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Less than 24 hours after Jay Cutler put in a formal request to be traded by Denver, rumors were swirling over future destinations. The most popular pick of the grapevine is Detroit, where the Lions are said to be keeping a close eye on the situation. Another is the New York Jets, fresh off the Brett Favre project, and now starting from scratch. But viewing the possibilities from several angles, I see each as lopsided trades, without the Broncos receiving fair compensation for a Pro Bowl quarterback.

Denver’s coaching staff has taken on a new look, but the acquisition of the aging Brian Dawkins would imply that they are not in a rebuilding phase. With the players gathered in free agency, the Broncos are attempting to build a roster to turn the corner in 2009, and finally find playoff success in the post Elway era.

Once the obvious course is acknowledged, you see that the Lions and Jets have nothing to offer towards improvement or stabilization of what has already been built. Detroit has two first round selections in the upcoming draft, but sacrificing the face of your franchise for unproven talent is a severe downgrade.

Despite the odds against Culter leaving the Mile High City being very low, there is one NFL franchise positioned to place temptation on the table. The Cleveland Browns had two quarterbacks take snaps in 2008, and I still have my doubts that both will be on the roster in September. Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn would be a more suitable project for the “Matt Cassel molding” Josh McDaniels. They provide better options than the first-round quarterback they would gain in a trade with Detroit or either Brett Ratliff or Kellen Clemens coming from New York.

Derek Anderson would be an inexpensive acquisition, earning just $1.5 million in 2009, with the Browns already picking up the bulk of his contract, which was the $5 million roster bonus. In comparison, they gain a former Pro Bowl quarterback, who would be working for less than the recently acquired Chris Simms.

The other option would be to deal for Brady Quinn, allowing him to battle with Simms for the starting job in Denver, while Cutler and Anderson fight for the start in Cleveland. Quinn is no longer strapped to the Browns. Phil Savage drafted him, Romeo Crennel inserted him as a starter, and now both men are gone. He was the future choice of the old management, and has no ties to the new.

31 figures appear on the vine, but only one is ripe for the Broncos’ picking. Cleveland is the most logical choice of all trade  rumors, and the perfect landing spot for Denver’s sour grapes.