$20 Million for Tim Thomas?

By Matt Ingram
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

With the Eastern Conference all but sewn up, the Bruins have decided to lock up their goalie for the foreseeable future as well. The question is, did the Bruins overpay to keep soon-to-be free agent, Tim Thomas? Well, let’s look at the deal.

Reportedly Thomas, 34, will make $6 million in 2009-10 and 2010-11, $5 million in 2011-12, and $3 million in 2012-13. The Bruins were smart enough to have an escape plan. Because Thomas signed the deal before age 35 the Bruins have the right to be able to buy him out at any time, cut their dollar commitment by one-third, and be able to spread the payments over twice the remaining term of the deal. With that clause, the B’s could keep the young Finnish phenom Tuukka Rask and Thomas until Rask is ready for the job full time.

Now, is $6 million to much for a 35-year-old goaltender? I say no. Let’s look at his stats: currently Thomas is the league leader in both goals-against average (2.11) and save percentage (.932). Over the last two regular seasons, no NHL goaltender has posted a better save percentage than Thomas (.927) and only Martin Brodeur (2.21) and Evgeni Nabokov (2.22) have registered better goals against averages than Thomas’ (2.26). The one thing that does bother me about the deal is that this rewards Thomas for his regular-season accomplishments. His postseason stats are inconclusive because of the lack of experience. His one postseason, 7 games last year, Thomas had a .914 save percentage with a 2.65 goals-against average is not good enough to get the job done. Now Brodeur, 36, gets $5.2 million per year although he took a huge home-town discount. Nabokov, 33, makes $5.3 million per year which seems about right for the caliber goalie he is. But, they have something that Thomas doesn't, 18 years combined as starting netminders in the playoffs. With the lack of playoff knowledge, the Bruins must have a good feeling about Thomas for the upcoming postseason to pay him the big bucks before he comes through.

With the numbers Thomas is putting up this season, most likely he will win the Vezina Trophy for best goaltender in the regular season. But if Thomas can steal a series or two, and God help us hoist the Stanley Cup over his head, he’ll be worth every penny they’ll be paying him. If not, I say take advantage of the escape clause and let the Rask era begin in Beantown.

Look for the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs preview!

USC Linebackers test positive for steroids!

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

According to NFLdraftbible.com, Brian Cushing and Clay Matthews Jr. both tested positive for steroids at the Scouting Combine in February.  Why am I reporting this?  In many mock drafts both linebackers have been slotted to land in New England.  Considering that Clay Matthews Jr. was a 180 lb walk on at USC, this would certainly open up my eyes if I am any NFL team, much less the New England Patriots.  Matthews stock received a huge bump after his impressive performance at the combine.  Personally, I would have been happy with either player coming to New England next season, but have to reconsider now.  

I am not naive enough to think they're the only two in the draft or the NFL using steroids and performance enhancing drugs.  I also know that Luis Castillo didn't lose much ground when he was drafted 28th overall by the San Diego Chargers.  If these allegations are true, the best thing each player can do is to address the situation honestly, and try to move on and show their high level of play is not reliant on steroids.  Maybe their stock will drop out of the first round so the Patriots can take one of these players with a late 2nd rounder.  

Stay tuned for more draft coverage as we get closer to the big weekend!

AL West Preview: Angels once again on top

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Despite the fact that I think the Anaheim Angels (yes I know they're not called that anymore) will once again take the division crown, it should be a much closer race this season.  The Oakland Athletics have a good mix of the young and old and should push Angels this season while they are waiting for the return of John Lackey and Ervin Santana.  Until they return, the staff is led by Joe Saunders and Jered Weaver.  Nick Adenhart is finally getting a shot in the rotation and is eager to get the season started as he's impressed for most of the spring.  Look for Brian Fuentes to fill in nicely for Franky Rodriguez.  If, for some reason he fails, they can always turn to Jose Arredondo.  He of the 1.62 ERA in 52 games last season.  The biggest off season addition is Bobby Abreu, and should end up being the biggest value of all free agent signings.  His power and speed numbers are down, but he can still hit, get on base, and drive in runs.  $5 million bucks for a player who drove in 100 RBI two years in a row is a steal in my opinion.  His addition makes a crowded outfield even worse.  Gary Matthews Jr. wants out, and Juan Rivera will have trouble finding at bats even without him.  Kendry Morales takes over at first base now that Mark Texiera is in pinstripes.  He was a highly sought after product from Cuba a few years ago and will finally get a chance for consistent playing time. Vlad Guerrero is getting older and less nimble each year, but should still put up good power numbers if he can spend more time at DH.  

