replace the departed Lavaranues Coles. Maclin has blazing speed and was very productive in college, averaging 91 receptions for 1153 yards and 11 TDs in his two season with the Tigers.  He added 668 yards and six TDs on the ground in those years. He’s also a great return man, which could allow Leon Washington to take on an even bigger role in the offense.

18 Chicago Bears—Percy Harvin, WR, Florida
The Bears’ stable of wide receivers is laughable. Harvin would add another explosive player that can score any time he touches the football. Put him on the field with Devin Hester and you give defenses nightmares. He can get a few carries a game as well as some screens that would take some of the workload away from Matt Forte.

Torry Holt To Visit Jacksonville Jaguars Today

Former Rams’ WR Torry Holt has just got back from his vacation and the first place he is visiting is Jacksonville. As everyone knows, we are in desperate need for some help at WR and Torry Holt would definitely be an upgrade over Dennis Northcutt and Mike Walker.

I would like to see the Jags pick up Holt, if the price is right. But other than adding depth and veteran leadership to our receiver corp, it would also prevent the Titans from improving their offense. The Titans have been the other team mentioned that is interested in signing Torry Holt, so this could turn out to be an AFC South bidding war.

We will see if the Jags let Holt leave town today. If they do, then I think his asking price may be too high and we probably will see Holt in a Titans’ uniform.

http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/around-the-horns/around-the-horns/2009/03/former-st-louis-ram-torry-holt-to-visit-jacksonville/

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2009/03/26/holts-heads-to-jacksonville-for-a-visit/

Michael Vick Passes Charles Rogers on Way Out of Prison

It was a glorious Wednesday in the land of NFL. For on this day, Michael Vick left the slammer (with whispers of a soon-to-be written biography lingering), Charles Rogers entered the cell, and the owners supported Roger Goodell’s attempt to purchase Spain and Portugal. [cue laugh track]

First, let’s begin with one of Matt Millen’s bastard-draft picks, Charles Rogers. He drank a couple of times and falsified records stating he attended alcoholics anonymous meetings while on probation. That’s a big no-no when you’re on probation.

Interestingly, Rogers chose 30 days of jail-time as comeuppance rather than remain in an intensive drug counseling program. It’s kind of like society’s way of saying, “You know? We don’t give a shit anymore. Go to jail and then do whatever you want.”

For his part, Rogers isn’t letting the dream die:

“I’m just going to do my 10 days, get out of the court system and try to get in shape for a comeback. Am I sad about the way my life has turned out? No, because I know the strides I’ve made to take care of Charles Rogers.”

In Charles Rogers’ quest to care for Charles Rogers, Charles Rogers has forgotten about Charles Rogers. At least that’s what Charles Rogers told me after I text messaged Charles Rogers.

March 26

1962 – John Stockton is born and, while the nurse wasn’t certain why, she bypassed the standard blanket and instead outfitted the newborn with really tight blue shorts.

1964 – The Samuelsson family in Sweden welcome their new baby boy into the world and when asked what they would like to name him, the father grunts to let out a huge fart.  The birth certificate then read “Ulf” Samuelsson.

1995 – Famed rapper Eazy-E passes away and leaves musical brilliance like “Gimme That Nut” as his legacy.  Love them Planters.

When you’re an athlete—college or professional—there are certain amenities that you get to enjoy that the average everyday schmo doesn’t. One of those, is that we normal people don’t ever have Jamie Dixon poised to put some serious palm on our ass cheeks…

Get ready, DeJuan, Coach Dixon has been dreaming about this all night.

The part about Michael Vick and Roger Goodell from the Tailgate’s opening statement just a few moments ago…

Michael Vick is leaving prison for a bankruptcy hearing (sweet) and he may or may not have written a book while incarcerated.

“That may or may not be in the making,” his new lawyer, Daniel Meachum, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “That would too premature right now. But I’m committed to helping Mike get back on his feet.”

The best part about that story is envisioning Michael Vick writing something and then pondering if what he wrote can be considered a book. The second best part about the story is the lawyer’s awesome “may or may not” response. The third best part is envisioning the Atlanta Journal Constitution actually writing that response down.

And that thing about Goodell is just about how he and the owners will do absolutely anything for more money—including extending the season and playing 17 neutral site games. Greedy hogs.

