The Denver Broncos said Tuesday they will grant Jay Cutler his request and try to trade him. Broncos owner Pat Bowlen released a statement saying both he and McDaniels had been unable to get Cutler to call them back over the last 10 days. Bowlen said he spoke with Cutler's agent, Bus Cook, on Tuesday and came away convinced "that Jay no longer has any desire to play for the Denver Broncos." Therefore, Bowlen said, "We will begin discussions with other teams in an effort to accommodate his request to be traded." Cook didn't immediately return messages left by The Associated Press, and McDaniels, through a team spokesman, declined to comment.

Broncos players aren't saying they have had enough of quarterback Jay Cutler, but they are getting frustrated by all of the drama surrounding him. No Denver player has agreed to meet with the media since March 19, and the "silence" wasn't a mandate from coach Josh McDaniels.

Disgruntled quarterback Jay Cutler has forfeited his $100,000 workout bonus because he already missed more than 10 percent of Denver's sessions. Assuming he reports to training camp, he'll still earn a $1.035 million salary for the 2009 season.

Broncos coach Josh McDaniels and quarterback Jay Cutler are still far apart on their differences, but they have reportedly been exchanging text messages. McDaniels wants to talk with Cutler, but the quarterback has limited their contact to text messages. Many in Denver believe that each day that passes leaves less and less of a chance that Cutler will return to the Broncos, a scenario that quite a few consider impossible.

Jets safety Kerry Rhodes believes that Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler is too cocky to become his teammate. "Me and Jay just don't get along too well right now," Rhodes said Thursday. His dislike for Cutler surfaced in last November's 34-17 loss to the Broncos when the quarterback was seen trash talking quite a bit. "You can be confident, but when you're too confident for your own self, that can be a little tough," Rhodes said of Cutler.