Billy Beane always finds a way to put a competitive team on the field.  This years edition of the Oakland Athletics should be no exception.  Matt Holiday is a very good addition, but don't expect the same level of output now that half of his games won't be played in Coors Field.  He's a career .280 hitter outside of Coors Field, and has only 44 of his 124 career home runs outside of Colorado.  I would still expect him to put up around .300, with 25 HR and 100 RBI.  Jason Giambi has been brought back, but is seriously struggling (.149 avg) this spring.  I can't wait to see how much he cuts loose now that he can grow his hair out and get nice scraggly beard back.  I can already imagine the nasty sweat pouring off him.  Daric Barton should get most of the time at first while Giambi and Jack Cust split time at designated hitter.  The A's should be solid up the middle with Kurt Suziki behind the plate, Mark Ellis (a nice, underrated player) and newly acquired Orlando Cabrera at short.  The rotation is littered with young prospects looking to make a name for themselves.  Dana Eveland, Shawn Gallagher, Dallas Braden and Bret Anderson (all under the age of 26) are in the rotation.  Justin Duscherer leads the staff, but is out at least a month while recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his elbow.  The bullpen seems to be deep once again.  They have two closer candidates in Brad Ziegler and Joey Devine.  Devine had won the job, but will miss a few weeks due to an elbow injury.  Ziegler, who set the major league record for the most scoreless innings pitched to start a career last season, will step in and start the season as the closer.  Keep a close eye on that situation as it should be in flux all season.

The Seattle Mariners are somewhat of an enigma to me.  If you put a gun to my head I would say they are a sub .500 team, but I have a suspicion they could surprise you this season.  Can Felix Hernandez take the next step and show some consistency this year?  At times Felix the Cat can be electric, but he's never been able to keep on track for an entire season. Of course his injury history doesn't help, but he only turns 23 next week and has plenty of time to mature.  I may be wrong, but I firmly believe that Erik Bedard is a comeback player of the year candidate.  He was only able to start 15 games last season going 6-4 with a 3.67 ERA.  I know it's a big if, but if he stays healthy, I would expect at least 14 wins this season.  The rest of the rotation is virtually a disaster.  Carlos Silva and Jarrod Washburn went a combined 9-29 last year.  Ouch! That's just awful.  The Mariners made a terrible mistake last season by not getting a bag of balls from the Yankees when they were interested in Washburn.  Brandon Morrow should do a very good job replacing J.J. Putz.  Adrian Beltre is entering a contract year so he's assured to hit 25+ homers and 90+ RBI.  He won't come close to the .348, 48 HR and 122 RBI he put up with the Dodgers in 2004, but he is great when his money is on the line.  I do have a feeling that many of the 2004 numbers were driven through the miracle of performance enhancing drugs.  Ichiro will be his usual self and Jose Lopez, coming off a hitting clinic in the WBC, is no fluke.  He is one of the better hitting 2nd basemen in the game.  If Ken Griffey Jr. can be the primary DH it will give him a chance to stay healthy and put up good numbers.  I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see him hit .270, 30 HR, 110 RBI if that's the case.  I like the addition of Franklin Gutierrez.  He's a solid defender, has a little pop, but will never be a star.  The Mariners might be Russell Branyon's 43rd team, 9 teams actually, and looks like a strong spring (.314, 7 HR, 17 RBI) have won him the 1st baseman's job.  He'll strike out at least 150 times, but knows how to hit the long ball.  

