Andy Richardson

The Broncos are going to trade Jay Cutler, and there is no shortage of candidates. Without knowing where he's going to go, here's a quick look at what the results might be depending on where he is traded -- both for him, and the team acquiring him.

Detroit: Cutler would legitimize the Lions' offense in a way that Matthew Stafford (or, it almost goes without saying, Daunte Culpepper) could not. Calvin Johnson, as the team's only receiving threat, and Kevin Smith, as the team's only noteworthy tailback, become even more appealing with a legitimate No. 1 quarterback at the helm. Stafford might one day be that player, but expecting another Matt Ryan-like rookie season might be asking a lot. That said, a move to Detroit looks like a bad one for Cutler's value. Their offensive line is far, far worse than Denver's. Where the Lions have one superstar receiving threat and little else, Denver has at least two very good ones. Good move for the Lions, but a bad one for Cutler -- at least until there are more pieces in place.

Tampa Bay: For the Bucs, who have arguably lacked a franchise quarterback since trading away Steve Young, this move makes a lot of sense. They've got a talented young offensive line, a franchise-type wideout in Antonio Bryant and tight end in Kellen Winslow, and several options at running back. On the downside, Bryant, Winslow and (for different reasons) Cutler have all shown a degree of immaturity during their careers. Could those personalities all mesh effectively with a rookie head coach? For Cutler, it looks like a slightly more favorable situation than Detroit, but the potential for problems looms, too.

N.Y. Jets: The Jets will try hard to make this happen; they have a huge void at the position right now and would love to fill it with a proven young commodity. There's a lot to like about this situation for Cutler, in that New York should have a strong defense and -- if Thomas Jones eventually reports -- talent at running back, with Jones and third-down back Leon Washington. New York also has one of the league's better offensive lines, having invested a lot of money into it lately. On the downside, New York also has inferior receiving threats to Denver (just Jerricho Cotchery and Dustin Keller), and their line is better at run-blocking than pass protection -- Denver's tackles are better. Lesser pass protection combined with a thin receiving corps, not to mention a defensive-minded head coach likely to favor the running game....all these things could mean lesser production for Cutler. In fact, it's worth noting that each of these three teams features a defensive-minded head coach. That brings us to....

Washington: Jim Zorn's team already has a young franchise quarterback...or does it? Jason Campbell hasn't made the step forward that the team was hoping for after a nice start to last season, and Daniel Snyder has certainly shown a fondness in the past for adding shinier toys whenever possible. Washington has plenty of receiving talent, assuming one of their second-rounders from last year's draft steps up, a quality running back in Clinton Portis, and a defense that should be worlds better than anything Cutler enjoyed in Denver; it was pretty good even before adding Albert Haynesworth. Decent, albeit older, offensive line, too. This might be a nice fit for Cutler, at least for the next year or two.

San Francisco: Yet another defensive minded head coach, but this situation has potential for Cutler. A franchise running back in Frank Gore, and an offensive line that the team has worked to upgrade -- both via the draft and free agency -- in the last two offseasons. There might be enough young receiving talent in players like Josh Morgan and Jason Hill that Cutler could prosper here. San Francisco's defense is only average, and there's also the fact that they play in arguably the league's softest divisions; Cutler could find himself playing in the kind of shootouts he's grown accustomed to in Denver.

Cleveland: The Browns have two quarterbacks, but hints are out there that they don't like either of them. They could be a player in this deal. It looks, however, like a bad situation for Cutler himself. Defensive-minded head coach, under whom quarterbacks haven't had a lot of success. (Chad Pennington certainly benefited from leaving Eric Mangini's Jets.) They've already traded away one of their two legitimate receiving threats, and Braylon Edwards might also be on the block. There's some talent on the offensive line, but not at running back, and oh yeah Cutler's schedule would feature four games against two of the best defenses in the league (Pittsburgh and Baltimore). Ugly fit.

Jacksonville: The Jaguars may already be reconsidering their commitment to the mediocre David Garrard. Unfortunately for Cutler, this team features the great Maurice Jones-Drew and precious little else. Arguably the league's worst receiving corps, and an offensive line with key players either coming off injury, or aging, or both. Jacksonville looks like a team with some problems, and it might not have hit rock bottom yet.

For what it's worth, my guess is that Cutler will end up playing for an NFC team. I don't think Denver really wants him with a potential playoff team like the Jets, and compared to AFC teams like the Browns and Jaguars, it just looks like a better fit for him in Tampa Bay or Washington; a better fit for the Broncos (in terms of draft-pick compensation) in Detroit. I think he'll end up in one of those places, perhaps whichever one can offer the Broncos either a quarterback they like (Jason Campbell?) or a high enough draft pick to get the one they want (Detroit). Should be fun to see.

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