The Redskins have stopped denying any interest in Jay Cutler, yet another signal that they are indeed pursuing the Denver Pro Bowl quarterback.
As initially reported in The Examiner two weeks ago, one executive with another team said that the Redskins were interested in Cutler, but the team spent the past two weeks denying the reports. Now multiple reports have the Redskins heavily pursuing Cutler, some suggesting a deal could be completed within a couple days.
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Owner Dan Snyder was said to be the one who initiated the interest.
“It’s exactly the kind of move Snyder would make,” one NFL source said.
And the executive said the Redskins had been shopping Jason Campbell for up to a year, since former coach Joe Gibbs resigned. Their disenchantment was clear. Campbell has one year left on his contract and the Redskins have made no movement toward an extension.
“That tells you what they think,” the NFL source said.
Cutler carries a hefty price tag should Washington complete the deal. The executive said it’s hard to determine how much any team would have to surrender, but said a likely starting point is two first-round picks and possibly another low pick. Or they could surrender a combination of players and draft picks, with a third team possibly entering the transaction.
Cutler signed a six-year, $48-million contract in 2006. Washington has approximately $6 million of cap space.
However, if Cutler plays 70 percent of his new team’s snaps, he can reach up to $11 million in escalators, which a team must absorb against the cap. He has roster bonuses of $4 million in 2010 and $12 million in 2011. He has a base salary of just over $1 million this season.
Campbell would be part of any deal, though it’s uncertain if Denver would want him. The Broncos also have to determine if they prefer to draft a quarterback such as Matthew Stafford or Mark Sanchez. Or if they’d rather have a veteran such as Campbell or Brady Quinn. The executive said he heard they were interested in Vince Young, too.
But a team that offers a legitimate starting quarterback rates an edge.
“That’s what makes Washington attractive,” the executive said. “It’s going to take a lot. It’s never happened before where a player like this was [available]. When Snyder is driven, he’ll give up anything.”
The New York Jets, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Detroit and Minnesota are other possibilities. The Jets have a desperate need for a quarterback and also are trying to sell personal license seats to their new stadium, set to open in 2010. The NFL source said they had to be “the leader”. However, NFL sources pointed out that Snyder typically gets what he wants.
“He’s their GM,” the executive said. “Agents feel he listens to them more than he does to their coaches.”
One league source said he thought the Redskins denied any interest because they did not think Cutler would become available. Indeed, the executive said Tuesday morning that Denver was still trying to work it out and had exchanged text messages with Cutler. By Tuesday night Denver owner Pat Bowlen put Cutler on the trading block.
