Pumpkin Pie Wants Out

"Thanks for nothing, dickweeds."

Well, there it is. Jay Cutler is asking to be traded.

It's becoming apparent that this is now an organizational failure--and here we thought it was just Shanahan. The Broncos are now in danger of becoming the Raiders of the Rockies.

Maybe Jay overreacted to the trade attempts. After all, this is a business and players are just highly paid contract employees when you get right down to it. However, the Broncos organization--starting with the new coach and up to ownership--just dropped the ball altogether with their "quarterback of the future" going all the way back to the initial QB controversy with Jake "The Snake" Plummer in 2006. Right then and there Jay Cutler learned that a quarterback's success didn't mean a damn thing if the head coach got a hair up his butt over a short stretch. Shanahan saw the Broncos struggling and replaced Jake Plummer despite the highest winning percentage of any QB in Broncos history. Cutler may have been happy to step in and play right away, but he surely memorized how the Broncos organization pulled the rug out from under Plummer. Within mere weeks, Jake went from the second-best quarterback in Broncos history to scorned splinter jockey and there's no way that Jay Cutler isn't imagining the same scenario materializing around him.

So what is it, Denver? Jake gave you wins, but apparently that wasn't enough--you (and I mean the team AND all the fans who bashed Jake) wanted big numbers. So here comes Jay, who puts up big numbers, but now we don't have as many wins. You get what you ask for, Broncos fans.

We don't blame Jay for not getting to the playoffs--the team around him has more holes than Hot Shots Golf. We don't blame Jake for not putting up big numbers--that wasn't his style and he got wins, not to mention Jake's rosters were far, far, far from being the Elway Juggernauts of the late 90's.

Something insane has happened here at LPP. We're actually siding with Jay Cutler here, and it's not against the coach or replacement QB, like it was with Jake. This kind of shitty treatment is actually putting us at odds with THE TEAM. It's a weird feeling. Many of our fellow fans might say "Good. We don't need you. F off." We feel the sorriest for you poor suckers. You don't own a piece of the Broncos, you don't get raises at work if they finish over .500, and you don't get rings if they win the Super Bowl. This ain't Green Bay. The Broncos, beloved as they are, are a product, and we have the right to be dissatisfied with the product. If Coke changes the formula, you switch to Pepsi. If the Broncos decide they no longer want to be a class organization dedicated to winning, we may go find one that is--or at least one that may be in a short time. We won't be jumping on a Steelers or Giants bandwagon, thanks much.

Ahh, Jay Cutler. We've come so far from the days of tossing insults your way (well, LPP himself is still a bit of an asshole, but...) We've got your back, Pumpkin Pie. Jake is still #1 in our hearts, but if the Broncos are going to treat yet another quarterback like shit because he's not John Elway (or incredibly enough, NOT MATT CASSEL? JESUS CHRIST!) we are going to champion that QB's cause.

You've fallen victim to the Curse of Elway. We support all who fall under that sickly, stupid plague. Whatever has happened in the past is the past. Where you go, we follow, Jay. Even if the site remains...

LET PLUMMER PLAY!!!

Do You Think Jay Is Sick Of Denver?

Artist's depiction.

Lest we think that Jay Cutler is starting to calm down about the recent trade talk fiasco, ESPN is reporting that Jay just put up his $2 million Colorado Pumpkin Palace for sale. No big deal, you say? Well, his parents have a house a few minutes up the road, and they're selling too!

Thanks a lot, Broncos. You've found a new way to run a quarterback out of town. It figures that once we accepted Jake's retirement and tried to get behind Jay that something like this would go down.

JOHN ELWAY IS NOT WALKING THROUGH THAT DOOR. ACCEPT IT AND DEAL WITH IT, BRONCOS.

Maybe the next time they have a QB who puts together a franchise-best career winning percentage--or a QB who puts up good numbers despite being young and "supported" by a terrible, terrible offensive line and non-existent defense--the Broncos won't point fingers and try fix one of the pieces that isn't broken after a failed season. But this theory assumes that the Broncos are truly capable of learning from mistakes, and their recent track record is pretty spotty, including the fact that they didn't...

LET PLUMMER PLAY!!!

They Just Don't Wanna

Cheer up, Jay. At least you aren't a Viking. Yet.

We've figured it out, Denver fans. Don't say we didn't tell you so later on. We have figured out a dirty, dirty secret about the Broncos organization that you won't want to hear. We thought maybe with the firing of Shanahan that this secret might not be true after all, but we can't deny it any longer. Ready? Here it is.