In the current era of profession athlete steroid accusations, let us not forget Gregg Valentino. After over 23 years of bodybuilding through “natural training” Gregg decided to experiment with steroids. During this time his arms grew from an impressive 100 percent natural 21-inch to an in-human 28-inch. After years of steroids injections, one of his bicep actually “exploded.”

We can see the same thing happening to Alex Rodriguez’s collagen-infusion lips.

The final contestant in unveiled in Dr. Aaron’s Mustache Shakedown to determine the greatest lip curtain in the history of Cardinals relief pitchers.  Time to vote, people.

The JSF Vault opens up and reintroduces the world to one of the NCAA Tournament’s true unsung heroes.

Daily Haze: Brett Favre on His Way to Cleveland?

But not to play, apparently.

Cleveland head coach Eric Mangini has reportedly invited Brett Favre to camp this summer to help with the quarterback battle between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson. No word on whether or not Favre will attend, but this is a semi-interesting development.

The relationship between Mangini and Favre was highly scrutinized, particularly near the end of the Jets’ collapse in 2008. In addition, doesn’t seem likely that Favre would get the itch to play again if he embeds himself in a camp this summer?

Chances are good that Favre says thanks but no thanks to Mangini on this one, but stranger things have happened.

Here are today’s great reads:

• Expect another big year from running back Steve Slaton, while Joseph Addai and Braylon Edwards appear to be on the decline. [Fantasy Football Xtreme]
• If, for some reason, you were interested in getting a sneak peek at the Lions’ new jerseys. [ProFootballTalk]
• Knowshon Moreno appears to be the front-runner in this year’s runningback class, but Beanie Wells could be nipping at his heels. [NFL GridIron Gab]
• Despite the new coach and quarterback, Gonzo stills wants to be Gone-zo from Kansas City. [ProFootballTalk]

For more great reads, check out my Google Reader Shared Items page.

I Love Brad Childress

I want to give him a giant kiss on his bald head. I would like to frolic on a spring Minnesota day through fields of clover with this wonderful man. Say what you want about Brad Childress, I believe he is the chosen one. 

In a game where you can learn from your mistakes or die from them Brad is learning.  This is after all, his first time as a Head Coach.  I have many sources who inform me the force is strong in him. 

Besides, he can rock that ‘stache. Everyone knows  you could not possibly be a bad coach with a beautiful flavor savor like that. In fact, to all of you fans that don’t like winning that are demanding his termination…talk to the ‘stache cuz the face ain’t listening. 

Now lets talk about cold hard facts. Factoid No. 1: Brad Childress has an IQ of 865.  Factoid No. 2: Vodka grows hair on your lip. Factoid No. 3: Brad likes Vodka. Factoid No. 4: Mustaches win games.

Clearly we have a champion.

In fact, if it wasn’t for Brad using a Jedi mind trick on Jared Allen he would have never signed with the Vikings, and if there is one thing that wins more games than a soup strainer its a mullet! 

My sources have told me Jared Allen was minutes away from quiting football and creating a boy band named the Mighty Mullets, until Brad spoke with him.

From now on I demand you refer to this future Hall of Famer as Dr. Childress, or The ‘Stache. If you were real fans you would apply Rogaine to your lip and grow a mullet in proud support of this dynamic man.

Oakland Raiders Draft Scenario: Dreams, Nightmares, and Reality

There have been some great drafts in Raiders history, for example 1968 with Kenny Stabler, Art Shell, George Atkinson, and Marv Hubbard, and some very forgettable ones, like in 2001.

We all have our theories as to how it will pan out for us this year.

Some are dreaming big, some have nightmares, and some are in the middle hoping for a good draft. Personally, I think the Raiders will be lucky this year, in as much as there are many good players in the draft in the positions they need to fill.

Although the offensive line isn’t fully fixed yet (and no, I don’t see Samson Satele as the answer at center, just depth), I don’t see us taking a tackle, certainly not in the first three rounds. Guard and center are a different matter, though, and we could use an upgrade there.

Although Alex Mack is widely touted as the top interior lineman available, Eric Wood from Louisville is high on my board, and should be available in the second round. A four-year starter, he played extremely well in the senior bowl against B.J. Raji and also showed he could be effective at the second level sealing off linebackers. He could be a good fit for Coach Tom Cable’s zone-blocking system.

Defensive line is also a huge issue, and although I think Raji will be overdrafted if he goes at seventh, there is strength in depth lower down.