The Texas Rangers once again have the makings of a terrific offense, but will end up in the cellar again for one reason. Lack of pitching.  It seems like the Rangers can never get anything close to a solid pitching staff.  Kris Benson is slated as their #3 starter.  That's all I really have to say about their staff.  Kevin Millwood is once again the staff ace, yikes!, and there's not much of anything behind him.  Vincente Padilla did go 14-8 last season, but had a 4.76 ERA.  The rotation rounds out with perpetual underachiever Brandon McCarthy and the intriguing Matt Harrison.  Frank Francisco enters the season as a sleeper closer.  He has the arm, 83 K's in 63.1 IP last season, and the mentality to be successful in the role.  On offense, they enter the year with a deep lineup.  Michael Young has been moved to 3rd base to make room for Elvis Andrus.  Andrus is a slick defender, but should suffer from growing pains at the plate during his rookie year.  Ian Kinsler is coming off a breakout year in 2008 and looks to play in more than 135 games for the first time in his career.  Chris Davis should be a 30+ HR, 100+ RBI man now that he's a full time starter.  Josh Hamilton is a beast and one of the games best young players.  It's hard to believe he's still only 27 after all he's been through.  This is a make or break year for Hank Blalock.  He's only played in 123 games the past two season combined.  Moving to DH should help him stay healthy, and he's shown that no matter what he can still hit.  All in all, they'll be a fun team to watch because they score so many runs, but until they can get more pitching, they'll never compete for a division title. 

Prediction:

1. Angels

2. Athletics

3. Mariners

4. Rangers

(Coming tomorrow: AL East preview by Chad Garner)

Denver ships cry baby Cutler to Bears

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Good for the Denver Broncos.

The organization which appeared weak by letting the circus show continue with QB Jay Cutler, didn't wait long to trade away their franchise quarterback, who wanted out and then said he didn't expect the Broncos to trade him.

The trade breaks down like this: The Bears gets Cutler and Denver's 5th round pick this year (140th overall), and Denver receives  two 1st-rounders -- the No. 18 overall in this year's draft and the Bears' 2010 1st-rounder -- a 2009 3rd-rounder and Chicago's starting QB Kyle Orton (2,812 yards passing, 18 TDs, 12 INTs).

What a deal for the Broncos since they now have 2 1st-rounders in this year's draft (No. 12 and No. 18) and a 3rd-rounder. It's only a great deal if they hit it big time with those picks, however. 

Do they need a QB? Possibly, but Orton isn't a complete chump. He's 26 years old and in his 5th year out of Purdue. Basically, he's not a legit starter, but he's serviceable enough to take the reigns this year in Denver, while they can draft and groom their QB of the future.

At No. 12, Denver has a shot at QB Mark Sanchez, but I think it would feel more comfortable it could get the USC QB at around No. 8. But if the Broncos can't trade up and he's still there at No. 12, they'd be stupid not to pick him. He can learn the system this year and take over the following year. 

Or Denver just decides to address a swiss cheese-like defense. They need help everywhere. Two 1st-round defensive players would be a big help, too. 

Denver's got options, but they better get it right.

For Chicago, it seems like a lot to get the 25-year-old Cutler, but it obviously feels like Cutler can get them to the playoffs. Well, the Bears haven't been there in 2 years and just maybe coach Lovie Smith can salvage his job if Cutler can leads Chicago into the playoffs. But don't the Bears need some receivers to really compete? See, Cutler had Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal to throw to in Denver, now he has wide receivers Devin Hester (52 receptions, 665 yards, 3 TDs), Rashied Davis (35-445-2) and tight ends Greg Olsen (54-574-5) and Desmond Clark (41-367-1). Not really a feared pass-catching bunch, huh? Hester is really a No. 3 slot guy, but Olsen is a tight end on the rise. 

Earth to Bears GM Jerry Angelo, you need some talented WRs ... or Cutler is going to fail or cry. But they do have a dangerous ground game with Matt Forte, who rushed for 1,231 yards and 8 TDs as a rookie, while catching 64 passes for 484 yards and 4 TDs. 

The Bears do have weapons, but not enough to really be considered a contender. Cutler will help last year's 26th ranked offense, but he's no savior. Nice signing with offensive tackle Orlando Pace, too. The Bears are moving in the right direction, so I'll wait and see what they do with their limited amount of picks and free agency. They better land at least 2 wideouts, though. What about Torry Holt?

Yes, it's a win-win for both teams but I give a big edge to the Broncos ... at least until after the draft. 

Good work Denver getting rid of a complete jerk and cry baby. And Chicago, get the Pampers ready. When things aren't going well, watch Cutler roll up into the fetal position and start sucking his thumb. 

He's your problem now.

AL Central Preview: Twins solid all the way around

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The Minnesota Twins were a play-in game win away from going to the playoffs, but unfortunately lost to the Chicago White Sox. While the White Sox made wholesale changes (Orlando Cabrera, Nick Swisher, etc. are gone), the Twins have virtually the same team, with the addition of third baseman Joe Crede (when was the last time Minnesota had a good third baseman?). 

