The Denver Post discussed the options open to Denver, but the good news here is D.J. Williams. He’s the most versatile and talented of the bunch, and his career seemed most successful when he was able to play outside. He’s most recently been seen playing the inside, however, since the injuries and eventual retirement of Al Wilson. I think that the Broncos can best take advantage of Williams by moving him to the outside. He’s a fast linebacker with good run support, but he’s most effective playing off the edges.

In the end, Williams will play wherever he’s most needed.

Having discussed that, linebacker remains the least of Denver’s worries. The Broncos need a help on the defensive line more than anything right now. For years the Broncos defense has struggled with limited talent on the line, but the switch to the 3-4 could very well exacerbate those issues. Expect Denver to bolster the line in the draft by adding a couple of big bodies.

While we’re talking about Denver’s defense, it would be smart if the team also added a safety later this month. The Broncos haven’t had a lot of success at the position in recent years, and the additions of Renaldo Hill and Brian Dawkins serve more as a stopgap than a solution. Denver needs young players, and having Dawkins to mentor them would be icing on the cake.

No doubt the Lions are strongly considering quarterback Matthew Stafford and offensive tackle Jason Smith, seeing as Detroit needs to make its biggest strides on offense, particularly in the passing game.

Personally, I’m a fan of drafting Smith because I don’t think Stafford will succeed, much less thrive, in an offense with below average pass protection. I’m of the mindset that no quarterback in the NFL can do well when he’s on his back, and I think Smith is the safer investment, an important factor when considering the ludicrous cost of signing the number one overall pick.

That having been said, I believe the Lions will draft Stafford. He’s a franchise quarterback with tremendous upside, and I think new head coach Jim Schwartz wants to get a new quarterback as soon as he can because his time is obviously limited. If the Lions don’t draft Stafford and the team shows limited progress, winding up with a top five or ten pick again next season, Schwartz may only have a season or two left to get a young quarterback in there. By then it may be too late.

If, on the other hand, Detroit drafts Stafford this season he’ll have experience going into next season - regardless of whether or not he held a clipboard most of 2009 - so Schwartz will likely have more confidence starting him in 2010.

The NFL team constantly under criticism for never finding a passer has one. And boy, did they ever snag a good one in Jay Cutler. He has everything a team could hope to have in a quarterback:

Strong arm? Check.

Confidence? Check.

Pro Bowl? Check.

Of course a lot fans are quick to chastise him for what developed in Denver this offseason. Most of those fans are the “you wouldn’t even have to pay me to play the game I love” types. What they fail to notice is this: when’s the last time a 25-year old quarterback coming off a Pro Bowl season flipped on ESPN to find out his team attempted to trade him, shortly after it dumped his coach and replaced him with someone hailed as a wonderkind?

Let’s get one thing straight: if you want to criticize Cutler because you think he’s young and brash, it’s time to take a step back and look at the Broncos’ brash, young coach. Cutler has proved his worth as a Pro Bowl quarterback. Josh McDaniels has never been a head coach. And if you think it’s great he came from the Belichick tradition, take one more step back and realize that Belichick’s former assistants haven’t been too successful on their own (perphaps because they never put Matt Walsh on their staffs).

Regardless of your thoughts on the subject, Cutler’s damaged reputation is serving more good than bad; at least that statement is true if you’re a Bears fan.

This whole situation lit a fire under Cutler. Trade him after a Pro Bowl season? He has the skill set - and surrounding cast - to make things happen in Chicago. Get ready to check the “win” column on your schedules.

The Bears don’t have a great set of receivers yet, but the NFL draft is coming up soon. Until it does, Jay Cutler likes what he sees in tight end Greg Olsen, comparing him to former teammate Tony Scheffler. No doubt he’ll like what he sees in wide receiver Devin Hester, too.

Yup, that’s right; I’m saying the Bears have talent on offense.

This is a team that’s been winning without a great quarterback. It’s had the coaching staff, the defense, and the running game; now it has the quarterback. Cutler had the coaching staff and receivers in Denver … now the rest of the gaps are filled in for him.

Buckle up, Chicago. It’s gonna be one heckuva ride with Cutler at the wheel.

Speaking of various roles, one of the things that impresses me about Moreno is this quote:

“I’ve got great blocking skills…helping the team out in any way possible is what I consider my biggest strength.”

Not to draw comparisons, but Walter Payton was keen on saying the same thing about his game.

“When a safety or linebacker blitzes,” said Payton, when asked by John Madden what gave him his biggest thrill, “you peel back and just as he’s getting ready to get to the quarterback, you turn his lights out.”

Said Madden, “That’s my kind of running back.”

Mine too. I like running backs who make moves and score touchdowns just as much as the next guy (hey, I play fantasy football too!), but you need to be a complete player in this league to be a full time starter. Moreno has that kind of potential.

Besides, Edgerrin James’ career in Arizona is coming to a close (he’ll likely be released soon), and Tim Hightower just doesn’t give me the impression of a dangerous back.

Now we just wait to see if Moreno falls as far as ‘Zona hopes.

