Well, the statement has been made and now the Broncos are attempting to trade away Jay Cutler. As the process goes on, one can't help but start to formulate theories as to where he'll go and what the Broncos will look at in return.

Rumors have been flying the Lions, Bucs, Jets, 49ers, Vikings, Bills, Redskins, Bears, and others have been in the mix of trying to acquire Jay, but the question is, who has the ability to land him?

The most recent rumors coming out of the Broncos camp is that it will take more than a first and third pick in the coming draft to get Jay. I have maintained from early on that if the Broncos were to trade Jay, the going price would be two first round picks, or a first rounder and a player who can start in a position of need, and with any luck the price will remain around there when the deal is finally done.

So what would be considered a position of need for the Broncos? Well, in trading away Jay, the answer might seem obvious in saying "QB". This might be true, but I'm pretty sure McDaniels and group are not pressing too hard for it after signing Chris Simms in the off-season. If we do trade for a QB, it will have to be for someone the organization believes can start over Simms in McDaniels' system.

I do not believe that any other offensive position will be considered as part of this trade. There is a depth of talent at RB and WR (even in consideration of Brandon Marshall's possible suspension), the offensive line preformed marvelously last year, and it would be difficult to unseat any of the starters (so forget any trade involving Jason Peters), and while the team has shucked tight ends in the offseason  in hopes of bringning in guys who can block more than they can catch, that style of TE is hardly worth the value the Broncs will likely be looking for.

And while we're on the subject, I should also mention it wouldn't surprise me at all if TE Tony Scheffler is tossed into any trade to try and "sweeten the pot".

As for the defense, positions of need are aplenty. I believe that if we are wanting anyone else in the secondary it will be addressed in the draft, as our backfield is now rife with veteran talent and experience. So then eyes fall to the front seven, and there we find a lot of question marks. I believe that our greatest needs are DE, DT (a quality NT), ILB, OLB (in that order (in this, I am assuming that DE Elvis Dumerville and Jarvis Moss will both be making the transition to OLB, across from D.J. WIlliams).

So there we have it. The team to land Cutler will be willing to offer either two first rounders or a first rounder AND someone who can start at QB, DE, DT, ILB, or OLB for the Broncos next year.

If it sounds like a tough package to cobble together, then you'll understand why I originally thought a trade just wouldn't happen. Now it is.

So where do I think he is going?

My first guess is the Lions. They have the value in picks, even if they end up giving over their first pick in the first and second round and keeping the 20th. Questions that Bus Cook will object to it are irrelevant. That only means it might be more difficult to sign him to a new contract.

My second spot belongs to the Redskins. This is primarily because Snyder can be so aggressive when he has his eyes on someone. Whether he manages to swing together a set of trade to offer a set of picks to the Broncos or if Jason Cambell is involved in the deal, you can bet that Snyder will continue to up the ante if this becomes a bidding war.

At three I have a tie between Tampa Bay and the Jets. I have them losing ground in this match because I really believe their best hope has to come through Cleveland and getting Brady Quinn shipped to the Broncos in addition to a first rounder. Tough to do, but it could be possible.

At five I have my dark horse, just because I think it would be interesting. If the rumors of the Seahawks wanting a new, younger QB are true, then there may be little reason to take a chance on a rookie QB. For the price of a first rounder and Matt Hasslebeck, the Broncos may see a package they cannot resist. The question is, of course, will the 'Hawks offer it?

Now I know a lot of this sounds pretty extreme in execution, and that's fine. The truth is, I believe these packages are something the Broncos will push heavily for in hopes of offsetting the value lost in shedding Cutler.

Where will he actually end up? I have no clue. The fact is, even as a Broncos fan, this series of events has me questioning the wisdom of the current organization, so if he gets traded to Raiders for a thrid rounder and a box of chocodiles, I wouldn't be surprised. Disappointed, yes, but not surprised.

What do you all think?