What's not to like about the Twins? For a small-market team, they just get it done. 

No doubt they are the team to beat.

They've got team speed (Denard Span, Carlos Gomez), power (first baseman Justin Morneau can flat-out mash), one of the best catchers in the game in Joe Mauer (he better get healthy, however) and great defense with Crede and an outfield that can track down fly balls (Delmon Young, Gomez and Span). 

Pitching, I love it. While the Twins aren't a strikeout bunch -- ace lefty Francisco Liriano can mow down hitters at a consistent clip. Remember when everyone was putting Liriano in the Hall of Fame after a breakout rookie season? Then he gets reconstructive surgery and is still working his way back into dominant form. Add Kevin Slowey, Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn and Glen Perkins in the rotation, and good luck winning many series against these guys.

Closer Joe Nathan is lights-out. Get him a lead in the ninth and it's O-V-E-R. Give credit to manager Ron Gardenhire -- he always has his team ready to play.

I'm still trying to figure out how the Chicago White Sox are suppose to contend? Skinny-dude Alexei Ramirez was huge as a rookie (.290 BA, 21 HRs, 77 RBIs, 13 SBs) and Jermaine Dye is still consistent and Carlos Quentin hits likes he's got a cork in his bat, but who else is legit? Jim Thome and Paul Konerko are aging and declining fast and youngsters Jerry Owens, Josh Fields and Co. have a lot to prove on the MLB level.

Pitching will keep them alive for a while with Mark Buehrle, John Danks and Gavin Floyd, plus the pen is solid with closer Bobby Jenks and setup men Octavio Dotel and power lefty Matt Thornton. 

Other so-called "experts" are putting the White Sox on a pedestal, but not me. I'm not taking the bait.

Same can be said for the Detroit Tigers. This is a team that makes you scratch your head. They have plus-talent with Miguel Cabrera, Magglio Ordonez, Curtis Granderson and Carlos Guillen. Plus they were smart enough to get rid of poor attitude and team cancer Gary Sheffield.

Is there a Dontrelle Willis sighting? Remember when everyone was riding on the back of the D-Train? Yes, that sounds gross and his delivery and performance are equally putrid. Where is No. 1 prospect Rick Porcello?

How many cartons of cigarettes can manager Jim Leyland smoke in the dugout during the year? Only time will tell.

The Cleveland Indians, after Cliff Lee and Fausto Carmona (he's got questions surrounding him, too), are a bunch of Triple-A pitchers. Remember when they had CC Sabathia? The Indians add Kerry Wood to close games, but he's going to be pitching in a bunch of non-save situations. Kudos for landing Mr. Utility Mark DeRosa, I love his versatility. He can play 1B, 2B, 3B, SS and OF, plus he's an every day starter with some pop. He's my type of player, lot of grit and passion to play. The Indians need Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez to bounce back from injury-plagued 2008 seasons. Center fielder Grady Sizemore is a stud, and SS Jhonny Peralta is consistently solid. But without pitching, the Indians don't have a shot.

At least they're in a better position than the Kansas City Royals. Who's the best on this team? Coco Crisp could make a case for that label. Shortstop Mike Aviles is tops as far as the infield ... so maybe Crisp is the best positional player? If so, yikes. There's no pressure in KC, so Crisp should be fine. How many years did he have a load in his pants in Boston? Starter Zack Greinke should get even better, and closer Joakim Soria is equipped with a flame-thrower. 

So who's the best Royal? It's debatable.

PREDICTION

1. Twins

2. White Sox

3. Tigers

4. Indians

5. Royals

(Coming tomorrow: AL West preview by Jim Ingram)

NL West: Dodgers in line for division repeat

By Jim Ingram
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The NL West just happens to be my favorite division. Yes it is the home of the true LA team, my beloved Dodgers. I can shut my eyes and already hear the dulcet tones of the immortal Vin Scully. Besides the San Diego Padres, the NL West should have four competitive teams. You never know what the Rockies will do, and you certainly shouldn't sleep on the Giants. They're a team that is better than you think.

