Don't get too excited about a 3 team deal involving Jay Cutler and the Browns.

Fryingpan Sports

Don’t get too excited about a 3 team deal involving Jay Cutler and the Browns.

By Bill Smith

There is a lot of talk about the Browns being the point guard in a three way deal for Denver QB Jay Cutler. Not so fast, my friend. There are more than a couple chuck holes between Cleveland and anywhere Cutler is liable to end up.

The trade chatter has Brown’s QB Brady Quinn going to Denver, Cutler going to Detroit, Tampa, Seattle, or the Jets, and a covey of draft choices coming to the Browns. There are a covey of problems with that scenario.

  1. There is no way that Denver gives up a semi-proven QB with a pro bowl and 37 starts in the NFL over 3 seasons in exchange for Quinn and his 3 starts and 65.8 passer rating. The Broncos will want Quinn and a high draft pick (late 1 or very early 2) to make that deal.
  1. Tampa is out of the contest because they don’t have a second. They traded it to Cleveland for TE Kelvin Winslow. They would give up their 1 for Cutler but that would have to go to Denver to complete the Cutler deal.
  1. Even if Tampa’s 1 came to Cleveland, the Browns would have to give at least one of their 2 second round picks to Denver and possibly both. That would net the Browns the equivalent of a third round pick (the difference between a middle first and a middle 2nd round pick) in exchange for Quinn. That is not a deal that I would make.
  1. I hear the QB Derek Anderson fans chanting now—what about DA? In my opinion, Denver would not accept DA plus a draft choice in exchange for Cutler. I can see them only taking Quinn because he was tutored in college by Charlie Weis at Notre Dame. Weis has Patriot roots and new Bronco coach Josh McDaniel will employ a very similar offense to that of Weis.

So despite the chatter, don’t get too excited. I can’t see any way in which a three way deal could net the Browns anything close to value for Quinn because Denver would want more than Quinn in exchange for Cutler.

There is a possibility of a direct deal with Detroit or the Jets. Quinn for the Dallas pick the Lions own (#22) would make some sense as would the Quinn for the Jets 1 at #17. I am not sure either team would make that deal but the Lions might not be too excited about either rookie QB and want to use the first overall pick for an OT.

The Jets would love anybody that even looked like an NFL quality QB. A more likely deal would be made after the draft if the Jets can’t get either top rated rookie QB. They would be willing to trade a 1 in 2010 for Quinn. That would not be a good deal for the Browns because Quinn’s value would then be the equivalent of a second round pick this year.

The Jets might take Anderson with his big arm in exchange for a 2010 first round pick if they don’t get something they like in the 09 draft. Given the winds in New York in December, Anderson would be a better choice for the Jets than Quinn. The Browns and Jets might do a deal for a second this year and conditional 2nd or 3rd next year for Anderson depending on how he performs.

In any 3 team deal, if the Browns try to be the middle man, they will end up in the middle of a mess.

That’s what I think. Tell me what you think.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He is a senior writer for and edits https://fryingpansports.com. He has also published several novels on and edits .

My email is [email protected].

Technorati Tags: Browns,Cutler,Quinn,Anderson,Broncos. NFL,football,trade,draft pick,Tampa Bay,Buccaneers,Lions,SeaHAWKS,pro bowl,Notre Dame,Weis,Jets,New York
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4 thoughts on “Don't get too excited about a 3 team deal involving Jay Cutler and the Browns.”

  1. The Browns have two serviceable quarterbacks on the team at this time and to make a move at the qb position when they have other needs is a waste.

    Acai Burn’s last blog post..Acai Burn – Quick-Loss Secret of the Amazon

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  2. That’s like saying – don’t get excited, it’s only Christmas!!!

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  3. Don’t get too worked up yet, the overwhelmingly minute details of a 3 team trade for Jay Cutler are too complicated to come to fruition. The Broncos will be hard pressed to get what they want in return for Jay Cutler, which is an up and coming QB trained in the style offense that McDaniels runs, and a 1st or 2nd round draft pick. I just don’t think there are any teams that need a pro bowl qb that can give up that much.

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  4. nice post, i still don’t think its gonna happen. but it’d be cool, i love huge trades, it really shakes things up.

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