Big news in the NFL world yesterday as Denver dealt disgruntled QB Jay Cutler to the Bears for QB Kyle Orton and some picks. No matter how you slice it, it’s an interesting deal for any NFL fan.
Me, I usually look at everything through the lens of a Steeler fan.
So what can be taken away from this?
The draft is by far and away the best way to build a successful football team.
I’m sure there are people out there who are upset that the Steelers haven’t signed a single free agent yet this season. I’ll admit, it’s kind of frustrating watching other teams sign studs like Albert Haynesworth or even a good role player like Chris Carr and your team sits idle.
But that’s because the Steelers know how important the draft is and are committed to building the team that way.
It’s rare that a young talent nearing his prime like Cutler is traded, so this provides a great way to see how much somebody like that is really worth to teams.
Once you actually look at it, this is perfect example of how much more important the draft is today than ever before. Here’s why:
Jay Cutler – 11th overall draft pick
traded for:
18th overall draft pick, 140th overall draft pick, 2010 first rounder, Kyle Orton
I consider Denver to be one of the NFL franchises who know what they are doing. This trade is further proof. I won’t get into why Cutler was traded in the first place (which is probably Denver’s fault), but they were able to turn an 11th overall draft pick into a first rounder only seven slots down, another first rounder next year that might be top 20, a third round pick, and a decent QB.
Good drafting automatically puts you so far ahead of the game in the NFL. The Bears will have to go two years without a first round pick because they didn’t draft wisely in the first place. They sold away their future because they bought into guys like Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton.
It sucks for Denver to loose a quality QB like Cutler, but chances are those two first rounders will be pretty good football players down the line. LaMarr Woodley was taken 46th overall and he’s turned out to be a great player in a short amount of time. Denver has a chance to come out way ahead of Chicago in this deal if they draft wisely.
We can whine and complain all we want about no action from the Stees in free agency or their lack of trades, but in the end, the boring, old draft is hands down the best way to go.
I’m sure Bears fans are happy to finally have a QB this morning, but if their team was managed as well as the Steelers, Patriots, or Colts, they wouldn’t be in this situation to begin with.
They are giving up the chance to draft a couple of young, dynamic talents in the first round for two years and it will be something they regret sooner or later.
Pittsburgh won’t make a mistake like that.
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