THE DENVER BRONCOS DO NOT WANT TO WIN.

Just to clarify, by that we mean: they do not want to win games, they do not want to be good, and quite possibly they do not want to be a respectable NFL franchise.

Some of us here at LetPlummerPlay.com have been very critical of Pumpkin Pie, in fact downright scornful at times. However there is no denying this: Jay Cutler is no worse than the seventh-best QB in the game o' foosball and possibly better. Whom would you rather have? Whom is more or at least equally successful? In case you haven't thought about it, we'll give you three short lists in no particular order:

1. CLEARLY BETTER (than Jay)
Peyton Manning
Tom Brady
Drew Brees

2. MORE PROVEN
Ben Roethlisberger
Eli Manning
Kurt Warner
Donovan McNabb
Philip Rivers

3. CUTLER'S BALLPARK
Chad Pennington
Tony Romo
Aaron Rodgers
Jeff Garcia

These are kind of "trade scenario" lists. Let's be honest, unless you threw in several picks and another Pro Bowler, no one on the first list would ever be traded for Jay Cutler.

When you get to the second list, it depends on the winds of change. Eli and Ben would never be traded because of team chemistry and recent successes, however, Warner and McNabb are more feasible because of age and could be swapped under the right conditions--however a trade demand would have to come out of one of those guys for it to actually happen. Rivers just had a breakout year and won a playoff game with an 8-8 team, so he's not going anywhere, but he's not exactly Joe Montana just yet. We almost put him in Cutler's ballpark, but he really did have a much better season.

Finally, you have "Cutler's Ballpark." These are guys who really are about where Jay is developmentally, in some form or another. Romo has a high-powered system built around him but can't get over the top. Pennington has a live arm and smarts, but is more consistent than talented--and occasionally, that's a better attribute. Jeff Garcia is a winner, but old. Aaron Rodgers is pretty much Green Bay Jay. You could possibly trade Cutler for one of these guys, but it would be pointless and not improve either team barring chemistry issues.

You'll notice Matt Cassel does not appear on any of those lists. He's on this one:

4. MILDLY ABOVE AVERAGE:
Matt Cassel
David Garrard
Jake Delhomme
Matt Ryan

If you really want to make a top ten list with trade value as a factor for 2009, where's the Pie? Let's just throw together a quickie and say he's not top three. Who fills the rest of the list?

Ben's won 2 Super Bowls. Numbers aside, you cannot discount that fact. Let's call Roethlisberger #4. Eli's Super Bowl was 2 years ago with a defensive team...he's not #5. Rivers may be #5 so we'll put him there and Eli at #6 because, well, that Super Bowl was only 2 years ago. So now we dip into Cutler's Ballpark. Tony Romo is not, as yet, a winner. Powerhouse teams, no results. We refuse to call him #7. Pennington is a control QB, not a clear #7. Jeff Garcia is older and has obviously never cemented a single team's confidence. That leaves the 7 spot between Cutler and Rodgers. We'll give Cutler the edge because he put up results without getting to study a consistent Hall of Fame QB with the same offense for three years.

So Jay Cutler is at least the 7th best QB in the league up through the year 2008. That means we consider him better than the other 22 starting QBs in the NFL plus their 40+ backups. The #7 slot comes with a catch: Warner may drop out of the top ten as soon as this year and McNabb isn't far behind. Brady's coming off of injury. Peyton is getting older. Ben and Eli may have powerful teams around them, but neither one is guaranteed to put up big numbers consistently. The opportunity for Jay to jump into the top five is obvious. It would seem that unless some strange occurence, uh, occurs, Jay Cutler should be a top five quarterback within maybe a year if not less. So the question is:

WHY WOULD YOU EVEN ENTERTAIN THE IDEA OF TRADING A TOP FIVE QUARTERBACK FOR *NOT* A TOP FIVE QUARTERBACK?

The answer is obvious.

THE DENVER BRONCOS DO NOT WANT TO WIN.

Because even if you (Josh McDaniels--whom we still have hopes for, but they're fading) fail in your attempt to bring in an inferior quarterback, you still manage to piss off the quarterback you tried to trade who just happens to be the centerpiece of your team and one of the few Broncos who has visibly given a shit about winning.

It's a sad day for Broncos fans, but it's not surprising. Not surprising at all from the team that wouldn't...

LET PLUMMER PLAY!!!

It keeps getting better...

