Three reasons the secondary will improve even without another free agent signing:

1. The improved defensive line will automatically make the secondary better. Louis Delmas joked that he’ll just be sitting back and watching the line do all the work. It was a joke, but it’s close to reality. Think Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler and the rest won’t be under extra pressure? Absolutely they will be.

2. Safety Erik Coleman could prove to be a quality free agent signing. The 29-year-old safety has been working out with Louis Delmas during the lockout and was on hand at the player workouts. He’s a veteran who should be able to adapt quickly to the Lions’ defensive scheme.

3. Louis Delmas expects to be 100 percent healthy following offseason groin surgery. He was never 100 percent all during last season.

(Follow me on Twitter @PaulaPasche. Will offer daily lists of threes through July 22. Tell your friends. Let me know if you agree or not.)

Jay Cutler, the Chicago Bears quarterback may have severely injured his knee in the first half of Sunday's 21-14 loss to the Packers, but he got no sympathy from current and former NFL players who were flooding the Twitter waves with disrespect.

It's a new age in social media. The criticism doesn't come after the game, it comes during it. And it was amazing to see it all unfold while sitting on my couch, following Twitter on my Blackberry and watching the game on television.

Used to be you would depend on TV announcers to give you the storylines. Thanks to Twitter, which offers immediate impact, it is all different now.

The critical tweets came from guys like Deion Sanders, Desmond Howard, Derrick Brooks and others.

Here are a few examples of tweets sent during the game:

From Maurice Jones-Drew (Jacksonville Jaguars): "Hey I think the Urban Meyer rule is in effect right now ... When the going gets tough ... QUIT." (Nice double-swipe of Cutler and Meyer in 140 characters or less.)

From Darnell Dockett (Arizona Cardinals): "If I'm on Chicago team Jay Cutler has to wait till me and the team shower get dresseda and leave before he can come in the locker room! #FACT"

From Deion Sanders: “Im telling u in the playoffs u must drag me off the field. All the medicine in pro lockerooms this dude comes out! I apologize bear fans! . . . Folks i never question a players injury but i do question a players heart.''

Media tweeters -- national and Detroit-area writers including me -- were joining in the discussion.

In fact, in his post-game press conference Cutler was asked what he thought about so much criticism from his contemporaries on Twitter. He made reference to the fact they were jealous because he was still playing. Fans were tweeting too and even sent a Twit pic of Cutler jerseys being set on fire in the Soldier Field parking lot.

If Cutler's knee is a serious injury, some folks are going to be looking pretty silly. But it's understandable because of what they garnered from past experience in the NFL and also from looking at Cutler's body language. He didn't look exactly upset being on the bench.

In the Steelers-Jets game, it carried over. When it appeared Mark Sanchez was injured, someone tweeted it would be a good time for an injury. He was right back in the game.

But Sanchez did get burned by Twitter. Early in the game while on the sidelines, he picked his nose and wiped the booger on Mark Brunell's shirt. Don't believe me? There are Twitter videos.

If you've thought about getting on Twitter, what have you been waiting for? It's free and a blast. It makes the action just a little more fun, no matter the sport. You'll get info you never get from TV and you can express your opinions too. It will be my first Super Bowl with Twitter. Can't wait.

(Follow me on Twitter @PaulaPasche.)

Who would have thought a sixth-seed could be favored to make it to the Super Bowl, but that's exactly what is going on with the Green Bay Packers. Defense may win championships, but it doesn't hurt to have a quarterback either. Aaron Rodgers may have found the perfect time to play the best football of his career. Rodgers is the reason I see the Packers headed to Dallas on Feb. 6 to represent the NFC. Packers 24-17.

So if you go with Rodgers over Jay Cutler in the NFC, who gets the nod in the AFC? The Steelers have already won a Super Bowl (in Detroit) with Ben Roethlisberger having an awful game. But the guy is a scrapper. The Jets' Mark Sanchez is 4-1 in the playoffs with all those games being on the road. For this one I'm going with the J-E-T-S winning 21-14.

