There is a familiarity about the backlash thwacking JaMarcus Russell and Brady Quinn that makes Jay Cutler cringe.
Cutler is the Broncos’ quarterback who at this time last year was part of the Big Three quarterbacks entering the 2006 NFL Draft. The other two quarterbacks were the more heralded Vince Young and Matt Leinart.
As that draft approached, the three quarterbacks were measured against each other and the result was a political-like negative campaign. Young had a poor release and there were questions as to his ability to read NFL defenses. Leinart confronted questions about his athleticism and arm strength. Cutler didn’t have enough wins on his college resume.
This year, Russell of LSU and Notre Dame’s Brady Quinn are the top two quarterbacks with each expected to be drafted among the top 10 picks. Who is better?
The question is usually answered by what the other quarterback can’t do. Russell has the size and the arm, but there are doubts about his conditioning and ability to lead. Quinn is an unquestioned leader, but does he have enough arm?
“I feel for those guys,” Cutler said Tuesday at a post-workout press gathering at the Broncos’ Dove Valley headquarters. “It’s such a long period from January to end of April, four months of just getting broke down and picking you apart. They’re just trying to find something wrong with you. Those two guys are excellent football players but everyone is picking them apart trying to find reasons why they shouldn’t be the No. 1 pick, a top 5 pick. They just need to relax. They’ll get to a team and wherever they go they can go do their thing.”
But why is so much negative accentuated in the months leading up to the draft?
“Because there’s a lot of money involved in this,” Cutler said. “They want to make sure you get the best possible player. Last year with me, Matt and Vince, they came up with multiple flaws for all three of us. And we got in there and I think all three of us did pretty well.”
Mike Klis can be reached at 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com.
