The hardest thing to figure out about the Broncos' decision to trade Jay Cutler was determining fair value for a soon-to-be 26-year-old quarterback who has established himself as a starter in the NFL. Those deals don't happen often enough to provide a gauge for what's a good return. Making matters more difficult was the public nature of the trade talks, which seemed to back the Broncos into a corner. Given all of that context, Broncos GM Brian Xanders did very well for himself on Thursday.
The Broncos may be left with a hole at the most important position on the football field, but they've got four first-round picks in the next two drafts and a highly-touted offensive mind in Josh McDaniels to help them fill it. If McDaniels likes any of the top quarterbacks in the 2009 draft, the team has ample ammunition to go and get him, or they could turn and look at a team like Cleveland and try to pry loose Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn.
If McDaniels doesn't have anyone that strikes his fancy at the moment, the Broncos could also make a move that addresses that defense. Julius Peppers would look pretty good leading the pass rush in Mike Nolan's 3-4 scheme, a scheme that just so happens to match up with Peppers' choice for a defensive front. That scenario, mentioned in a IM from former FanHouser Dave Warner, is now within Denver's reach.
The larger point is that Denver's got options galore right now. They've got the assets and blank slate to move in almost any direction, which is about all you could ask from the hand that Cutler forced them to play.