“No, not at all,” responded Owens. “I think if you listen to all of the statements that a lot of my teammates have had since I left the Cowboys, there wasn’t any disruptions. You guys are basically going off of commentators’ comments and broadcasters’ comments. I honestly feel about myself and the way I conducted myself three years in Dallas, and those guys have spoken very, very highly of me and the things that I brought to the team on and off the field, so I don’ t really have to worry about that.”

Most of the statements concerning Owens have been positive. Only a few players have chosen to talk poorly about him - mostly anonymously - but those willing to throw their names on the table have said very good things about Owens. Greg Ellis was arguably the most outspoken this offseason, chatting on Sirius Radio about his ex-teammate.

“I don’t think it was a good move,” said Ellis, referring the to move to release Owens. “Yeah, to me I’m disappointed in it. When I see T.O. — and you’ve got to watch people, not necessarily what they say but watch their actions. And, I mean, to me when I seen T.O. that day, that football game in Dallas, on our sideline, Patrick Crayton got the ball and T.O. comes out of nowhere and throws a block.

“That guy wants to play football. That guy cares and wants to win football games. When things aren’t going his way and the ball isn’t coming his way and all that kind of stuff, to me he was just saying, ‘Man, I want to get more balls.’ And I heard him say, ‘When I get my numbers, when I get the numbers, we win football games.’ And that was true.”

Owens will need to earn the respect of his teammates in Buffalo, but I don’t doubt he will. He shouldn’t have to prove anything more than he has in the past. He’s at the stage in his career when he can let his play speak for himself - and anyone who doesn’t think the offense will be improved with his arrival is either biased or delusional.

Chris Simms and Kyle Orton are both decent starters, but they aren’t franchise quarterbacks. Denver needs someone for the future, a quarterback to fit Coach McKid’s offense. What the Trojan quarterback lacks in arm strength he makes up for with his trademark, USC-quality accuracy.

He’s a junior, yes, but he came out at the right time (at least as far as his bank account is concerned). Besides, he gains a benefit in Denver because the Broncos can afford to let him hold a clipboard while he learns the offense and watches a pair of veterans in action. When he does get the call to start he’ll be surrounded by a lot of young talent like Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal, and Tony Scheffler.

Keep your eye on it; there are a couple other teams that could draft him (Seattle and Jacksonville, namely), but if both choose to fill other gaps on offense or defense the Broncos will be in prime position to draft a quality quarterback.

Stay tuned.

Matthew Stafford is a gifted athlete. He’s not as tall as most might like (just a hair over 6′2), but he has a solid build. More important, his arm is strong. Really strong. Dude can throw a football through drywall. He moves well in the pocket, too, and when he’s on he can slip a ball between two defenders with ease.

Ah, there’s the rub - “when he’s on.” Stafford is described by some as a “gunslinger,” the term popularized by Brett Favre’s trademark style of play. It basically translates to, he’s gonna throw some stupid passes that get intercepted, and he’s gonna throw some stupid passes that look brilliant. Hopefully more look brilliant than not.

Stafford threw 51 touchdowns and 33 interceptions in his three years of college at Georgia. To be entirely fair, it’s worth pointing out Stafford threw 44 touchdowns and 20 interceptions in his last two seasons with the Bulldogs. Still, 33 interceptions over three seasons is a lot in college football.

What’s really worth looking at is his completion percentage. 2008 was the first time he finished a season with a completion percentage above 56%. Over the three years it was 57%, but his junior season he managed to get as high as 61.4%. Call him a gunslinger if you want, but no long-term, starting NFL quarterback can get away with completing under 60% of his passes over the course of a season, no matter how strong his arm is.

Maybe Stafford will defy me and wind up putting together a solid career, but is he really the best player in college football as some have made him out to be? Will he be good enough to justify the number one pick? I’m not an NFL owner, but I can’t think of one who should throw Stafford nearly $40 million in guaranteed money before seeing him play a down in this league. He’s not worth that, not for the risk involved.

Teams drafting in the top five have one common denomenator: they had bad seasons the year before. Sometimes it’s reversible, most times it’s not. These teams have trouble scoring on offense, protecting the quarterback, and keeping opponents off the board. Put Stafford or any other rookie “gunslinger” in an offense where he’s going to face constant pressure, get thrown down on every pass play, and have a mediocre running game to support him, and he’ll fail. I’ll bet on it every time. All quarterbacks need protection; rookies just need it more. He won’t be afforded that by a lot of teams.

Stafford has a lot of potential, and I’m not trying to argue otherwise. He’s talented and his junior season was a good one. It’s not his talent or physical ability I question. It’s his mindset and maturity as a passer that leaves me thinking he’s not going to make it, unless in the right situation. Even if he lands in the ideal spot, however, he shouldn’t have left college as a junior because he’s not ready for the NFL. From a fiscal standpoint he looks like a genius (read: bonus money for touted rookies is absurdly high), but his career won’t be a lengthy one. Rumors are swirling the Lions will draft him, but he’ll go the way of Scott Mitchell or Charlie Batch in Detroit.

