Culter - Orton Trade

The Jay Culter fiasco is finally over…or is it? Today the Chicago Bears offered the Denver Broncos the most they were going to get.

Denver receives:

QB Kyle Orton

2009 1^st round pick (12^th overall)

2010 1^st round pick

2009 3^rd round pick (#84 overall)

Chicago receives:

QB Jay Cutler

2009 5^th round pick (140th overall)

I think there would have been a lot of interest for Jay Cutler. This kid has a great arm and is young. I am surprised that people would give up two 1st round picks, a 3^rd and a starting QB. Now we have heard for years and years the thing the Bears are missing is a stud QB. People are going to say how great the Bears are going to do now; a possible NFC contender but maybe a given division title. Hold the horses for a moment. I will tell you that the Vikings, Packers and Lions will have something to say about that.

The Broncos got so much for the disgruntled Cutler. Here’s a team who was on the rise. With Cutler they had the #2 offense in the league. Now their defence needed to be addressed. So Brain Dawkins signs with them at safety and they have the #12 overall pick to help that D out. Josh McDaniels was an idiot to try and trade Cutler to get the one hit wonder in Matt Cassel. Not only does Cassel not get traded to the Broncos but Cassel goes to the division rival the Kansas City Chiefs. As a result of that they lose Cutler. Not a good offseason for Denver.

Did the Bears win this deal or did the Broncos? Immediately you must say the Bears win this deal but only time will tell if the Broncos actually win with how those draft picks pan out.

Kyle Orton is no Jay Cutler but he’s no slouch either. This guy wins. In his 1^st year as a starter he put up decent #’s when healthy with subpar WR’s. Now he inherits Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal, and Brandon Stokley. His value has to go up. Cutler on the other hand, definitely has his work cut out for him. Lloyd, Hester, and Davis aren’t very good at all as a WR core.

Many people are speculating that Denver will package up their two 1^st round picks in this years draft to move up the draft board to get a QB. Well they probably won’t get Stafford but the guy I would be targeting is USC QB Mark Sanchez. I wonder if they could get either unless they trade up. There are a few teams looking for a QB. Those teams ahead of Denver could be Detroit, St.Louis, maybe Seattle, and San Francisco.

I think they should keep Orton, his college system will be like the Denver system under coach McDaniels, and use #12 and #18 for major help on the defensive side of the football.

Who wins the deal? I am leaning on the side of the Broncos. Don't get me wrong San Diego is winning the division but the following year if Denver drafts right this could be a good trade for them.

What do you think?

Fantasy Value:

J.Culter, B.Marshall, and E.Royal all go down slightly.

K.Orton, M.Forte, G.Olsen all go up slightly.

Of course I could be wrong but I doubt it.

Two points I need to add:
1. If Orton, as unhealthy as he was, led the Bears to a 9-7 season I must assume that Cutler will at least win two more games. 11-5 is a good record and division winner or at minimum a wild card birth.
2. The signing of Orlando Pace doesn't hurt. I think the Rams think he was done and they released him but the Bears disagree because they signed him for 15 million over 3 years. If the Bears are correct then this will help BIG time.