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Through Pain Comes Clarity
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Commanders Trying to Land Cutler (Update 2)
The Washington Commanders are actively pursuing a trade for disgruntled Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler tonight, according to NFL sources.
One source said the Commanders are trying to complete the deal as quickly as possible although at least two other teams, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets, are also reportedly interested in acquiring Cutler. The two-year starter became available today when the Broncos announced they would trade him. Denver officials could not be reached for comment tonight.
The Commanders declined comment.
The source said Commanders owner Daniel M. Snyder has been pushing for the trade in an attempt to finally solve the team's decades-long pursuit of a franchise quarterback.
Another NFL source said a high-ranking Commanders official contacted one NFL team today about the possibility of trading quarterback Jason Campbell for a second-round pick in the upcoming draft. That source said he interpreted the Commanders' overture as an attempt by Washington to put together a package to acquire Cutler.
Commanders spokesman Zack Bolno denied the team had inquired about dealing Campbell.
Team officials have publicly denied interest in Cutler. Vinny Cerrato, Washington's executive vice president of football operations, said March 17 that the team was not pursuing Cutler and coach Jim Zorn dismissed the notion while meeting with reporters at the NFL owners' meetings in Dana Point, Calif., last week.
If the Commanders fail to acquire Cutler, they risk alienating Campbell, who has been the starter the past two seasons. Campbell, reached earlier today on his cellphone while he was at a charity event, said he wants to stay in Washington.
''I want to be here, I feel like there's a lot I want to accomplish and that's what I've been working to do, but you know it's not in your control,'' Campbell said. ''All I can do is just keep doing what I'm doing, working hard and waiting to see what happens.''
Last season, he was among the main targets of frustrated fans, who questioned his intelligence and leadership skills on Internet message boards and sports-talk radio, during the team's 2-6 second-half collapse after a 6-2 start. The offensive line struggled in pass protection, and the receiving corps did not produce as Snyder and Cerrato hoped, but "everyone always want to blame the quarterback," Campbell said today. "I know I'm improving, I'm working to get better every day, but some people are ... you just know that's the way it is."
After the Commanders failed to qualify for the playoffs, Cerrato declined to commit to Campbell as the quarterback beyond the 2009 season. Zorn has continued to publicly support Campbell, who in only his second full season as a starter last season established personal bests with an 84.3 passer rating, 3,245 yards and 13 touchdown passes while throwing only six interceptions.
Zorn, however, has stopped short of declaring Campbell a "franchise quarterback," saying the former first-round draft pick possesses the skills to become an elite player. Having played in three offensive systems in his first four NFL seasons with Washington, Campbell was eager to begin his second season in Zorn's version of the West Coast offense.
"I was definitely looking forward to being in the same offense for another year and seeing what we could together," Campbell said. "Being in a different system almost every year, you just don't get as comfortable as when you're in the same system for a lot of years. It's just different."
Although Campbell still hopes to be Washington's starting quarterback in fall, "with all the stuff out there, you know crazy stuff happens in this league," he said. "You just have to be ready for anything.
"A bunch of trade talk is what got Cutler mad at Denver, that's the reason all that stuff started with him, but I wouldn't do all that. The thing you understand that there's no loyalty in this game, so you just have to work hard. That's all you can do."
Cutler is one of only three NFL quarterbacks to throw for at least 25 touchdown passes and 4,500 yards last season, and has developed well the past two seasons as a starter, to the point where some believe he is on the cusp of becoming a star. A trade for a young quarterback of his pedigree is somewhat unprecedented, and the Broncos had attempted to repair the frayed relationship between Cutler and rookie head coach Josh McDaniels, not wanting to deal him until determining the situation was beyond repair.
Cutler expressed a desire to leave after the Broncos reportedly pursued a trade for New England quarterback Matt Cassel, whom McDaniels had coached with the Patriots, and the situation deteriorated to the point where Bowlen finally decided to try to trade Cutler.
Cutler was the 11th overall pick in the 2006 draft out of Vanderbilt, and was heralded for his strong arm, size, strength and athleticism. He replaced Jake Plummer as Denver's starter in late November of his rookie season, and finished 2007 as the league's 12th-rated passer. In 2008 he reached the Pro Bowl, but some scouts have pointed to his high interception totals as a cause of concern. He has been intercepted 32 times in 32 games the past two seasons, and threw at least one interception in 13 of his 16 starts last year. Cutler has failed to post a winning record as a starter, although Denver's poor defense certainly played a role in that.
Washington's West Coast offense under Zorn is not identical to what Mike Shanahan ran for Cutler in Denver, although there are similar principles. The Commanders also lack the star wide receivers Cutler worked with in Denver.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/re...ing-to-land-cutler.html?wprss=redskinsinsider
The Washington Commanders are actively pursuing a trade for disgruntled Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler tonight, according to NFL sources.