It takes a big man to admit when he was wrong. The Broncos organization wouldn't do it, and neither would Jay Cutler, so I'm afraid a blogger will have to step up and do it.

A few weeks ago I wrote about how I believed Jay Cutler would not be traded because it made more sense to turn him down and shut him up. But last night in a press statement, Pat Bowlen made it clear that this would not be happening. Jay was on the block and bidding could begin. Apparently, Bowlen reached this conclusion after a phone call with Bus Cook, which doesn't really surprise me. Bus made it clear to Pat that Jay would continue acting like a spoiled child unless he got his way... so now, he will.

In the end, I'm not taking anyone's side. I think the new Broncos management made a boneheaded move in the beginning of the free-agency period, I think it was poorly handled in the press, that it was exploited by Cook, and I think Jay will now always have a reputation for being a big baby playing a man's game. My main concern is the success of the Broncos, which remains in jeopardy now. It would take a major deal to keep this from becoming a lose-lose situation for both Cutler and the Broncos, and while I'm willing to let Jay lay in the bed he's made for himself, the Broncos are another matter.

When I say this is a losing situation for Jay, it is because the teams interested in him can not give him the same level of weapons and protection that the Broncos did. Teams like the Lions, Bucs, Bears, 49ers, Redskins, and the Jaguars lack the offensive line Cutler had in his record-breaking outing last year, who only gave up about 12.5 sacks. The Jets are the only team with such a strong line who may be interested, but even there, the release of Coles means less weaponry for Cutler. No matter where he ends up, his chances for success will be limited in comparison to what he had in Denver.

Now it's onto the Broncos to make sure it is not a losing proposition for them. I have always maintained that the going rate for someone like Cutler should be at least 2 first round picks this year or a first and a player who can start for the Broncos in a position of need. I'm still unsure this level will be met, and Denver's public declaration of a seperation only promises more teams will try underbid for Cutler, knowing his departure is going to happen anyway.

But the real frustration is all of this is the precedent set. Last year, and so far this year, the Arizona Cardnials showed strength as an organization in dealing with Anquan Boldin in the most obvious of ways, simply stating "you're under contract. Deal with it". The same strength was shown by the Bengals in handling Ochocinco's very public discontent... but as Chad discovered, "you don't have any power in this league to demand a change to your contract... unless you're a quarterback." Well, Jay is a QB, and a pro-bowl QB at that, but he has also made it clear that if a player has the ear of the press enough and postures himself strongly enough, he can have his way with the Broncos, and that worries me.

I'm more concerned with the future prospects of the Broncos, and anxious to see where we go from here.

Let's state the ground rules.

1. Continued free agent signings can throw this off.

2. I start following college football players about... umm... now. A lot of my rankings are more about position of need for the NFL teams, and I try to place guys who seem to fill those holes well, but mostly based on what I've read on them since the combine. If you think another ILB would be better for your team, great. Just know I picked the ILB for a reason.

3. There will be changes of my opinion based on the next few weeks of pro days. This is just a first stab.

4. I'm not assuming any trades.

So, here we go, let me know what you think.

Pick 1 - Detroit Lions
Jason Smith - OT, Baylor
The Lions wait and see what QB might fall into their lap and decide it's wise to get someone to protect him with the first overall.

Pick 2 - St. Louis Rams
Michael Crabtree - WR, Texas Tech
In addition to needing to replace Torry Holt, the Rams also need to sign a marque player here to get people in the seats. Look for them to build both lines later in the draft.

Pick 3 - Kansas City Chiefs
Eugene Monroe - OT, Virginia
I look to the Chiefs to protect their 14 million dollar investment in Matt Cassel, and it's only appropriate that they draft the guy who bumped Brandon Albert from his tackle position in college to beef up their line now.

Pick 4 - Seattle Seahawks
Arron Curry - LB, Wake Forest
This will fill the hole made when trading away Peterson, helps the Seattle D, and Curry's flexibility lets him play inside or out.