The LA Dodgers, have the best overall team in the NL West, and should repeat as the division winner. They have the deepest lineup in the division, a decent starting rotation, but the biggest question remains to be the bullpen. Takashi Saito, Joe Beimel and Chan Ho Park are all gone. Jonathon Broxton enters the year as the closer, but can be wild and shaky. The Dodgers just signed Will Ohman to take over for Joe Beimel as the lefty specialist, and should be able to rely on Corey Wade and Hong Chi Kuo as the main setup men now that Chan Ho Park is gone. The rotation doesn't have a true ace. Clayton Kershaw is the ace of the future, but will be slotted in the #3 spot this season. If Chad Billingsly can get healthy he showed he is a very good #2 man, but isn't good enough to be an ace. Hiroki Kuroda was inconsistent in his first season in the United States, but has been impressive this spring. Look for him to continue his improvement as he becomes more comfortable in the big leagues. Now that Manny Ramirez is back with the Dodgers, the lineup can take form. Rafeal Furcal is healthy and will team up with new addition Orlando Hudson to make a speedy 1-2 combination in the order. Joe Torre likes to change the 3 hole hitter around depending on who's pitching. Despite that, the # 3 hitter should take solace in the fact that Manny is right behind him. Look for Russel Martin to take the next step in his development. He's finally decided to mature a bit. He's hired a dietician and realized he needs to cut down on his night life in order to become a more consistent player. Don't forget about Matt Kemp either. It's my prediction he'll continue his improvement and become a 30/30 player this year.

The Arizona Diamondbacks still have a very good 1-2 punch in their starting rotation. Brandon Webb is one of the best right handed pitchers in the game, and Dan Haren isn't too shabby either. Haren did taper off in the 2nd half last season, again, but is still a very good pitcher. Jon Garland just wins games. It's never pretty and his ERA hovers around 4.75, but he still finds a way to put wins on the board. It looks like Max Scherzer has locked down the 5th spot in the rotation. He's had some shoulder inflammation this spring, but is still one of their best pitching prospects. What should worry you the most about their pitching staff is the closer. Chad Qualls is an extremely shaky closer, but they do have Jon Rauch, who as very good for the Nationals before being trade to the Dbacks last season. The Diamonbacks lineup still has a lot of young players on the rise. Stephen Drew had a very good 2nd half and finally looks to be living up to the hype. Connor Jackson is a good hitter, who still needs his power to develop. He's slated in as the starting left fielder so Chad Tracy can move back to first base. Chris Young and Justin Upton both have high ceilings, and potentially tremendous power. What they don't have is a keen eye and patience at the plate. Justin Upton, younger brother to the Rays' BJ Upton, was once thought of as a better prospect then BJ. Justin has been hampered by injuries, and is struggling again this spring. If that continues, look for Eric Byrnes to quickly take over for him in right field.

As I mentioned earlier, The San Francisco Giants are a better team than you realize. They have the best starting rotation in the division, and an underrated closer in Brian Wilson. Tim Lincecum is the reigning Cy Young winner and is the best right handed pitcher in all of baseball. He's not even 25 and went 18-5 with a 2.62 ERA last season. This will be the year that Matt Cain is finally recognized as a good young pitcher.  The Giants terrible offense is more to blame for his 8-14 record in 2008.  He had a respectable 3.76 ERA, and often lost due to the lack of run support.  Randy Johnson, the ageless wonder, Barry Zito and Jonathon Sanchez round out a solid rotation.  The starting lineup will look drastically different this season.  The Giants have finally started to bring some young players into the fold, especially in the infield.  Travis Ishikawa, Emmanuel Burriss and Pablo Sandoval will all be starting in a revamped infield.  Burriss was just handed the 2nd base job as they recently optioned Kevin Fransden to AAA.  Sandoval thrilled in a 41 game audition towards the end of last season.  He hit .345, 3 HR, 24 RBI and is absolutely raking the ball in spring training.   The addition of Edgar Renteria is wildly referred to as the worst off season move, and I 100% agree.  Renteria is too old and slow to play an effective shortstop at this point in his career.  