I don’t want to knock a rookie before he plays a down in the NFL. It’s not Stafford’s fault he’s as popular as he is, nor is it his fault some NFL owner is going to give him tens of millions of dollars to sign with his team. But he shouldn’t be a top ten prospect, much less the top prospect in this draft. He’s not ready to get plugged into an offense, then told to run it.

Not to rain on Stafford’s parade, but fans, get ready to throw out the B-word.

Jay Cutler is unhappy.

The franchise claiming he was its franchise quarterback tried to trade him just weeks after the arrival of new head coach Josh McDaniels. There were fans questioning whether McDaniels was ready to be a head coach in the NFL, and he may have justified them before his first NFL draft.

He told the media in as clear a voice he could muster, “The Denver Broncos are not trading Jay Cutler. Period.” Days later he was part of a conference call with Jay Cutler, designed with one goal in mind: reassure the quarterback he will not be traded and he is the face of this franchise. But McDaniels blew it, telling Cutler no one on the team is untradeable.

McDaniels has, within just three months of his arrival, destroyed the relationship he could have had with his young quarterback, someone the Broncos may now be forced to trade. And for what? Because he tried to trade for a less talented, less proven quarterback named Matt Cassel.

Last season the Broncos had a horrendous defense, and the offense sent seven running backs to injured reserve. Yet the team was just one win - one win - away from making the postseason. The only reason Denver was competitive last season was Jay Cutler. He threw 25 touchdown passes and finished third in the NFL in passing yards. He was the reason the Broncos offense moved down the field. He was the reason the Broncos scored as often as they did.

And now he may be gone.

Plenty of teams are willing to trade for a potential franchise quarterback, but what can Denver do? If they trade Cutler, they have no quarterback who can step in and play. Chris Simms? Don’t kid me.

Josh McDaniels shouldn’t have had the power or sway to even attempt what he did, but still he tried to trade one of the brightest young quarterbacks in the league. McDaniels is young, brash, and stupid. It was one thing to attempt to trade Cutler, but then it leaked to the press. He wasn’t smart enough to keep talks under lock and key. And now his quarterback is selling his home in Denver.

So what can the Broncos do to rectify this situation?

Trade Cutler? Sure, that’ll work for McDaniels, but unless the team gets another exceptional talent McDaniels won’t last more than two seasons in Denver. Probably just one.

No, Denver should do what is seeming more and more inevitable: fire Josh McDaniels.

He’s not a great head coach - he’s never even been a head coach. He’s not a great leader - he’s already begun creating rifts in the locker room. He’s certainly not an icon - he’s only coached in one city under the watch of an icon, Bill Belichick. No one will remember in ten years if the team fired McDaniels, even if he goes on to win a Super Bowl or two elsewhere, just as few remember Mike Shanahan was the head coach of the Raiders very temporarily before Al Davis sent him packing. But who will forget if the Broncos trade Jay Cutler, and he winds up going to a string of Pro Bowls and earning a ring in another city?

It’s worth Denver asking, is it more important to swallow one’s pride in exchange for a proven - and improving - Pro Bowl caliber quarterback or should one instead take the easier route and side with its new, unproven coach, losing Cutler in the debacle?

The answer, I think, is clear.

Oakland Raiders - If there’s one owner who wouldn’t mind paying an exhorbant amount of money for a receiver who has trouble catching the football, it’s Al Davis. He loves an athlete and doesn’t mind taking chances on players with character flaws.

New England Patriots - Randy Moss worked out, so why not Owens? Bill Belichick doesn’t mind taking a chance on players, as long as sees potential for conformity. Plus, Tom Brady is one of the few quarterbacks in the NFL who would be willing to tell Owens to shut his mouth if he was asking for the football.

Denver Broncos - Josh McDaniels might take a page from Belichick’s playbook by signing a troubled wide receiver who can immediately create mismatches. Plus, with the potential Brandon Marshall will miss extended time with a suspension, Denver could use another target for Jay Cutler.

San Diego Chargers - Owens wants to win and the Chargers can afford him that opportunity. They also might be more inclined to make a move if they think an AFC West rival (especially Denver) is willing to take a chance on him.

Tennessee Titans - Jeff Fisher is another coach who can give Owens the discipline he needs. The Titans are always in need of a good wide receiver and a move like this would really open up the offense.

“I’m upset,” lamented Cutler. “I mean I’m really shocked at this point I could see why they want Cassel. I don’t know if they think I can’t run the system or I don’t have the skills for it. I just don’t get it. Or if they don’t think they can sign me with my next contract. I just don’t know what it is. I’ve heard I’m still on the trading block.”

It’s no surprise Cutler is “shocked.” I’m sure off the record he’s also “annoyed” and probably a little “ticked off.” And who could blame him?

Though Denver Broncos fans were surprised the team fired Mike Shanahan earlier this offseason, I doubt anyone saw this coming. Josh McDaniels certainly isn’t getting off to a great start in Denver, as this news won’t go away anytime soon. And while Cutler is upset, it’s fair to suggest his teammates are too. When a new head coach shows up and the first impression anyone gets is him attempting to unload the team’s starting quarterback, especially one with, as last season suggested, a lot of potential.