FROM ESPN.COM

Will someone please give Jay Cutler his pacifier, hand him his favorite blankie and put him back in his crib for his afternoon nap? Because if he cries anymore about a trade that didn't happen, we'll have to check his Pampers.

Cutler is the quarterback of the Denver Broncos. At least for now he is.
Turns out the Broncos are/were shopping him. The three-way trade between the Broncos, New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn't reach critical mass, but names (Cutler to the Bucs, Matt Cassel to the Broncos) and numbers (first- and fourth-round draft picks to the Patriots) were discussed.

But it didn't happen. Repeat: didn't happen.
Instead, the Patriots traded Cassel and his franchise-tag salary to the Kansas City Chiefs. And Cutler is still a Bronco.

But the mere thought of a possible trade upset Cutler so much that he went into full waaaa-waaaa-waaaa mode, wailing like an infant. Why are they being so mean to me? That sort of thing.
"I'm upset," he told The Denver Post. "I mean, I'm really shocked at this point."

And this from Cutler's agent, James "Bus" Cook, who told The Associated Press, "Nobody's going to call the [New York] Giants and ask for Eli [Manning]. Nobody's calling the [Indianapolis] Colts asking about Peyton [Manning]. [Tom] Brady? Come on. So, why call Denver and ask about Jay? And if they do call, why not say, 'That's not for discussion. What else do you want?'"

Why call Denver and ask about Cutler? Because the Broncos haven't reached the playoffs since the 2005 season. Because Cutler's record as a starter is 17-20. Because new Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels just happened to coach Cassel last season. And Cassel's team finished 11-5, including a 41-7 victory against Cutler's Broncos in October.

Nobody is calling the Giants and the Colts about the Manning brothers because the Manning brothers actually reach the postseason and have won Super Bowls. And here's guessing somebody called the Patriots asking whether Brady might be available.

Cook, more than anyone, should know that anything is possible in the NFL. Just ask Brett Favre, one of Cook's longtime clients.

Don't get me wrong -- Cutler is a talent, possibly a major talent. His numbers keep tracking upward (4,526 passing yards, 25 touchdowns in '08), but so do his turnovers (18 interceptions, including four in Denver's last three games -- all losses) and hissy fits.
None of this Cutler trade talk likely would have happened if Mike Shanahan were still the Broncos' head coach. Shanahan is the guy who drafted Cutler with the 11th pick of the 2006 draft. They were attached at the hip pads.

But Shanahan is Broncos history. It happens. Last week it happened to 11-time Pro Bowl linebacker Derrick Brooks of the Bucs. He was cut after 14 years.

Brooks didn't pout like Cutler. And his agent didn't issue any angry criticisms of the Bucs' decision. Instead, Brooks articulated the essential truth of the NFL: It's business, not personal.

"Everybody has a picture that they want painted their own particular way, but when the picture's not painted your way, you don't kick and scream," Brooks told reporters. "You be a man about it."

Cutler is kicking and screaming. Poor baby. He stiffed the Broncos when they requested a kiss-and-make-up session. Word is he won't even talk to McDaniels on the phone.

So what if the Broncos considered proposals from the Bucs? Who cares whether they listened to an offer from the Detroit Lions? When you haven't reached the playoffs since '05, when you gag away a three-game division lead with three games left, you listen to everybody about anybody.
Come to think about it, what's so bad about the Bucs? New coach -- Raheem Morris. New tight end -- Kellen Winslow. Newly re-upped wide receivers -- Antonio Bryant (franchise-tagged) and Michael Clayton. And did we mention that Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall was arrested again?

"If they were in fact trying to trade Jay Cutler, then I think that's a situation that's going to cause a very serious problem for the organization," Cook huffed and puffed.

Why? Because Cutler's precious feelings were hurt? Please.

The nontrade causes serious problems only if Cutler wants it that way. To whine about the Broncos' kicking the tires on a trade accomplishes nothing. Especially from a guy with zero playoff appearances and a grand total of 37 NFL games.

Cutler has accomplished nothing in this league. He has pretty passing numbers, but so what? It's time for him to do a Brooks and grow up. It's time for him to spit out the pacifier.

What A Difference 3 Years Can Make!

All the damn haters we have faced over the last three years, proclaiming Jay Cutler the next Messiah.....SUCK IT, not even the Broncos want him anymore.

Cutler thinks he is still on trading block

Broncos Tried To Trade Jay Cutler?

Chris Mortensen reports on the deal that Denver almost pulled off involving their QBTags: Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, Jay Cutler, Matt CasselBroncos Tried To Trade Jay Cutler?

