Denver, CO (My Sportsbook) -
Denver Broncos president and CEO Pat Bowlen announced the team is trying to trade quarterback Jay Cutler.
It's been a rocky start to a relationship for Cutler and new Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels, and the latest news came Tuesday night in a statement from Bowlen.
"Numerous attempts to contact Jay Cutler in the last 10 days, both by head coach Josh McDaniels and myself, have been unsuccessful. A conversation with his agent earlier today clearly communicated and confirmed to us that Jay no longer has any desire to play for the Denver Broncos. We will begin discussions with other teams in an effort to accommodate his request to be traded."
Two weeks ago, Cutler's agent, Bus Cook, made a request to the Broncos for a trade. At the time, McDaniels reiterated his desire to keep Cutler as the team's quarterback, only a little while after Denver explored a trade opportunity to add former Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel. Cassel was subsequently traded to division rival Kansas City.
McDaniels reportedly admitted to Cutler that he had pursued Cassel and that he was not apologetic about it. Cutler felt betrayed by the club, feeling that he was supposed to be the team's franchise quarterback.
Bowlen has said he supports his new head coach and is disappointed in the way Cutler has handled the situation but at the time was not happy about the prospects of losing his quarterback.
Cutler was drafted by the Broncos in the first round in 2006 out of Vanderbilt. A one-time Pro Bowl selection, he was viewed as Denver's quarterback for years to come.
Cutler's career has produced mixed results so far, and he was part of a Broncos' team that squandered a four-game lead in the division with four games to play in 2008, eventually losing a tiebreaker to the Chargers for the division title in the final week. He threw for 25 touchdowns last season but also 18 interceptions, producing a mediocre quarterback rating of 86.0.
For his career, which comprises 37 games, all starts, in three seasons, Cutler has thrown for 54 touchdowns, with 37 interceptions, for an overall rating of 87.1. He has never led the Broncos to the playoffs in his two years as the full-time starter.
