Broncos QB Jay Cutler skips 1st team meeting

[March 17, 2009]  ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) -- Jay Cutler was a no-show on Monday for coach Josh McDaniels' first team meeting and the start of the Denver Broncos' offseason workouts, and if he gets his way, he'll never step foot in the team's training facility again. "The Denver Broncos confirm that Jay Cutler has requested a trade," team spokesman Jim Saccomano told The Associated Press on Monday.

ESPN first reported that Cutler, still upset that the Broncos tried to trade him for New England quarterback Matt Cassel last month, had asked for a trade through his agent, Bus Cook.

Cook, who was traveling, didn't return phone calls to The AP. The Denver Post quoted McDaniels as saying he wanted to meet again with Cutler to try to resolve their differences before considering a trade.

Cutler told ESPN he would attend every mandatory minicamp and training camp but would skip the offseason training program, which won't subject him to fines. Although it's voluntary, the coaches expect everyone to attend the team's offseason program.

The Broncos' first minicamp is April 17-19, a week before the draft.

Cutler and McDaniels met face-to-face Saturday along with Cook and general manager Brian Xanders. Cutler was expecting a reconciliation, but the meeting didn't go well from his standpoint, resulting in the trade request.

The Broncos have said they have no interest in trading their star quarterback, who set several team passing records last season and just played in his first Pro Bowl.

It's looking increasingly likely, however, that trading Cutler might be the only way to resolve the dispute.

Cutler has been unhappy since learning that McDaniels, who was New England's offensive coordinator the last three seasons, entertained the notion of trading him to Tampa Bay in a three-way swap that would have brought Cassel from the Patriots to Denver. New England instead traded Cassel to Kansas City.

Cutler believes McDaniels, who replaced Mike Shanahan in January, misled him about those trade talks.

McDaniels has said all he did was listen to the trade proposals, as he would with any player, as he tries to rebuild a Broncos team that hasn't been to the playoffs since 2005.

The Broncos have been the NFL's most active team in free agency, signing 15 players, including quarterback Chris Simms, a former starter in Tampa Bay who has thrown just two passes since having emergency surgery to remove his spleen after a game in 2006.

Simms signed for two years and $6 million, ostensibly to serve as Cutler's backup.

[Associated Press; By ARNIE STAPLETON]

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