About face of Broncos' franchise quarterback

ENGLEWOOD • Teams across the NFL chase their next franchise quarterback, sometimes for decades. Not often does a former franchise quarterback, in his prime, line up for the opposing team. 

The Broncos will be reminded of the one that got away tonight when Jay Cutler comes to town with Chicago.

Cutler’s relationship with the Broncos became so contentious, the team traded him to the Bears this offseason even though he is 26 years old, was coming off a Pro Bowl season and figured he’d be the Broncos’ cornerstone for a long time.

“I think anybody thinks that,” Cutler said. “You never really want to move teams.”

No matter if fans agree or disagree with trading Cutler, the Broncos now have much more long-term uncertainty at quarterback. Kyle Orton is the starter, but will be a free agent after the season. He is in his fifth year and has never had a 3,000-yard season or made a Pro Bowl. That is hardly the pedigree of a franchise quarterback, to this point. 

Chris Simms is the backup. He turned 29 on Saturday and has 12 career touchdowns. Sixth-round pick Tom Brandstater could develop, but hasn’t shown definitive proof he can be the team’s franchise quarterback.

Without such a quarterback on the roster, Denver will have to decide what to do after the season — a decision that might be tougher because the Broncos traded their first-round pick next year in what should be a good 2010 class of quarterbacks.

Orton will be an option if he has a good season, and if should happen, he’ll command a generous contract.

“I certainly hope the time comes when I get a contract that puts me at a starter’s level,” Orton said during a conference call with Chicago media. “I haven’t had one for five years, and I certainly look forward to that day. But I have plenty of opportunity right now to put a great season together, and I can worry about that in the offseason.”

Orton said he would love to be in Denver as long as possible. He figured that the team’s record would help decide his future.

“I think that’s how you decide the quarterback position, if you win,” Orton said. “I’m sure it will be a factor.”

The fear for the Broncos will be that they chase a franchise quarterback for years. In the past 15 years, Washington has used three first-round picks on quarterbacks and spent millions of dollars on free agents like Jeff Hostetler and Jeff George in free agency. The Redskins still don’t have a top-flight quarterback.

The Dolphins have either traded their second-round pick for a quarterback or drafted a quarterback in the second round for five straight years. None of them is Miami’s starter. That would be Chad Pennington, who was cut by the Jets last year and signed with Miami for $11.5 million over two years. Pennington is a good player, but is 33 and has never made a Pro Bowl. Many other teams like Detroit, San Francisco, Buffalo, Tennessee, Minnesota and Tampa Bay have spent plenty of resources on quarterbacks over the years and still aren’t settled at the position.

After John Elway’s retirement, the Broncos had a taste of how much sometimes has to be invested to find a franchise quarterback. Denver spent a third-round pick on Brian Griese, a $40 million contract on Jake Plummer and took Cutler with the 11th pick of the 2006 draft.

Those three investments came over just eight years. Now the Broncos start again.

“I have no idea, I haven’t thought about it,” Cutler said when asked how difficult it will be to replace him. “It’s Denver’s business now.”