Pick 5 - Cleveland Browns
Brian Orakpo - DE/LB, Texas
Cleveland needs help in the pass rush as they attempt to toughen up their D's rep and make the ever-so-popular switch to a 3-4. Either way, Orakpo can help.

Pick 6 - Cincinnati Bengals
Everette Brown - DE/LB
Again, the Bengals rush was no where to be found, and people laugh at their D. Maybe Brown can make it a bit scarier.

Pick 7 - Oakland Raiders
Andre Smith - OT, Alabama
I know, it doesn't seem within Al's personality to draft this guy, but he needs someone to offer more protection to Russel and offer off-tackle plays for 3 talented backs who mostly have been smothered by defenses due to a lack of run blocking.

Pick 8 - Jacksonville Jaguars
Jeremy Maclin - WR, Missouri
Let's face it, the Jags need a wideout, and even if they do snag Holt or another vetern, Garrard needs better options.

Pick 9 - Green Bay Packers
B.J. Raji - DT, Boston College
The only knock here is that it's rumored B.J. might not be able to play NT in the 3-4, which the Pack is switching to (really, who isn't?). I say he can.

Pick 10 - San Francisco 49ers
Matt Stafford - QB, Georgia
Wonder of wonders, San Fran gets their pick of the QB litter, and I'm still siding on Stafford over Sanchez.

Pick 11 - Buffalo Bills
Tyson Jackson - DE, LSU
They need someone opposite Schobel, and Jackson seems a go-getter. I could just as easily go with Maybin, but... nah. Jackson.

Pick 12 - Denver Broncos
Rey Maualuga - LB, USC
Broncos need a high motor guy in the middle as they continue to transition to the 3-4. Others have Cushing moving ahead of Rey, but I think Rey will come up again after his pro-day and justify this selection.

Pick 13 - Washington Redskins
Malcolm Jenkins - CB/S, Ohio State
The Skins can fortify their secondary with one pick, and in my opinion, they should.

Pick 14 - New Orleans Saints
Vontae Davis - CB, Illinois
Saints keep on looking for an answer in their secondary, and even with the free agent signing of Greer, they don't have it yet.

Pick 15 - Houston Texans
Chris Wells - RB, Ohio State
While Slaton was a find and a half last year, the Texans should seek to add immense talent for a great 1-2 punch with Beanie.

Pick 16 - San Diego Chargers
Brian Cushing - LB, USC
When Merriman went out, so did the Chargers defensive front. Cushing should add some power and ability here.

Pick 17 - New York Jets
Mark Sanchez - QB, USC
For real, no one thinks they have a QB worth a lick right now. Just so happens one of the better in this years draft is still lurking around.

Pick 18 - Chicago Bears
Peria Jerry - DT, Mississippi
A nice inside combo for the Bears might help add some fire to the always impressive D

Pick 19 - Tampa Bay Bucs
Percy Harvin - WR, Florida
I think Harvin is a good talent to draft here, and the absence of Galloway means you need someone new.

Pick 20 - Detroit Lions
Josh Freeman - QB, Kansas State
There is a chance they could score Freeman with their next pick, but I think you make sure of that now, just in case the Vikes or someone might be interested.

Pick 21 - Philidelphia Eagles
Eben Britton - OT, Arizona
They need youth at tackle, and Britton is a talented kid. He may just be a safety net, but a nice talent to have.

Pick 22 - Minnesota Vikings
Darius Heyward-Bey - WR, Maryland
The Vikes tried to bring in Housh, and failed. A young WR may be very helpful to welcome Sage.

Pick 23 - New England Patriots
James Laurinaitis - LB, Ohio State
They continue to gain youth at LB, and replace Vrabel with someone who seems to have the Pats work ethic at heart.

Pick 24 - Atlanta Falcons
Aaron Maybin - DE/LB, Penn State
Need to add to the pass rush and replace an outside LB. Maybin is too talented to pass on.

Pick 25 - Miami Dolphins
Sean Smith - CB, Utah
Miami lost a safety and corner to the Broncos in the off-season, and Sean Smith can apparently fill either hole.