There is never a dull moment in the life of the NFL, not even in the erstwhile idle month of March. Between free agency, disgruntled players, owner?s meetings, and draft preparation, it never sleeps. $.01--Jay Cutler vs. the Broncos. This is just getting silly now. Rookie head coach Josh McDaniels and GM Brian Xanders (which comes up ?Brain Ender? on spell check) made a very public rookie mistake in their courtship of Matt Cassel. Jay Cutler, as the incumbent franchise QB, had every right to feel miffed and upset. But this sort of thing happens, and Cutler?s insistence on molding a mountain out of a foothill, instead of letting the breach of trust erode into dust in the wind, smacks of immaturity and unprofessionalism. While many have rightly criticized how Broncos management has handled this gaffe, Cutler is far from blameless. He and his agent, Bus Cook, seemed a little too eager to foster acrimony and napalm any olive branches. Which brings up the potential implication of any trade, but particularly to the Jets. His reaction proves that Cutler isn?t real comfortable handling adversity or external pressures. Do New York fans really think that flaw will mitigate itself under the brightest lights, the most powerful media microscope in the professional sports world? Cutler?s childish act unwittingly damaged his trade value. Think the Broncos aren?t asking for the sun in return? Think a team is ready to hand over that king?s ransom for someone with his selfish attitude, something that led the Broncos to explore chasing Cassel in the first place? I didn?t buy the Jeff George comparisons at first, but the longer this lingers, the more I see the guileless, team-killing similarities. McDaniels and Xanders created a monster, and Cutler could turn their Denver tenure into a short horror film. $.02--Terrell Owens to the Bills. I?ve covered this on RealGM Radio and on the Papa Joe Chevalier show during my regular spots, but the more I look at this, the more I really like the risk/reward ratio for Buffalo. This was a team that reminded me very much of the 2007 Detroit Lions--a mediocre cast stumbles upon the end of a rainbow and sprints out to a great start, only to collapse in spectacularly inept fashion thanks to a lethal combination of poor coaching, an overriding lack of playmakers, and a dearth of leadership. Owens can?t help Dick Jauron find the top of the paper bag, but he sure helps remedy the other primary ailments. Say what you will about Owens the persona, but on the field there are few players who can match his ability to impact the game. His physical style, his great running ability, and his inner drive make TO a real problem for defenses. That makes Lee Evans real happy on the other side, giving the Bills two legit #1 wide receivers. When you add the shifty Roscoe Parrish in the slot and the competent, reliable Josh Reed as the #4, and the backfield duo of Marshawn Lynch (when he?s not suspended for criminal activity) and Fred Jackson, the Bills suddenly have a plethora of weaponry for Trent Edwards. I have never been high on Edwards, but his open lobbying for Owens and his increased presence and visibility in Orchard Park and with his teammates is filling that leadership vacuum that has sucked the life out of Buffalo since last October. If it takes one year of dealing with TO to bring out the franchise QB in Edwards, it?s more than worth the risk. So long as Owens and Evans can share the sandbox and the team doesn?t start 0-3 sans Lynch (I expect him to be suspended for at least 3 games), this signing looks great. If not, well, they were very likely to challenge for the #1 overall draft pick in 2010 anyways... $.03--My other top free agency moves: 1. Jason Brown to the Rams--perfect fit for a young, talented, positive line anchor and it gives new coach Spagnuolo the stability and toughness up front this team sorely lacked. 2. Sean Jones to the Eagles--he turned down significantly more money to sign for one year in Philly, ostensibly as the replacement for Brian Dawkins. He?s inconsistent, but few safeties have his blend of range, physicality, and playmaking knack. 3. Leigh Bodden to New England--this reclamation project has success written all over it. Bodden plays with a similar style to Asante Samuel, who the Pats sorely missed last year. They?ll live with Bodden?s questionable toughness and mental breakdowns that led Cleveland and Detroit to give up on him if he can pick off 6 passes and provide an upgrade in coverage. 4. Bart Scott to the Jets--new coach Rex Ryan knows exactly what Scott brings to the table and how to best utilize his skills. The Jets get a versatile playmaking leader on defense who can help the holdovers acclimate to Ryan?s style 5. Antonio Smith to the Texans--Houston badly needed a foil for Mario Williams, and Smith was an unsung key in the Cardinals playoff run. He blossomed at the right time, and he?s not the type of person who was just playing for a contract. $.04--The Patriots appear hellbent on recreating the Pro Bowl roster of 2000 some 9 years later. Look at some of their free agency moves: Sean Springs, Joey Galloway, Fred Taylor. I know Taylor wasn?t in the 2000 Pro Bowl, but that was not his fault. Even after unloading Mike Vrabel, the Patriots will likely start the season with just 5 starters younger than 28 years old and 12 starters over age 30. The horrific drafts of 2006 and 2007 have robbed this team of players entering their prime in the next couple of seasons, and it?s taxed the overall depth as well. Instead of plugging in inexpensive young players familiar with the Belichick way, New England has to go out and sign all sorts of more expensive, beyond-their-prime free agents from other teams just to fill out a 2-deep. I pretty much worship Bill Belichick in terms of his coaching acumen, but not even he can keep this up forever. $.05--Musical interlude time! Avid readers are well-versed in my obsession with Dream Theater, but their place atop my music Pantheon has received a stiff challenge. Coheed and Cambria released a fantastic 4-disc CD/DVD package this week, a live capture of their 4-night concert series last fall where they played all 4 albums of their catalog in order. For the unfamiliar (likely everyone), C&C takes the concept of ?concept album? to ridiculous extremes; all 4 albums are one long musical conceptual story. I haven?t the foggiest about all the details of the story (it involves a battle with an alien, I think), but it all ties together in a gloriously melodic blend of emo, prog rock, jam band, and alt-metal. If you?re a fan of anything from the Moody Blues to Rush to Jimmie Eat World to Black Album-era Metallica, do your ears a favor and check out ?Neverender?. Discs One and Four are the best. $.06--Some sweet music came out of the owners meetings in Dana Point this week as well. It appears Roger Goodell & Co. are serious about creating a legit developmental league, something I?ve advocated for years. I laid out a lightly-detailed plan for such a league a couple of years ago, which I will further elaborate upon after the draft. This