Revisiting the Bears-Broncos Trade for Jay Cutler

The sadistic reality show mind that is the Jay Cutler of today wasn't always so, as there was a time he became the prized possession of a Bears team one move away from a Super Bowl.

In April of 2009, the Bears acquired a then 25-year-old Cutler coming off a Pro Bowl 2008 season. The former Vanderbilt QB cost quite a bit, despite the fact he'd recently gotten in a rumored altercation with head coach Josh McDaniels. A change of scenery was necessary, and the Bears offered just that.

How could anyone say no to that face?

Cutler was acquired for Bears incumbent starter Kyle Orton, along with two first-round picks and a subsequent third-round selection. The Broncos would use the original first-rounder on DE Robert Ayers, and deal the second in a series of moves to acquire draft capital from the likes of the 49ers and Eagles. Orton, meanwhile, would eventually get benched in favor of Tim Tebow.

Bears fans are down on Cutler to this day, and it's fair to say he didn't live up to the hype -- he never made a Pro Bowl in Chicago -- his trade package might suggest. Nonetheless, he did start eight seasons in the Windy City.

We're going to give Chicago the win here, mainly because none of the players or picks they sent back to Denver came back to haunt them (or much more clearly put the Broncos in a favorable position). Still, Lovie Smith's Bears never reached the heights many expected when they acquired that young gunslinger from Denver.