Cutler, Broncos get deal done

Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News

Published July 28, 2006 at midnight

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ENGLEWOOD - Broncos rookie quarterback Jay Cutler has been described by those who know him as a "football guy."

And Thursday, he showed he's all business about his game.

Cutler and his agent, Bus Cook, did all they could to get Cutler on the field for his first training camp practice this morning.

"That was important to me," Cutler said. "I wanted to be out there."

Cook and the Broncos finished a six-year deal potentially worth $48 million for Cutler early Thursday evening, and Cutler was at the team's Dove Valley complex at night.

Players must sign a contract before they can attend team functions.

The deal is expected to include between $10.5 million and $11 million in guaranteed money in the form of roster, option and signing bonuses. The sixth year is a team option.

Broncos general manager Ted Sundquist said earlier this week he believed the Broncos had researched their offer to Cutler carefully and that it was "extremely fair."

Cutler had made it clear as well he hoped to be on the field at the start of training camp.

Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said before the deal was announced he didn't believe Cutler would miss any time.

"He's a very smart guy . . . ," Shanahan said. "This isn't mental gymnastics, these contracts. It's a basic percentage, there's a little give and take, and we've always found a way to get them done."

The Broncos spent much of the early portion of the draft in April trying to position themselves for a chance at Cutler, who was the Southeastern Conference's Offensive Player of the Year for 5-6 Vanderbilt.

The Broncos selected him with the 11th pick, just after the Arizona Cardinals selected Matt Leinart.

Leinart has not yet signed, but Cook has been confident much of the week Cutler's deal could be done by this morning's practice.

"We had good dialogue and work at it," said Cook, who has fashioned multiple deals for Brett Favre and Steve McNair.

"I'm excited, very excited," Cutler said. "I'm happy and looking forward to everything."

Cook and the Broncos used the framework of Ben Roethlisberger's six-year deal with the Steelers in 2004 as a guide. Like Cutler, Roethlisberger was the 11th player selected in the draft and the third quarterback taken in the first round.

OTHER DEALS DONE: The Broncos signed three draft picks: tight end Tony Scheffler (a third-round pick), receiver Domenik Hixon (fourth round) and guard Chris Kuper (fifth round).

All three signed their four-year deals in the morning.

"I knew they'd pretty much come to the table and present a fair offer, and, of course, they did," Scheffler said.

"I'm ready to go, get into training camp and get after it."

Hixon received a $383,000 signing bonus.

There is a chance Hixon, who broke his left foot during a predraft workout that required surgery to repair, could be put on the team's nonfootball injury list because he still is not at full speed and will be limited.

The Broncos were waiting on a report from team doctors.

At times, some kinds of foot fractures heal more slowly because blood flow isn't as great there as in other parts of the body.

"They're going to take it slow and let him rehab for a couple weeks and see where his foot's at," Hixon's agent, Vance Larimer, said.

ONE-A-DAY: Shanahan said several veteran players will be held to one practice a day while the team is in its two-a-day schedule.

On offense, receiver Javon Walker, center Tom Nalen and tight end Stephen Alexander would practice once a day, while left tackle Matt Lepsis occasionally would get a practice off.

On defense, defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban, safety John Lynch, defensive end Courtney Brown and cornerback Champ Bailey will practice once a day.

Linebacker Al Wilson, linebacker Ian Gold and defensive tackle Gerard Warren occasionally would get a practice off.

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