just makes sense on so many levels, from development of coaches and referees, to giving small college players a more legit chance, to improving the polish on the NFL product thanks to more seasoned depth. I believe this an idea that is long overdue and can be cost-effective, so long as the player?s union acquiesces to sound reason. $.07--Regarding the selection of DeMaurice Smith as Gene Upshaw?s successor as head of the NFLPA. I applaud the choice because it signals that the inmates are not running the asylum. I?m a big proponent of cooler heads and outsider intervention in labor issues, and Smith offers both qualities. By choosing Smith and not former players Troy Vincent or Trace Armstrong, the NFLPA has indicated to the owners they are willing to come to the table knowing it?s a round table, not a dividing line. No offense to Vincent or Armstrong, both of whom are intelligent, capable individuals, but they represented a hard-line stance that threatens the future of the league and created instant acrimony at the bargaining sessions. Those hard-line stances are not without merit, but there was a growing fear amongst the rank and file that that those lines need to be drawn in chalk, not carved in marble. With a connected outsider like Smith, who carries earned respect and Congressional influence (not an insignificant chip to play), the owners are pushed to break out the chalk instead of chisels themselves. Notice the lack of talk about the negotiations coming from Dana Point? My Econ 104 professor taught that when the two sides are talking in good faith to one another and making progress, they don?t have reason to talk to anyone else to curry public opinion or force hands. That silence is golden for football fans. $.08--I can?t go longer than this during this time of year without talking NFL Draft. Thanks to all for the feedback on the mock drafts and positional player rankings, both positive and negative. With those comments often come questions, and I?ll address the most common questions with the final 3 cents. First up, I get loads of questions about which players are really rising up draft boards. Some fast risers: Donald Brown, RB, UConn--solidly in the upper half of the second round, and heading into the offseason he was a 3rd/4th rounder. Teams love his overall package, and he?s an outstanding interviewee. There are others who are faster, stronger, tougher, and quicker, but not many have as much of all those attributes as Brown. Connor Barwin, DE/OLB/TE, Cincinnati--I?ve talked to two teams who see Barwin with Jason Taylor-type versatility as the elephant in a 3-4/4-3 hybrid defense. What is really boosting his value is his skills at TE, where he can immediately contribute as a red zone target. With a 41? vertical, great hands, and experience playing tight end (not to mention special teams), he provides impact for the team while he works on the finer points of playing defense. I won?t have this pick in my next mock draft, but don?t be surprised if Buffalo looks to Barwin at #11 overall. Chris Owens, CB, San Jose State--a funny thing happened when teams started checking out SJSU game tapes to watch DT Jarron Gilbert and fellow CB Coye Francies. Owens stands out as the type of reliable, technically sound #2 corner teams love. He?s undersized and isn?t an elite athlete, he?s just a good football player. Has moved from the 4th-5th round to consideration at the end of Round 2. Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest--Smith is a curious case. For most of the season he was considered a 1st round talent, but the tide turned against him and his lack of height. Now that the workouts are over and teams get back to focusing on what players actually do on the field, Smith?s stock has ascended back to the 15-30 overall range once again. If he were 2 inches taller, he?d be a top 5 pick, his skills are that good. Others bubbling up a few spots include Eben Britton, Clay Matthews, and Josh Freeman, as teams have taken the glass half-full attitude towards those unfinished products. $.09--Every coin has two sides, and the next most frequent question is, ?Which players are falling the most?? Much to the dismay of their agents, these guys are headed in the wrong direction: Nate Davis, QB, Ball State--teams seem focused on the alarming ball -security issues he showed in his last two games. He didn?t help himself in the interviewing process. Davis has a diagnosed learning disability, which unfortunately raises some flags as well. I had him in the 1st round back in November, but now it appears he?ll be lucky to go before the bottom of the 3rd. Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State--it?s not that teams aren?t impressed with Pettigrew, far and away the best TE prospect in this draft. This is more of a general indictment that I?ve been praying will come--the overvaluation of the tight end. Charting out Pro Bowls earned by Super Bowl teams over the last 14 seasons, no position except punter has been less represented by the conference champions than tight end. His plodding high 4.8 speed doesn?t help his case. He might still sneak into the bottom of the first round, but the 35-50 range is much more likely. Derek Pegues, S, Mississippi State--right or wrong, he?s being pigeonholed as a CB/S tweener with a distinct lack of height. An old off-field incident brings up character flags, and he?s another guy who has not helped himself in the interviewing process. Has fallen from the 2nd to likely the 4th or even 5th round. Rey Maualuga, LB, USC--it?s a relative slide, as he?s still almost certainly a top 25 overall pick, but teams are starting to focus on his stiffness and troubling lack of foot speed he showed in Indy. When tight ends who are considered ?too slow? are timed faster than him, that?s a real problem for Rey, and his bum hamstring won?t allow him to prove anyone wrong before the draft. His propensity for overpursuit troubles teams that cherish assignment integrity. Others trending down include Auburn DT Sen?Derrick Marks, North Carolina WR Hakeem Nicks, and South Carolina CB Captain Munnerlyn, who is dangerously close to undrafted status according to a couple of teams I?ve talked with. $.10--Apparently I?ve gathered quite the following amongst my fellow downtrodden Lions fans, who almost all want my opinion of what I would do in this draft. Without further ado, my ideal draft for the Lions with some semblance of plausibility in terms of player availability: #1--Mark Sanchez, QB, USC #20--Eben Britton, T, Arizona #33--James Laurinaitis, MLB, Ohio State #65--Ron Brace, DT, Boston College #82--Shawn Nelson, TE, Southern Miss #174--Brandon Hughes, CB, Oregon State #192--Mike Wallace, WR, Ole Miss #255--Dan Skuta, OLB, Grand Valley State The odds that the Lions select even one of those guys: about the same as the odds I break 90 on my first round of golf this year...not impossible but not likely. If it?s ever warm and dry enough to golf here in West Michigan. - Jeff Risdon is RealGM's senior football writer and draft expert. He may be reached at Jeff.Risdon@RealGM.com