Yes, the Denver Broncos want Jay Cutler to return for a little sit down to mend fences after the team's reported failed attempt to trade for New England quarterback Matt Cassel. Cutler won't have any of it after the two sides spoke by telephone Sunday.

Chris Mortensen says Jay Cutler feels the Broncos are not being honest with him. His feelings were hurt when he found out the Broncos were chasing Matt Cassel and he's in no mood to reconcile right now.

"They want me to come in and talk to 'em but I'm not doing it right now; I'm going to lay low," said Cutler. "The [Broncos] deny everything. That's a problem. We know for a fact they tried to trade me."

The Broncos have denied reports of their trade talks with the Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions. They have characterized any dialogue as "inquiries" not initiated by the team, even though multiple sources have confirmed the Broncos' interest in Cassel, who was dealt Saturday by the Patriots to the Chiefs.

"He's not the only person in the last few days we've received calls on," new Broncos coach Josh McDaniels told the Denver Post. "We've received trade calls on a number of players, which is not uncommon this time of the year. I also think the sensitivity of the other trade that was occurring, with my relationship with New England and the whole Cassel thing, I think that stirred the pot even more."

McDaniels was the Patriots' offensive coordinator last season when he helped guide Cassel, a career backup since high school, to an 11-5 record following Tom Brady's season-ending knee injury on opening weekend.

Cutler, the 11th overall pick out of Vanderbilt in the 2006 draft, told The Denver Post he was angry that his name even came up in trade talks and said he still feels he's on the trading block -- something McDaniels denies.

"We don't want to trade Jay," McDaniels said. "We never did. He's our quarterback. We're excited about this season. And excited about what we're doing here in free agency to improve our team."

Sources say that the Bucs offered first- and fourth-round picks to the Broncos for Cutler, and that the Lions offered their second-round pick (No. 33) and possibly a future pick. The deal would have involved the Broncos getting Cassel from the Patriots.

Cutler was scheduled to return to Denver this week to continue learning the team's new playbook under McDaniels. A source close to Cutler said that the quarterback is "too stung" by the trade talks and has refused to speak with McDaniels by phone, let alone travel from his Tennessee home back to Denver.

"I'm upset. I mean, I'm really shocked at this point," Cutler told The Post. "I could see why they want Cassel. I don't know if they think I can't run the system or I don't have the skills for it. Or if they don't think they can sign me with my next contract. I just don't know what it is. I've heard I'm still on the trading block."

Team officials were in contact with his agent, Bus Cook, on Saturday and Sunday to deny their involvement and reinforce their commitment to Cutler. Cook said Cutler has every right to be upset.

"Because that's a vote of no confidence in the guy," Cook told The Associated Press on Sunday. "I don't care if you're talking about trading him for Matt Cassel, Matt Ryan or Tom Brady. That's a vote of no confidence in him, and that's how Jay sees it and I would, too.

"I don't know if they were actively seeking to trade Jay, but on the other hand, I don't know that they were turning a deaf ear to potential offers, either."
It was during their call Sunday with Cook that the Broncos tried to schedule a meeting that the quarterback isn't interested in, at the moment.

A Broncos spokesman told The AP on Sunday that neither McDaniels, newly promoted general manager Brian Xanders nor team owner Pat Bowlen would have anything else to say publicly about the matter.

The organization felt it had adequately addressed the issue by talking to The Post and didn't want to perpetuate the story, team spokesman Patrick Smyth said.
Cutler, who has three years left on his six-year deal he signed as a rookie, is by far the best player McDaniels inherited from Mike Shanahan, who had built a terrific young offense around the quarterback even while neglecting a defense that more than anything probably led to his firing.

Cutler told The Post he feels his relationship with McDaniels has "taken a few steps backward."
"I don't know if the relationship is irreconcilably broken," Cook said. "But I know that as much as he's meant to the organization and that ballclub, if there were attempts to trade him, then I think Jay Cutler is 100 percent right to be more than just a little bit miffed."
Cutler is 17-20 with no playoff appearances since supplanting Jake Plummer late in the 2006 season, and he's known for his petulant, moody personality in his dealings with teammates and the media alike.

"There's an awful lot of smoke for there not to be a fire," Cook said. "If they were in fact trying to trade Jay Cutler, then I think that's a situation that's going to cause a very serious problem for the organization.

"If they weren't, maybe he forgives and forgets. But if they were, that's going to be a very difficult situation to repair."

Chris Mortensen is a senior NFL analyst for ESPN. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.