One source said the Commanders are trying to complete the deal as quickly as possible although at least two other teams, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets, are also reportedly interested in acquiring Cutler. The two-year starter became available today when the Broncos announced they would trade him. Denver officials could not be reached for comment tonight.
The Commanders declined comment.
The source said Commanders owner Daniel M. Snyder has been pushing for the trade in an attempt to finally solve the team's decades-long pursuit of a franchise quarterback.
Another NFL source said a high-ranking Commanders official contacted one NFL team today about the possibility of trading quarterback Jason Campbell for a second-round pick in the upcoming draft. That source said he interpreted the Commanders' overture as an attempt by Washington to put together a package to acquire Cutler.
Commanders spokesman Zack Bolno denied the team had inquired about dealing Campbell.
Team officials have publicly denied interest in Cutler. Vinny Cerrato, Washington's executive vice president of football operations, said March 17 that the team was not pursuing Cutler and coach Jim Zorn dismissed the notion while meeting with reporters at the NFL owners' meetings in Dana Point, Calif., last week.
If the Commanders fail to acquire Cutler, they risk alienating Campbell, who has been the starter the past two seasons. Campbell, reached earlier today on his cellphone while he was at a charity event, said he wants to stay in Washington.
''I want to be here, I feel like there's a lot I want to accomplish and that's what I've been working to do, but you know it's not in your control,'' Campbell said. ''All I can do is just keep doing what I'm doing, working hard and waiting to see what happens.''
Last season, he was among the main targets of frustrated fans, who questioned his intelligence and leadership skills on Internet message boards and sports-talk radio, during the team's 2-6 second-half collapse after a 6-2 start. The offensive line struggled in pass protection, and the receiving corps did not produce as Snyder and Cerrato hoped, but "everyone always want to blame the quarterback," Campbell said today. "I know I'm improving, I'm working to get better every day, but some people are ... you just know that's the way it is."
After the Commanders failed to qualify for the playoffs, Cerrato declined to commit to Campbell as the quarterback beyond the 2009 season. Zorn has continued to publicly support Campbell, who in only his second full season as a starter last season established personal bests with an 84.3 passer rating, 3,245 yards and 13 touchdown passes while throwing only six interceptions.
Zorn, however, has stopped short of declaring Campbell a "franchise quarterback," saying the former first-round draft pick possesses the skills to become an elite player. Having played in three offensive systems in his first four NFL seasons with Washington, Campbell was eager to begin his second season in Zorn's version of the West Coast offense.
"I was definitely looking forward to being in the same offense for another year and seeing what we could together," Campbell said. "Being in a different system almost every year, you just don't get as comfortable as when you're in the same system for a lot of years. It's just different."
Although Campbell still hopes to be Washington's starting quarterback in fall, "with all the stuff out there, you know crazy stuff happens in this league," he said. "You just have to be ready for anything.
"A bunch of trade talk is what got Cutler mad at Denver, that's the reason all that stuff started with him, but I wouldn't do all that. The thing you understand that there's no loyalty in this game, so you just have to work hard. That's all you can do."
Cutler is one of only three NFL quarterbacks to throw for at least 25 touchdown passes and 4,500 yards last season, and has developed well the past two seasons as a starter, to the point where some believe he is on the cusp of becoming a star. A trade for a young quarterback of his pedigree is somewhat unprecedented, and the Broncos had attempted to repair the frayed relationship between Cutler and rookie head coach Josh McDaniels, not wanting to deal him until determining the situation was beyond repair.
Cutler expressed a desire to leave after the Broncos reportedly pursued a trade for New England quarterback Matt Cassel, whom McDaniels had coached with the Patriots, and the situation deteriorated to the point where Bowlen finally decided to try to trade Cutler.
Cutler was the 11th overall pick in the 2006 draft out of Vanderbilt, and was heralded for his strong arm, size, strength and athleticism. He replaced Jake Plummer as Denver's starter in late November of his rookie season, and finished 2007 as the league's 12th-rated passer. In 2008 he reached the Pro Bowl, but some scouts have pointed to his high interception totals as a cause of concern. He has been intercepted 32 times in 32 games the past two seasons, and threw at least one interception in 13 of his 16 starts last year. Cutler has failed to post a winning record as a starter, although Denver's poor defense certainly played a role in that.
Washington's West Coast offense under Zorn is not identical to what Mike Shanahan ran for Cutler in Denver, although there are similar principles. The Commanders also lack the star wide receivers Cutler worked with in Denver.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/re...ing-to-land-cutler.html?wprss=redskinsinsider
bring on crybaby cutler.