The Colorado Rockies  seem to have a very productive lineup, but will not have the pitching to contend this season.  Jeff Francis is out for the year, and will have to rely on Ubaldo Jiminez and Franklin Morales to make huge strides for them to be competitive in the West.  Aaron Cook went 16-9 with a 3.96 ERA last season, but is not exactly ace material.  He is a very dependable pitcher, especially in Coors Field.  Huston Street is penciled in as the closer to start the season, but may be used as trade bait, or even lose his job to the hard throwing Manuel Corpas.  Don't forget that Street is also injury prone and always spends time on the DL.  Todd Helton is back healthy, but how much can you really expect from him.  He is tearing it up this spring as he's hitting .515 in 33 at bats.  Garrett Atkins is swinging the bat well this spring and looks to rebound after a down season.  Ian Stewart is a man without a regular position, but his bat will keep in the lineup most days.  He's been working out in left field and second base.  He'll also see some time at his usual position of third base.  Brad Hawpe will be his usual self and should hit around .280 with 20-25 homers and 85+ RBI.  The Rockies have handed Chris Iannetta the starting catcher's position and is one of the best young catcher's in the game.  He started the year off well in the World Baseball Classic and looks to add to his career high 18 homers from last year.  

With the exception of the Washington Nationals, the San Diego Padres are the worst team in the MLB.  The rotation is only two deep with Jake Peavy and Chris Young, and could be one deep when, and if, Peavy is traded.  He spent all off season hearing about rumors, most of them to the Cubs, and just wants something to happen at this point.  Now that Trevor Hoffman has been shown the door, it looks like they'll start the season will Heath Bell closing games.  Bell has been effective in the set up role, but is untested as a closer.  I have a feeling he will not be the closer at the end of the year.  The big bopper is still Adrian Gonzalez at first base.  He struggled at the start of the 08' season but still ended up hitting 36 homers and 103 RBI.  He put up solid numbers despite having insurance in the lineup.  Kevin Kouzminoff, acquired two years ago from the Indians, showed steady improvement during the 2nd half last year.  He'll need to be even better this year and continue his progress.  Chase Headley, Jody Gerut and Brian Giles will make up the starting outfield.  Headley, a well thought of prospect, will get the first shot in left.  Giles doesn't have much left.  I am not sure why the Padres picked up his option, and should have made every effort to move on.  The Padres lost 99 games last season and should expect more of the same.  

Prediction

1. Dodgers

2. Diamondbacks

3. Giants

4. Rockies

5. Padres

(Coming tomorrow: AL Central preview by Chad Garner)

It's about time: Denver finally realizes that cry baby Cutler must be traded

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Well, well, well.

Looks like the Denver Broncos and new wet-under-the-ears head coach Josh McDaniels are finally smartening up. Maybe they've been reading my postings on this site, pleading with them to trade cry baby quarterback Jay Cutler?

This QB, who has a lot of learn about the position (watch how many stupid mistakes he makes as far as reading coverages and thinking his arm is better than John Elway's and Brett Favre's ... it's not), but most importantly how to conduct himself as a professional on and off the field. 

He has cried his way out of Denver, the latest not even having the decency to return call after call from McDaniels and owner Pat Bowlen. Mind you, he's an employee and he's getting paid pretty handsomely -- he's in the midst of 6-year, $48 million deal. I'd at least return a call.

Granted, I'd be ticked if my team wanted to trade me, but he had his time to stew and he just couldn't get over it. He's obviously hurt, but he's handled it in the entirely wrong way.

Asking for a trade is one thing. Maybe he thought ripping the entire organization was the way to get a trade? Well, it worked if that's what he was doing.

For Denver, ship him away. I keep saying Detroit, they've got 2 first-round picks, No. 1 overall and No. 20, while the Broncos have No. 12 overall.

It doesn't matter, Detroit could deal either pick. Cutler's now a veteran and there's a far less learning curve as an NFL QB compared to a rookie. But he's got to grow up, maybe a change of scenery will do that?

Denver has Chris Simms on their roster, but he's just a stop-gap until the Broncos get their man -- whoever that is. In the draft, there's only 2 real QB first-round prospects that I'm buying on: Georgia's Matt Stafford and USC's Mark Sanchez. Both guys are not instant starters, however, maybe halfway through the season but not right away. They need time to learn -- it's been proven to not rush a rookie into the limelight right away. Confidence is a big thing.

But now Denver must get a deal done. It's a good start to publicly recognize Cutler must go, now the Broncos must do a deal.

McDaniels can get his own guy and Cutler gets a fresh start with a team that hopefully will show him the love. A million dollar pacifier might help, too.

Good for Denver, way to smarten up.