Greg Cote: Miami Dolphins should go after disgruntled Bronco Jay ... - MiamiHerald.com

[Dan Marino]

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Boston Globe (http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=T&ct=us/5i-0&fd=R&url=http://www.boston.com/sports/football/articles/2009/03/17/cutler_broncos_remain_at_odds&cid=1312573027&ei=AIS_SefFD47YlQS73_yFCg&usg=AFQjCNFTh3KxeEyJDfSHBHoFtKizaMoXQQ)
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Greg Cote: Miami Dolphins should go after disgruntled Bronco Jay ... (http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=T&ct=us/5-0&fd=R&url=http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/columnists/greg_cote/story/953058.html&cid=1312573027&ei=AIS_SefFD47YlQS73_yFCg&usg=AFQjCNHGNrUfIKJi3aHCZ-sXsWR5emWhfA)
MiamiHerald.com, FL
The Dolphins enjoy a solid, tranquil quarterback situation -- a position of strength from which to inquire about Cutler, who has asked for a trade because he is getting along with new Broncos coach Josh McDaniels about like Sunnis get along with and ...
Sports digest: (http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=T&ct=us/5-1&fd=R&url=http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_11929505&cid=1312573027&ei=AIS_SefFD47YlQS73_yFCg&usg=AFQjCNEUvlmZmGImYzB68mh1efW75TDi9w) San Jose Mercury News
Jay Cutler skips Denver Broncos team meeting, insists on trade (http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=T&ct=us/5-2&fd=R&url=http://www.twincities.com/ci_11928595&cid=1312573027&ei=AIS_SefFD47YlQS73_yFCg&usg=AFQjCNHIIMVP7-29Ik8L0N3dY7kPzMF1sg) Pioneer Press
Do the New York Jets REALLY Want Jay Cutler? (http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=T&ct=us/5-3&fd=R&url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/140208-do-the-jets-really-want-jay-cutler&cid=1312573027&ei=AIS_SefFD47YlQS73_yFCg&usg=AFQjCNEE6h0RdJqVbYiREuvNEm7lZbpCKQ) Bleacher Report
WCCO (http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=T&ct=us/5-4&fd=R&url=http://wcco.com/sports/broncos.McDaniels.cutler.2.960491.html&cid=1312573027&ei=AIS_SefFD47YlQS73_yFCg&usg=AFQjCNGWpOiREcKqRuxH1RsXA6TaR99sSA)
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[mdbw]

I don't know what to think about this. If it were just for Henne and Pennington, I think I'd do it... but I think we need that 1st rounder to address other positions.

[FinsFan]

Cutler was good enough for the Broncos to move up in the draft to grab him and yes, How much longer will Pennington last is a valid question, but to trade a first round draft pick for him when there are so many other issues to deal with is a tough question to ask.

So now Tuna and Co. have a new headache to deal with and it will be interesting to see what they decide.

Part of me says to go for Cutler and not to overly trust the longevity of Pennington. He served us well last season and may do some good this season, but we either need to move foward with Henne or go elsewhere.

[mdbw]

Am I missing something? When did Denver's disgruntled quarterback, Jay Cutler, become this can't-miss, must-have, world-beating quarterback.

I'm usually the first to fall in love with a big armed passer, but I must have missed the memo about Cutler becoming the next Dan Marino or John Elway. From my viewpoint I don't even think Cutler has accomplished as much as a young and healthy Daunte Culpepper, and he was playing for and groomed by an offensive genius.

Cutler has had ONE impressive season. ONE. And in that season the Broncos had a fullback finish the season playing running back.

That's why I'm kind of surprised that not one, but two of the most respected sports minds in South Florida feel the Dolphins should get involved with the high-stakes bidding for Cutler.

Yes I know a good quarterback is the one "must have" ingredient for good NFL teams. But the Dolphins have one, if not two of those?

Never-mind that the Dolphins have an MVP runner up in Chad Pennington, who led a 1-15 team in 2007 to a 11-5 record and a playoff bid, for the present. And Chad Henne, a promising second-year quarterback with a good pedigree, whom this regime is high on, represents the future.