Evander Hood and Robert Ayers may be there in the second round, and would both be a valuable addition to a front four that struggled badly last year.

Now to that all-important first round pick.

In my dreams; Michael Crabtree.

Arguably the best player on the board, and a wide receiver that is ready to contribute right now. We can’t wait two years for a guy to develop. Russell needs a go-to receiver this year, and I really think Crabtree could be that guy. He is a special talent.

Of course, a real dream would be to trade down for more picks and take advantage of the depth in this draft, but Al Davis isn’t big on trading, unless it’s up.

In my nightmares; Jeremy Maclin.

Not that Maclin is a bad player, but he brings a very similar skill set to Johnnie Lee Higgins, and will take some time to develop. That’s not what we need; we need someone to contribute this year.

Also, keep your eye on Darius Heyward-Bey. Al loves his speed, and where you find the fastest guy in the draft, you usually find Al Davis drafting them.

In reality; I really do think the pick is Crabtree, unless Detroit doesn’t take Matt Stafford with the overall top pick, which would shake things up a bit.

I can’t see any of the teams between Detroit (which definitely won’t take another receiver) and Cincinnati taking Crabtree, with the possible exception of the Browns.

The Rams have other needs, Seattle just signed T. J. Houshmandzadeh, the Bengals have added Laveranues Coles, and the Chiefs need defense.

If it falls out this way, I think Raiders fans across the globe can be happy and look forward to a bright 2009 season. 

Jason Williams Goes from Small-School Player to Big-League Prospect

The NFL Draft countdown has now dipped beneath the 30 day mark, and a plethora of names and photos are plastered on our screens. They are college football’s popular names, and productions of the sport’s usual suspects.

But in the midst of the high-profile prospects, there are small-school players that are seldom the targets of media analysis and hardly seen. And somewhere in the small group, there often lies a gem that will shine brighter on professional fields.

One of those hidden gems, Jason Williams, hails from Western Illinois and recently completed his Pro-Day at Northwestern University. With the names Curry, Cushing, Maualuga, and Laurinaitis smashing our eardrums, Williams worked quietly before NFL representatives in preparation for the next level.

As a combine snub, the 6’3″, 238-pound linebacker posted a 40-time of 4.49, which bested the Combine’s top performance for the position, while also placing him among the timed leaders for cornerbacks and safeties.

To learn more about the small-school prospect, Sports Jabber recently caught up with the former Leatherneck for a brief session of questions and answers. And I must say, after his outstanding Pro-Day performance, and impressive sprint numbers, I truly admire his honesty and humbleness.

Do you think some players get a free path to the NFL, because of the big name programs they attend?

I hate to admit it, but yes I do think some guys make it into the league a little easier than others based on the prestige of the program they came from. Not to say they didn’t earn it, but their school’s prestige helps sometimes.

Is it an agent that determines your workout facilities and trainer or a decision you make on your own?

It’s more of a collaborative decision between my agent and myself. Pretty much all agents have access to training facilities, but at the end of the day it’s the athlete’s decision where he wants to work out at.

Are 40-times overrated?

Yes, 40 times can be overrated to an extent, and at the same time needed. Like in my case, my 40 time is extremely important because I come from a smaller school and it helps me stand out more.

But in my opinion, a lot of guys just use the 40 as a reason to validate why they pick certain players. In reality, there aren’t too many times where a guy will actually sprint 40 yards dead ahead without cutting or changing directions.

Which current NFL player do you feel you’re most comparable to?

I guess by me being a Bears fan, I’d probably compare myself to Lance Briggs in some ways. We’re both very athletic LB’s that are fast for our position. Huge playmakers and really good in space.

What is your most memorable experience in your years of football?

I’d say the most memorable moment would be my first collegiate start in a big arena. During the ’06 season we traveled to The Big House in Wisconsin and the experience was overwhelming because i had never seen that many people all cheering at once before.

What are the hardships and advantages coming from a small school program?

I’d say the hardships are just the fact that we tend to be underrated a lot and scouts tend to look us over because they think we weren’t good enough to play in big programs. I’d say the advantages would be playing on this level makes me work harder because I know I have so much more to prove because I’m not at a bigger school.

Representatives from 14 NFL teams were on hand at Northwestern’s Pro-day, making the outsider from the small Western Illinois program their focal point.