Pick 26 - Baltimore Ravens
Alphonso Smith - CB, Wake Forest
Even though they signed Foxworth, the Ravens still need secondary help after cutting both McAllister and Rolle.

Pick 27 - Indianapolis Colts
Evander Hood - DT, Missouri
Line needs to be better, DT important...

Pick 28 - Philidelphia Eagles
Knowshon Moreno - RB, Georgia
Let's face it, Westbrook can't go on forever, and Moreno can start picking up time immediately.

Pick 29 - New York Giants
Brandon Pettigrew - TE, Oklahoma State
Boss seemed a lot like a one-hit wonder last year, and while they may be able to replace Plaxico deeper in the draft, taking the top tight end makes up for missing (kind of) Shockey.

Pick 30 - Tennessee Titans
Hakeem Nicks - WR, North Carolina
The Titans need a true top receiver, Nicks would be a grab at this point, and all the good corners and DTs are gone. So... Nicks it is.

Pick 31 - Arizona Cardinals
Robert Ayers - DE, Tennessee
Big play end may make a scrapy defense even more... scrappier?

Pick 32 - Pittsburgh Steelers
Max Unger - OL, Oregon
Yes, they won the Super Bowl, but a line that didn't come together very well until the playoffs has come apart a bit in the off-season. So why not take a guy who can play just about any position on the O-line?

So, there we have it. Let me know how you think I did, or... you know, what an idiot I am. Whatever works.

Sorry for the long absence, folks. I was having months worth of problems trying to verify my email to fox. Well, now I seem to be good, which is lucky for me because my Broncs are all anyone can talk about now, and I would like to chime in... so here we go!

So, the whole Cutler thing began when Josh McDaniels and friends considered offers from Detroit and Tampa that would offer a 3-way deal that would land Matt Cassel here and Jay Cutler elsewhere, and depending on which version of the story you believe, several draft choices were also likely to change hands. But none of it happened, and New England sent Cassel to KC for a second rounder. I'm not really going to go into how it's obvious that this was in fact the best offer New England got because to argue anything else... like Belichick having some love for Pioli that he doesn't have for McDaniels is ridiculous. Belichick, in his typical fashion, is looking out for New England, and no one else. Plain and simple. But the real issue happened when word got out that the Broncos were willing to listen to a deal for Cutler.

See, the deals were obviously not enough for the Broncs to bite, even though Cassel was a McDaniels guy and would obviously have some draw for the first year coach. Of course McDaniels would listen, but NOTHING HAPPENED. So it would seem this would be a good time to just get over it all. But of course, there was more to come.

Jay took personal offense to the team's seeming willingness to trade him, and wanted "guarentees" that he was the guy in Denver. Both Bowlen and McDaniels said publicly that Jay would not be traded, but somehow Jay was still under the strict impression that he was unwanted, mentioning among other things that "the Broncos might not want to have to renew his contract". For me, that's when the bells went of.

James "Bus" Cook is Jay's agent. He has a history of players making public statements about not being wanted by the team, being treated unfairly, and demanding trades, with the "Green Bay/Brett Farve/I'm retired/No, just kidding, I'm a Jet" fiasco being the most recent example. And as you look down a long list of Cook's clients, this stuff always seems to happen around him. Jay is just the most recent person to be swayed by this wormtongue.

So, Jay attempts to sell his home, his parent's home (but kept a condo in Denver, just in case), and publicly requested he be traded after a brief meeting involving McDaniels, Bowlen, Xanders, Cook and Cutler where everyone walked out hearing very different stories. And the nightmare continues on. Now a "league source" claims 10 teams have called inquiring about Cutler, and everyone in the NFL world holds their breath waiting for SOMETHING to happen.

So what's going to happen?

As I see it, the answer is simple. Jay stays in Denver.

