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Report: Bucs Went After Cutler

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By ROY CUMMINGS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 28, 2009

Updated: 02/28/2009 11:34 pm

TAMPA - The Bucs promised Luke McCown a chance to compete for the starting quarterback's job, but if their actions are an indication of their plans, the competition could be over before it begins.

Though it never materialized, the Bucs on Saturday tried to fashion a three-way trade that would have brought Broncos starter Jay Cutler to Tampa, NFL.com reported.

The deal may have fallen apart earlier, but it reportedly disintegrated when the Patriots finalized a trade that sent quarterback Matt Cassel to the Chiefs.

The Cassel trade was actually part of a bigger deal that included the trade of Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel to Kansas City, but the Bucs reportedly tried to break it up with their own trade offer.

The Bucs' offer likely would have had a draft pick going to New England for Cassel and Cassel going to the Broncos for Cutler, who has emerged as one the NFL's top young QBs.

The Lions, who later traded former starter Jon Kitna to the Cowboys, were believed to be working a deal similar to the one the Bucs drafted.

Bucs general manager Mark Dominik did not return requests for comment during a day when the Bucs' biggest success was the re-signing of safety Will Allen to a one-year, $2.35 million contract.

It also was a day when it was becoming clear the Bucs might be looking to make their biggest impact through the trade market and not free agency.

Coming a day after they dealt two draft picks to the Browns for tight end Kellen Winslow, the trade report overshadowed the news of Allen's signing and the first free-agent visitor to Tampa Bay.

That visitor was Raiders guard Cooper Carlisle, whom the Bucs entertained a few years ago. A starter for the Raiders, Carlisle would likely join the Bucs in a reserve role.

In fact, it seemed that most of the Bucs' free-agent targets were being sought in an effort to improve the team's depth, particularly at cornerback, where the Bucs stand a chance of losing Phillip Buchanon.

The Bucs appear to be preparing for the possibility of losing Buchanon by reaching out to Jabari Greer, Jamar Fletcher and Daven Holly.

Staff writer Anwar S. Richardson contributed to this report.

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