The Herald's Greg Cote says "pull the trigger for the strongest arm and [the QB] with the brightest future in the NFL," if the price is right.

And the Sun-Sentinel's Dave Hyde proposes to trade both Pennington and Henne for Cutler.

But why would Denver do that trade now when they could possibly acquire Pennington next season when he likely becomes an unrestricted free agent (I propose Pennington plays out at least half of this season before getting a new deal with the Dolphins).

And why can't Denver draft their own version of Henne with it's own first-round pick (No. 12), which could put the Broncos in prime position to select Georgia's Matt Stafford, USC's Mark Sanchez or Kansas State's Josh Freeman.

Isn't new Broncos coach Josh McDaniels the same coach who turned a career backup named Matt Cassel into a franchise player. Doesn't every team want their own homegrown, organic quarterback? Isn't that why McDaniels pushed hard for Cassel, rubbing Cutler the wrong way?

March happens to be the busiest sports month of the year, so it's clear these two accomplished columnist have thought this thing out.

But have they?

The Dolphins don't like anyone who has diva-like tendencies. See Jason Taylor if you need an example, and monitor Cutler's demands to determine if he's football's version of a "female hustler" as Beyonce so eloquently puts it.

And by the way, didn't Pennington outperform Cutler in their head-to-head matchup last season? He did.

Cutler completed 24-of-46 passes for 307 yards. He threw two touchdowns and three interceptions, and was sacked once in Denver's 26-17 loss.

Pennington completed 23-of-40 passes for 281 yards. He didn't throw a touchdown, and was intercepted once, but lead his team down the field on the game-winning drive.

Wasn't Henne's upside impressive enough to make him the front-runner to start in 2008 if Pennington wasn't acquired? It was.

Did the two quarterbacks (Atlanta's Matt Ryan and Baltimore's Joe Flacco) the Dolphins had rated ahead of Henne on their draft board tear it up last season as rookies? And according to G.M. Jeff Ireland and coach Tony Sparano the Dolphins don't believe there is much, if any drop off between those three young quarterbacks. And the Trifecta clearly prefers their arm of the future to learn behind a proven veteran instead of being thrown to the wolves right away.

"This isn't a secret, the three people that were competing know my feelings on this. The separation that needed to occur didn't occur and that's really why when Chad became available we thought we really have to do this. But that being said, with [Henne], he closed the gap on [Josh McCown and John Beck] and that's what you want to see out of a young guy that we drafted," Sparano said last month.

"Knowing Chad, if he was in the [starter] situation I would have been comfortable with him there. Look at the two young quarterbacks that had to play this year and they did a nice job. We're fortunate that we had Chad Pennington and we didn't have to do that right away. I think the valuable lesson that Chad Henne learned this year, I don't think you can put a dollar value on it in what he learned this year from Chad Pennington. I've been around a lot of these veteran quarterbacks with a young guy looking up to him, and there is no better. From Chad Pennington's standpoint, the kind of teacher he is for those young guys it's tremendous."

But let's say the Dolphins weren't so high on their own quarterbacks....

Aren't the half dozen quarterback starved teams in the NFL willing to give up a kings ransom for Cutler? The Lions can't give away their first-round pick, which will bring some unproven rookie a check of about $33 million guaranteed. Hell, Cutler isn't even worth that.

And there's been speculation Tampa Bay has already offered their first-round pick (No. 19), if not more for Cutler.

Never mind that any team who trades for Cutler will also have to give him a new, substantial contract, which is what this whole temper tantrum is all about.

The one thing Dolphins fans should know about the Trifecta is they value first-day picks as if they were 250 pound bricks of gold because the draft's top 80 selections bring YOUNG, PROMISING PLAYERS who generally work CHEAP for four seasons. The Dolphins need more top 80 selections, not less.

