The Morning After

I’ve had a night to sleep on the Cutler trade and here’s what I think I think about it.

Chicago gave up a lot to get Cutler. A team with major needs at WR and on the defensive side of the ball needs draft picks. Chicago gave those picks up. It’s a risk but the flipside of the argument is that they sucked at picking players in the first round anyway and Cutler is a known commodity. If Jay Cutler grows up, it could turn out to be a win-win trade for everybody.

Denver got picks but blew their offense up to do it. Marshall will be coming off of hip surgery and more police escorts. The O-line is still great. We’ve got some above average to good running backs in the mix. Can’t replace Cutler’s talent but maybe the offense can do without the interceptions as well. Orton/Simms isn’t going to scare anybody but if one of the 4 first round picks in the next two years produces a franchise quarterback…most would be forgiven.

Draft Picks are the best commodity to have. The picks will only be as good as the person drafting. So far, McDaniels and company have not shown well in the discernment department. If the picks hit, there is a possibility of looking at this like the Cowboys look at the Herschel Walker trade. If it doesn’t…there is always 2011 when we’ll have a new coach.

Seats at Mile High should be easier to get. It’s official, the Broncos are rebuilding and it will get worse before it gets better. Champ Bailey must be shaking his head wondering what happened in a short 4 years – from the AFC Championship Game to this. From a top 5 defense to this. From a top-rated offense to this.

Most fans don’t mind rebuilding when there is a clear direction and progress can be seen. But watching a team self-implode is ridiculous. Watching grown men behave worse than high school students is detestable. Like or not, we’re here and it’s not going away. We’ll watch more 45 to 50 point games this season with the knowledge that we can’t keep up with them anymore.

But if the picks hit and Mike Nolan coaches the D like he has in the past…there’s some hope. So far every light at the end of the tunnel has proven to be a train in the McDaniels era.