Jay Cutler

Even though this topic has been debated endlessly for weeks now, I thought I would share my take. Jay Cutler is a great quarterback; a la Brett Favre, he plays a risky game. The touchdown total will be there consistently, but so will the interceptions. If you account for the team Cutler played with last year, however, you realize that he took the role of field general while behind on the scoreboard almost every single game.

With a defense as atrocious as the 2008 Broncos, and the running back situation in Denver (also known as “the place where running backs go to die”), it is something short of a miracle that Cutler put up the numbers he did.

Very few people would argue that Cutler would make the Vikings a better football team. All but a small group of Vikings’ fans would love to have Cutler taking snaps in 2009, but the question remains: how to lure him to the Twin Cities?

The number one goal for the Broncos, should they trade Cutler (which is becoming more likely by the hour), would be receive a starting quarterback in return. With a roster filled by Tarvaris Jackson, Sage Rosenfels, and John David Booty, that issue is a tough one for Minnesota.

If Cutler leaves Denver, the Chiefs, Jets, or Browns will need to be involved. Here is a trade proposition that would bring Cutler to the Vikings.

Minnesota receives:
Jay Cutler, QB, Denver Broncos

Cleveland receives:
22nd pick, from Minnesota
Selvin Young, RB, Denver

Denver receives:
Brady Quinn, QB, Cleveland
Chester Taylor, RB, Minnesota

I don’t know about you, but I would gladly trade the 22nd pick and Chester Taylor for a franchise quarterback. The biggest hit/potential debate is the loss of Chester Taylor. He is one of the main reasons why Peterson is such a good running back, but with the addition of a quarterback that linebackers actually have to worry about he shouldn’t have to face many more 8-man fronts.

Taylor, 29 years old, is a veteran to the league but still has a few quality years left. While his opinion doesn’t matter in a trade, he would be the starting running back in Denver in the above scenario. That may result in an increase in money, but would tax his legs more than spending the rest of his career in Minnesota.

Cleveland, while not publicly, is trying to get rid of their quarterback “controversy.” They could trade Anderson, and enter 2009 in rebuilding mode with the potential of a great quarterback in Quinn, or they could trade Quinn and try to compete in 2009 with an established veteran.

The 22nd overall pick could land the Browns an additional receiver, which would greatly aid Anderson in 2009. Selvin Young, while not a great runningback, would be an improvement over Jamal Lewis, who is getting old and doesn’t have very many seasons left in him.

The Broncos get rid of their troubled quarterback, and add a high risk/reward guy in Quinn. If looking at this trade through tunnel vision, the Broncos take a hit in quarterback talent but improve at the running back position.

Selvin Young was the primary Denver running back last year, but landed on the IR… along with five other Broncos’ running backs. While devastating to the team, a flute like that probably won’t happen again, and Denver can count on healthy running backs next year. Taylor would be the starter right away, with Buckhalter and Jordan (along with a plethora of other able backs) as his backups.

This trade isn’t perfect. I’ll leave that up to you readers – what’s missing, and where did I go wrong?