Cutler and Broncos in Standoff

The Denver Broncos and disgruntled quarterback Jay Cutler have yet to reach any sort of settlement. In fact, things have only looked worse for both parties as the staredown has worn on.

So where does the blame lie? In this writer's humble opinion, it is at the feet of both Cutler and new Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels. Niether of them have handled this situation at all adeptly, and while both of them have reason to defend their own side they are each individually at fault.

Cutler voiced immediate displeasure towards the firing of previous head coach Mike Shanahan. While Cutler claims that Broncos owner Pat Bowlen told him that former offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates would be retained for next season, Bowlen denies that any such conversation ever took place. While it is his right to voice his displeasure (even if it is a breach of professional courtesy), I think Cutler has overreacted towards the coaching changes instituted by McDaniels. Change is rampant in the NFL, with quarterbacks adapting to new systems every year. Why should Cutler by any different? His case for feeling betrayed by Bowlen does not constitute a schism of this magnitude. The rumors about a trade, however, do.

This is where McDaniels takes the fall. Even if Matt Cassel succeeded in the Patriots system last year, there is no telling what Cutler could accomplish until he learns it. McDaniels seemed a little hasty in shopping around for a three-way deal to bring Cassel to Denver, especially when he has a Pro-Bowl caliber quarterback already in camp. While some people have stomped on Cutler for his decision-making last year, he threw more than 600 times (616, to be exact) last year, second only to the Saint's Drew Brees. Since the zone blocking and run game that has become Denver's crutch over the last decade and a half was largely unavailable due to a plethora of injuries to their runningbacks (in fact, it got so bad that Broncos linebacker Spencer Larsen started the game at fullback, making him the first player to start on offense and defense since 2003), Cutler was forced to throw early and often. The 28th-ranked total defense (30th in points allowed) didn't help much either.

Even so, the Broncos had the 2nd-ranked offense in the league, and Cutler has all the tools (elite arm strength, accuracy, and a certain degree of on-the-field leadership) to succeed. Conclusion: if McDaniels tried to leave an indelible mark on Denver, he has certainly done so, but he went about doing it the wrong way. Even if he is trying to follow the creed of his old Patriots team—team first, stars second—McDaniels has violated an even older guideline: don't fix what isn't broken. Even a offensive-minded guy like McDaniels should have realized that the Denver offense was ready to go from the start; in fact, he should have had an easier time seeing it. The defense was what held the Broncos back. Now, he has a rift with perhaps his best player and certainly his most important player.

I still think the best solution is for Cutler to stay in Denver. With a familiar group of players around him, I think Cutler would adapt well to the kind of Patriots-style offense that McDaniels brings to the table. Now that Cassel is out of the equation, Cutler is the Broncos' best chance, and if McDaniels realizes that will keep a great player and, even better a hold over the locker room; if he resolves the Cutler situation, things should be much less tense in Denver. Both player and coach are professionals and will hopefully be able to resolve their differences.

[All stats come from www.nfl.com]