Matt Cassel is the big story of free agency thus far, but it's not from lack of trying on the Bucs' part. On Friday, Tampa Bay traded for tight end Kellen Winslow. And today, via NFL Network's Adam Schefter, we learn that they were trying to talk the Broncos out of Jay Cutler, presumably an idea they came up with after dropping a lot of acid.
Tampa approached Denver to try to make a three-way trade that would have sent Cassel to the Broncos and quarterback Jay Cutler to the Buccaneers. The Broncos entertained the notion and pondered it but ultimately decided against it. ...I don't blame the Broncos for listening -- that doesn't cost anything -- even if Cutler wasn't jazzed about the news when he found out. (Philip Rivers, on the other hand, fully supports the trade.) He'll get over it. But here's my question (and maybe Jay will feel better after considering it): why would the Broncos be interested in a quarterback (Matt Cassel) that the Bucs were trying to pawn off on them? I mean, if Cassel's so great, why wasn't Tampa Bay working a deal for him?
The Broncos firmly maintain that they never intended to trade Cutler, that they were approached to make the trades. But, as of Saturday afternoon, Cutler was angry to hear that his name had been floated in any trade conversations.
There's more intrigue, however, this time courtesy of the Lions.
Also, the Lions approached the Broncos about a trade for Cutler, trying to dangle Cassel as bait. Once again, Denver debated the deal and opted against it apparently. What made it a moot point was that while all Tampa, Detroit and Denver engaged in trade talks with New England, the Patriots went ahead and dealt Cassel to the Chiefs.Huh. So Detroit, a team in desperate need of a quarterback, has no interest in Cassel -- even though he's NFL ready -- and now face the specter of using the first-overall pick on Matthew Stafford or, hell, Mark Sanchez? Curious.
By the way, I sure hope things work out for the Bucs this season, because they've basically turned the roster upside down since Raheem Morris, 32, was named head coach and Mark Domenik, 37, got the general manager gig. If things go south early, some people might wonder if these two are in over their heads.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-28-2009 @ 4:57PM
Dan said...
"presumably an idea they came up with after dropping a lot of acid."
Wow. Clever.
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2-28-2009 @ 11:40PM
CJ said...
From what i hear, it was the other way around, in that the Broncos were after Cassel because the new coach, McDaniels, who was the former offensive coordinator for New England wanted Cassel because of his success with him last year with the Patriots. From what i hear, according to ESPN.com, the Broncos were "shopping" Cutler and now, even though it fell thru, Cutler wants to be traded and that it could be bad enough that, even though it's very highly doubtful he'll be allowed to trade, that when Cutler becomes and unrestricted free agent in a couple of years, that he'll search elsewhere. Im a Titans fan, and in a couple years Collins will be out, and i know alot of staff here in Titans organization, as well as Titans fans, wanted him here, im glad they did not draft him and i hope when Kerry's two years are up, they'll either stick with Young or draft another quarterback, but i dont want Cutler here that's for sure. I dont think he's that good of a QB and i know alot of fans around here like him because of his days playing for Vanderbilt, but he wasnt even that good in college, so i cant blame the Broncos wanting to get rid of him, but i also think Matt Cassel is kinda overrated as well.
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3-01-2009 @ 12:42AM
Frank said...
ummm are you an idiot... cutler is the only Qb out of the 3 in that draft to be starting n not riding the bench... young got benched cuz he cant throw, only run n Matt, well he just sucks,
didnt cutler also just throw for over 4000+ yards.... hmmmm not something everyone does every year, illtake cutler of young, liennert or cassell any day... cassell btw had the best wide out in the game and the best slot wideout in the game and only threw 25 tds and low 3000's in yards where as cutler had Marshall and rookie eddy royal, no O-line or backfield n still out did cassell... so why would one want cassell when he clearly is a product of the system
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3-01-2009 @ 3:52AM
YouFaceTheTick said...
Too bad it wasn't a trade to the CFL. Cutler's such a cry baby. He and LT should go start their own Whine Football League. Get Ocho and Ray Lewis to hop on that league too.
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3-01-2009 @ 9:32AM
CHRISTOPHER said...
I think everyone should give the new lions gm some credit. He hasn't signed any big names yet he is just trying to get decent players to add some depth. I still think the lions should make a push for derek anderson. They might be able to get anderson and shawn rogers back in a package deal.
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3-01-2009 @ 8:00PM
ggeazy said...
Okay Cutler is a cry baby but i think in this case he has every right to be upset. The Broncos brought him in to be the qb of the future and so far he has played rather well. 4000 yards passing and a few 4th quarter comebacks isnt bad. Bringing in Cassel isnt going to fix the situation in Big D. They got a lot more to worry about then shipping off Cutler.
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