Ireland's already gone on record to say he's not a fan of trading for another team's disgruntled players because it usually requires BOTH a high pick or two and a big time money commitment (pay attention all you Anquan Boldin fans).

The biggest, and final question is: Are the Dolphins really one piece away from playing in the Super Bowl next season, or in 2010?

I say Miami's five to 10 pieces away considering 2009's brutal schedule, and the fact no team gets that lucky with injuries two years in a row.

That's why I think sticking to the blueprint is what's best for the Dolphins, and it's hard for me to see where Cutler fits into those plans unless the Broncos plan to give him away.

Am I wrong here?

Deuces.

Omar echoed my sentiment that we need to keep our high draft picks... we're not one player away from being a Super Bowl Champion, stick to the blue print. Just take some time to recollect how excited everyone is about Chad Henne.

[Dan Marino]

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Boston Globe (http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=T&ct=us/6i-0&fd=R&url=http://www.boston.com/sports/football/articles/2009/03/16/cutler_mcdaniels_finally_meet_face_to_face&cid=1312573027&ei=ZFXASdnDOKGCggOK7KSGCg&usg=AFQjCNFTbfpXkUc6A1Y381Cc3SXYLJOAww)
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NFL: Dolphins should make a play for unhappy Bronco Cutler (http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=T&ct=us/6-0&fd=R&url=http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090317/BREAKING02/90317004/-1&cid=1312573027&ei=ZFXASdnDOKGCggOK7KSGCg&usg=AFQjCNGFi6cy-CdvfJnOIb14MEp2Da4tJQ)
Honolulu Advertiser, HI
By Dave Hyde Now the Miami Dolphins have to answer this right: How much do we trust Chad Henne? And: Would a package of our quarterback of today (Chad Pennington), tomorrow (Henne) and the 25th pick overall be worth landing Denver's arm of today and ...
Greg Cote: Miami Dolphins should go after disgruntled Bronco Jay ... (http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=T&ct=us/6-1&fd=R&url=http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/columnists/greg_cote/story/953058.html&cid=1312573027&ei=ZFXASdnDOKGCggOK7KSGCg&usg=AFQjCNFPI1yup2-l2lDthd-KQvU_nDUakQ) MiamiHerald.com
The Cutler Question (http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=T&ct=us/6-2&fd=R&url=http://mia.scout.com/2/848025.html&cid=1312573027&ei=ZFXASdnDOKGCggOK7KSGCg&usg=AFQjCNEvcKPsfWmj0YsTGLPpZZjC7VViZg) Dolphins Insider
Who Can Make Jay Cutler Happy? (http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=T&ct=us/6-3&fd=R&url=http://blogs.wsj.com/dailyfix/2009/03/17/who-can-make-jay-cutler-happy/&cid=1312573027&ei=ZFXASdnDOKGCggOK7KSGCg&usg=AFQjCNHAcQGPwMVHGCjNmk2SZnjE4cwigg) Wall Street Journal Blogs
San Jose Mercury News (http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=T&ct=us/6-4&fd=R&url=http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_11929505&cid=1312573027&ei=ZFXASdnDOKGCggOK7KSGCg&usg=AFQjCNFGbC6THzC2HcBlfNUFIO312r5kXg) - Pioneer Press (http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=T&ct=us/6-5&fd=R&url=http://www.twincities.com/ci_11928595&cid=1312573027&ei=ZFXASdnDOKGCggOK7KSGCg&usg=AFQjCNFTe3xKjkRhwSQOqLpdbtUiy3dzpg)
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[MadPhinsGames]

We went 11-5 last year and QB was not our problem! We need more help at wideout teams are stackin the line daring us to thro to Ginn, Bess, We need one main Possession receiver!

[mdbw]

Yeah I really don't think giving up picks to get Cutler would be smart, and honestly, I don't think the Trifecta is even considering this. It's just two south florida beat writers trying to (successfully) get some press.

[FinsFan]

I think MadPhinsGames hits the nail on the head. We need one great WR. We have also talked about needing improvement in the secondary, not that we are going to find much in this draft.