Indianapolis – Let chronological evidence show that before Jay Cutler was to receive his lucrative windfall, he already was planning on giving some of it away.
Today the Broncos quarterback will introduce his charitable foundation that primarily will benefit junior high- and high school-age youth. A notable gesture considering Cutler missed out on a $3 million playing time bonus in his recently completed rookie season.
Cutler needed to take 35 percent of his team’s snaps to hit the bonus. After not taking a snap through the Broncos’ first 11 games, Cutler started the last five, which left him just short.
Not that the Broncos gave the kid a raw deal. The $3 million bonus, which Cutler can collect only once in the life of his six-year contract, rolls over to his second year, although the threshold has been lifted to 45 percent of the snaps.
The Broncos plan on him taking 100 percent of the snaps in the 2007 season. But even if he doesn’t, Cutler is within weeks of receiving a $7.887 million spring roster bonus, which constitutes the majority of the signing bonus he received last year for becoming the 11th pick of the NFL draft.
Add in his second-year salary and Cutler stands to make more than $11.2 million this season.
Wanting to give back, Cutler went to his quarterback and philanthropic mentor, Jake Plummer, whose foundation benefits children and Alz- heimer’s patients.
Judianne Atencio will run the foundations for both Plummer and Cutler. “What’s impressive about Jay is he wanted to be involved,” Atencio said. “Jay’s going to be hands-on with the schools.”
One part of Cutler’s foundation will aid an anti-bullying program at the junior high level.
Cutler lost two teammates in a two-year period to fatal, drive-by gunshots – Vanderbilt running back Kwane Doster and Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams.
Wonderful wideouts
In terms of elite quality, wide receiver appears to be the strongest position at this year’s scouting combine, with six wideouts projected as first- rounders, including four juniors – Georgia Tech’s Calvin Johnson, Ohio State’s Ted Ginn Jr., Southern California’s Dwayne Jarrett and Tennessee’s Robert Meachem.
After the first round, though, the wide receiver depth thins.
So which position has quantity and quality?
“I think it’s very strong at the defensive front,” said Jim Goodman, the Broncos’ director of player personnel.
Looking at the D-line
There is a good chance the Broncos’ new defensive boss Jim Bates and long-trusted defensive line assistant Bill Johnson will make personnel changes to their seven-man rotation up front.
Gerard Warren, Demetrin Veal and Elvis Dumervil are expected back, but decisions may be pending on defensive ends Ebenezer Ekuban ($2.2 million) and Kenard Lang ($2.1 million), who have one year left on their contracts, and unrestricted free agents Michael Myers and Patrick Chukwurah.
Mike Klis can be reached at 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com.