Broncos coach Josh McDaniels sat down with the NFL Network on Monday and insisted that Jay Cutler is the team's quarterback. "He's our quarterback," McDaniels said. "We can't predict the future. He's our quarterback, we want him to be our quarterback, we made that very clear to him and we hope he feels the same way." During the interview that focused entirely on the Cutler situation, McDaniels didn't deny that there were conversations about trading Cutler, but reiterated that the talks weren't serious. "Conversations were had and we've never denied that," McDaniels said. "But at the same time it's our job to look at every opportunity that we can to see if it's something that could improve our football team and that's what we were doing."

The Jets have reportedly told the Broncos that they want quarterback Jay Cutler. General manager Mike Tannenbaum contacted the Broncos at the opening of the NFL meetings this weekend, according to the New York Daily News. The Jets haven't made an offer, while the Broncos have yet to concede Cutler. They are hoping the feud between the quarterback and Denver coach Josh McDaniels will blow over.

The Broncos are open to trading tight end Tony Scheffler, according to Pro Football Weekly. Denver coach Josh McDaniels reportedly doesn't view Scheffler, a pass-catching tight end, as a good fit for his scheme on offense, which favors blocking tight ends.

Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post is suggesting that Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler should fire agent Bus Cook. Kiszla believes that Cutler has been brainwashed by Cook to believe that he is better than the impressive 4,526 yards passing and 25 touchdown passes he produced in 2008.