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Cutler-To-Bucs Rumors Have New Life

Associated Press file photo

Jay Cutler is upset that new Denver coach Josh McDaniels talked about trading him for Matt Cassel before Cassel was dealt to Kansas City.

By ROY CUMMINGS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 16, 2009

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TAMPA - It was a rough weekend for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While they geared up for the start of their offseason program, two of the free agents they've been targeting – offensive tackle Khalif Barnes and cornerback Karl Paymah – signed with other teams.

The Bucs also learned over the weekend that another of their free agent targets – linebacker Angelo Crowell – has decided to continue his search for a new team and will visit Buffalo today.

Not all the news filtering into One Buc Place was bad, though. The team also learned this weekend that quarterback Jay Cutler remains very unhappy with Josh McDaniels, the new coach of the Broncos, and that he really wants out of Denver.

"The Denver Broncos confirm that Jay Cutler has requested a trade," team spokesman Jim Saccomano told The Associated Press today.

ESPN first reported that Cutler, still upset that the Broncos tried to trade him to Tampa Bay in a three-team deal in February, had asked for a trade through his agent, Bus Cook.

"I'm disappointed beause I love being a Bronco, but I think it's run its course," Cutler told ESPN.

That should get those Cutler-to-Tampa Bay rumors running strong again, and if the Broncos somehow steal Matt Cassel away from the Kansas City Chiefs, well then maybe the Bucs snare Cutler, after all.

Don't bet on it, though.

You don't even have to read between the lines to know that what McDaniels wants out of all this is a chance to continue working with Cassel, the quarterback he claims to have raised like a baby boy during their time together in New England, where McDaniels was offensive coordinator.

It's hard to imagine the Chiefs giving Cassel away, though. After all, Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli, also formerly of New England, had a hand in raising Cassel, too, and it's doubtful he'd agree to a trade that finishes with Cassel with AFC West rival Denver.

Stranger things have happened, though, and what you have to keep in mind is that the Chiefs gave up only a second-round draft pick for Cassel. A deal that would net them something better might be too tempting to pass up.

The Bucs, of course, have something better. They have the 19th overall pick in this year's draft, and that just might be enough to sway Pioli to lighten his grip in this Cassel tug of war.

That wouldn't leave the Bucs with much to do come draft day, (They gave their second-round pick to the Browns in the Kellen Winslow deal), but it would significantly improve their situation at quarterback.

The Bucs have Luke McCown fighting with Brian Griese and Josh Johnson for the starter's job, which doesn't seem like much of a fight at all. Cutler versus McCown wouldn't be much of a fight either.

In fact, if they somehow land Cutler, the Bucs might end up with a situation similar to the one the Broncos have, only with McCown asking to be traded. He was promised a chance to compete for the starter's job, after all.

But if Cutler is the prize, then it might be worth ruffling McCown's feathers a bit. Besides, the Bucs are no strangers to situations like this.

It was just last summer that they made it abundantly clear to anyone who was paying any attention that the quarterback they wanted most was Brett Favre.

That didn't sit too well with incumbent Jeff Garcia, but that's the way the business works sometimes. And if McCown's happiness is the sacrifice that has to be made to better the team this time, then the Bucs can't afford to hesitate.

Chances are, though, that it never gets to that. Cutler may not like the fact that his new coach loves another quarterback more than him but, like Garcia, he'll probably have to live with it.

Unless, that is, new Bucs general manager Mark Dominik can somehow swing that deal for Cassel.

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