Jay Cutler's Trade Value

The hottest topic in the NFL today is whether the Denver Broncos will trade quarterback Jay Cutler. Cutler and new coach, Josh McDaniels, have gotten off to a poor start to their relationship and it may not be salvageable at this point. The main question at this point is this: How much compensation will it take for another team to get Cutler?

Jay Cutler's trade value: Denver must receive a quarterback in return

The general consensus among NFL experts is that it will take at least a first-round draft pick, maybe two, and another quarterback to replace Jay Cutler on the Denver Broncos' roster. The requirement of a replacement quarterback automatically rules out teams like the New York Jets or San Francisco 49ers, which do not have a quality starting quarterback to send back to the Broncos. The only way one of these teams can acquire Jay Cutler is to involve a third team who does have a quarterback to spare, such as the Cleveland Browns.

Jay Cutler's trade value: Draft pick compensation

Assuming there is a quarterback to trade to the Denver Broncos for Jay Cutler, what type of draft pick compensation would be required? It is extremely rare that a franchise quarterback such as Cutler is even available on the trade market, making him a very hot commodity, especially in a league that is starved for quality quarterback play. Jay Cutler is also just entering the prime of his career, which significantly increases his value. While he has not yet won a playoff game, Cutler has also been saddled with one of the worst defenses in the league over the last few years. In the 2008 season, Jay Cutler led the second-ranked offense and was the least sacked quarterback in the entire NFL.

Jay Cutler's trade value: The impact of this year's poor draft class

Further increasing Jay Cutler's trade value is the poor quality of quarterbacks in the upcoming draft class. The top rated quarterbacks, Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez are nowhere near as good as Cutler. This leaves teams who need a quarterback with very few viable options other than a trade with the Denver Broncos for Jay Cutler.