Reports have the Broncos seeking a viable replacement for Cutler

If Lindsay Jones of the Denver Post truly has the pulse of the Broncos’ front office, the Bucs can forget about trading for disgruntled Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler.

Despite nearly getting Cutler in a three-way deal from the Broncos at the end of February, Jones suggests indirectly the Bucs won’t be able to get Cutler now that he has asked for a trade.

Speaking on Sirius NFL Radio’s “The Opening Drive” with Bob Papa, Randy Cross and Peter King Tuesday morning, Jones admitted “it doesn’t look like there will be a happy ending” to the hurt feelings between the Broncos and Cutler.

But Jones noted that if the Broncos do deal Cutler, ‘they’ll want more than draft picks. They’ll want a viable alternative at quarterback,” Jones said.

Let’s see: Joe is looking at the Bucs stable of quarterbacks, and unless the Broncos consider Luke McCown a “viable alternative,” the Bucs don’t have anything to offer Denver. Son of Bob clearly isn’t a viable alternative. Hell, he’s not even a viable alternative as a beer vendor. Josh Johnson is still considered a project.

So unless the Bucs pull a three-way trade (with Cleveland or Arizona possibly?), provided Jones is to be believed, Cutler doesn’t look like he will be buying any real estate in the Tampa Bay area in the immediate future.

[UPDATE, 10:57 a.m.: King claims emphatically that the Broncos are not entertaining any offers for Cutler.]