I’m wishing him the best in the upcoming weeks, and will be waiting anxiously to hear his name called next month. Small school programs may represent the NFL minority, but they’ve delivered several stars of the game.

Maybe the names Tony Romo (Eastern Illinois), Terrell Owens (Tennessee-Chattanooga), and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Tennessee State) will be joined someday soon by Jason Williams.

Join in the discussion on this and other topics in the NEW Sports Jabber Forums!

Extending The NFL Regular Season A Marketing Proposal, Detrimental To Players

The NFL today is a huge money-making market. The mere fact that advertisers dished out $3 million for 30 seconds of advertisement(s) during the Super Bowl last month (which had a whopping 90 million viewers) goes to show that the NFL isn’t doing too horrible money-wise, it would seem.

So, the subject Roger Goodell brought up concerning the expansion of the NFL regular season from 16 games to 17 or 18 or more during the NFL’s owner’s meeting in Dana Point, Calif. this week is of utmost importance…and concern.

“What we’re trying to do is … improve the quality of what we’re doing,” Goodell said. “There is a strongly held view (among owners) and with our fans that they don’t believe preseason games are up to our standards. By swapping preseason games for regular-season games, it’s a very positive change for our fans.”

Sure, NFL fans would love to see their favorite teams for another game or two before it’s all said and done ’til August, but the teams that are due to play in the playoffs the week or weeks after the regular season has finished will be critically affected. A lot of players today are say that the bye week isn’t even of much help at times, as some bodies can’t recover that fast.

Here’s what Chargers center Jeff Hartwig had to say about the possible expansion of the NFL regular season: “Are guys going to have to sit out games, like in baseball? It’s already a long season. An 18-game season? Wow. I think you’d have to sit a guy down for a week and let him rest, because that is incredibly long, even with the bye week.”

Subtracting a game or two from the pre-season and adding it onto the regular season would create more money for teams and the NFL as a whole, not to mention fans probably wouldn’t mind getting to see their team play a little longer if the playoffs are out of the question late in the season.

Win/win, right? This is what NFL Hall Of Famer and former Head Coach John Madden said on the subject when having a discussion with Goodell on SIRIUS radio:

“You know, I respect everything that you’ve done, Commissioner. This is one area that I really differ with you. I think that you need four preseason games. You always have to say, ‘For who?’ You say you don’t need them. Well, who doesn’t need them?

“Maybe a running back doesn’t need them, but a quarterback does or a rookie does, a young defensive back, an offensive lineman obviously needs them. I think if you look at the football, if you had any negative thing, in my mind anyway, to say about the football in the first couple of weeks, I would say that the teams weren’t in shape and they weren’t ready to play pro tackle football for four quarters.

“”Now I think if you take two of those preseason games out there and add two more [regular season] games at a high, four-quarter-play level, I think you’re going to have a heck of a lot more injuries and I think they’re going to be less ready to play.”

Every week in the NFL season, at least 15-20 players go down due to injury. If the NFL were to pass this notion, which could be the case unraveling in 2010, they would seriously have to rethink the playoff distance from the end of the regular season as much as another bye week.

Like Madden stated, it’s not just the injuries people should be worried about. What about preparation? A young rookie who needs experience won’t get that much time to develop, not to mention veterans getting a feel for the game before they jump right back in for a whole season.

Goodell has proposed that NFL teams have more scrimmages if the expansion were to take place. He also mentioned bringing back an offseason development league that focuses more on players and less on selling the league overseas.

However, Goodell has stressed in the past that he and others want to limit contact in the offseason so players don’t get injured before they even step on the field in August, so he would be going back on that stance, obviously.

The question is, what would become of this if it were to happen, which seems more than likely? This is a huge risk for the NFL and its players.

Considering that the NFL has made it arguably a softer game with the new rule changes over the past few years, putting the players at a much higher risk of injury (which they are trying to limit more and more every year) with a couple more games added on to the regular season is almost a shocking proposal.

“It’s a different business atmosphere than 20 to 30 years ago,” Houston Texans owner Bob McNair said Monday. “Originally, we worried about selling tickets. Now, we’ve got to worry about selling tickets, about keeping media partners happy, operating stadiums, keeping fans happy in the stadium, servicing debts.”

This very well could be, for the most part, a full-on marketing decision. If it passes, and it most likely will, who will be raking in the benefits, and who will be raking in the damage?

The AP contributed to this story.

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