First of all, Jay has three years left on a contract, and while his payments are scheduled to balloon over the next few years, this year he's only making just over a million, which is a lot less than you're going to pay anyone else, so for the Broncos, it makes economic sense.

Second, any trade that could be offered would have to include the ability to get a quarterback that could be McDaniels' guy and a new face to the franchise. Since Cassel is off the market, the closest you'd get to that is Brady Quinn of the Browns, and even there, the kid is an unproven commodity. But Quinn is just a baseline of requirements for the Broncos, and so in the end, no team is going to put together a package large enough to santisfy the Broncos wants. Add to that all the public complaining Cook and Cutler have been up too, and it becomes clear that Jay's market value has dropped for everyone around the league save the Broncos. Plain and simple, no one will offer a big enough package.

Third, Josh McDaniels actually benefits from keeping Jay here. The expectations for Josh were pretty high when he arrived in Denver, and the press nightmare has only served to warm his seat. A loosing season, and it could be red hot... unless he has a scapegoat, and Jay can serve as just that. And if the two win games together, there's nothing that's happened that couldn't be solved by a massive new contract and the feel good excitment the playoffs can bring. So for McDaniels, Jay is the safety net that keeps him in coaching, at least until the end of his contract here.

Finally, nothing else that has been mentioned really matters. Maybe Jay was unhappy with the release of a few coaches. Doesn't matter. He's under contract. Maybe Jay wants a new contract. Doesn't matter. He's under contract. Maybe 10 teams have called to express their interest. I'm not surprised. I can only think of a few teams that wouldn't be, and only because they have QBs named Brady, Brees, or Manning. Doesn't matter. Jay is under contract.

The fact is, EVERYONE related to this story is at fault. It has been handled horrifically from the start. Jay is an insecure guy who saw an opportunity arise from a pretty sad occurance. McDaniels is PR idiot who is trying to play big man on campus. Bowlen is now realitivly unsure when he should speak up or be quiet. Xanders is a bobblehead (I don't know, actually. But something had to be said). Cook is the devil (maybe an overstatement, but simply saying "an agent" sort of understates it). The best of all worlds comes not from trades or more craziness, but in simply rising above the trench digging and moving toward the season.

I, for one, can't wait until all this maddness is done and these HORRIFIC, STUPID, UNNAMED, CANNABLISITIC, and oftern UNQUALIFIED league sorces everyone seems to be so fond of quoting have to find something new to talk about.

That said, missed you all. Drop a note and say hi.

I only saw parts of the Denver/San Diego game yesterday, but most specifically, I saw the fumble. Over. And over. And over.

As a Denver fan and Fox Sports blogger, I felt I should comment.

The truth is, it was a fumble. I know it, you know it. Referee Ed knows it, Jay Cutler knows it. And no one is denying that's what happened. In fact, as I understand it, there were several questionable calls leading up to it, including a fumble that wasn't a fumble by Chris Chambers and a touchdown that was really a bobble by the Bolts.

It's a shame that such a high octane game is decided by poor calls, but it happens. Players and coaches know this to be a truth of this game. The NFL does it's best to making game play as even as possible. I'm not even that old, but I certainly recall the days before instant replay was available. Slowly, the rules evolved so that the refs could get closer to making the right call every time. We still lack perfection. This time, the ball bounced in Denver's favor.

The real bonus is that this is the second week of the season. This is the first of two meetings between these two teams, and this by no means has sealed anyone's fate. Worse calls have been made in bigger games and they have changed the course of NFL history. This will be addressed by the league in the off season, and maybe the next time a game comes down to this, the results will be different.

Still, you have to admire that the teams now compete. After being outscored by 9 total touchdowns last year, a little fortune was good for the Broncos, but it's now a very different game than it was last year. Both offenses are obviously for real, both defenses need a lot of work, and the season rolls on.

Bolts fan can comfort themselves in knowing the game should have had a different result. Broncos fans can rejoyce in the fact that it didn't. The season moves on.

I expect this to kick the rematch into overdrive, and I'm excited to see where both seasons go.