Can't wait. Nothing like Championship Sunday.

One note to the Fox TV folks, would it kill you to show the national anthem on Sunday from Soldier Field? Jim Cornelison, the anthem singer who got the Blackhawks the Stanley Cup last season, will be singing. In the season opener against Detroit, he made his debut at Solider Field and was a huge hit. The fans stood and cheered loudly throughout just like they do at the United Center. I only know this because I was there and it was a treat. Just a thought.

(Follow me on Twitter @PaulaPasche.)

The ballots are in. In a purely unscientific poll conducted mostly on Twitter and Facebook, Lions fans have made their sentiments known. During Sunday’s NFC Championship game 83 percent of them will be rooting for the Green Bay Packers over the Chicago Bears.

Who knew there was such a dislike for the Bears? One tweet said: “Pack hands down, they actually deserve to be in the championship game.”

One tweeter said he can’t stand Chicago's Jay Cutler and truly enjoyed watching Aaron Rodgers beat the Falcons on Saturday night. In fact, several fans sided with Green Bay because they like Rodgers.

Another said he thought the Packers had the best chance to beat the AFC -- and he prefers the Steelers on that side. “I despise the Jets,’’ Gary said.

Then the true feelings of some came out and this may be the real reason why Lions fans can’t go with Chicago: “Bears are over-rated and stole one from us in Week 1.”

He’s of course referring to Calvin Johnson’s non-touchdown catch at Soldier Field that cost the Lions the season-opening game and perhaps changed the course of the season.

Deep down, you know it’s still eating at Lions’ fans and perhaps a few Lions too.

(Follow me on Twitter @PaulaPasche.)

ALLEN PARK -- Lions defensive end Cliff Avril wants to know one thing: Is it possible to hit too hard?

Referee Ed Hochuli apparently thinks the answer is yes.

A day later the Lions were still shaking their heads over the botched call by Hochuli on Sunday in their loss to the Bears.

“It definitely looked like a legal hit. I didn’t know you hit guys too hard in football,’’ Avril said. “It is what it is, it’s unfortunate they called it and that’s that.’’

Ndamukong Suh was penalized for pushing quarterback Jay Cutler down with both hands from behind. His hands were on Cutler’s back, not his helmet.

Hochuli called it a “non-football act” and no one is exactly sure what that means.

“I know he wasn’t hit in the head and I know he wasn’t going down, I know that for sure,’’ Lions coach Jim Schwartz said on Monday. “Non-football act? We really don’t know what the definition of that is. I’ve not seen a definition of non-football act before.’’

It’s the fourth personal foul called on Suh this season.

The play was replayed several times during Monday’s defensive line meeting.

Avril said their only advice for Suh is to keep hitting and playing hard.

(Follow me on Twitter @PaulaPasche.)

The St. Paul Pioneer Press is reporting that twice-retired quarterback Brett Favre is “expected” to undergo surgery to release a partially-torn tendon in his right shoulder later this week. If all goes well with the surgery, the paper reports that Favre will sign with the Vikings.

Nothing totally unexpected here. Favre has had eyes for Minnesota since he was pushed out of town in Green Bay after his first retirement last summer, and the six- to eight-week timetable for recovery puts him on track to be ready by the start of training camp.

For the purpose of this discussion, let's assume Favre signs with the Vikings. If he does, in my opinion, the Lions will once again have the least desirable quarterback situation in the NFC North (for 2009, that is). Here's my rankings. Where do you stand?

1. Bears – Chicago made the bold move of trading for Jay Cutler this offseason, and the Pro Bowler stands as the division's best signal caller. He threw for 4,526 yards last year in Denver, and while those numbers likely will go down, he's the type of talent who can win any game, any where. Interceptions have been a concern in his career, but at 26 and entering his fourth year, he's still maturing.

2. Green Bay – Maybe this ranking is skewed a bit by the two times I've seen Aaron Rodgers play. In two games against the Lions last year, he threw for 636 yards, six touchdowns, no interceptions, and set two career marks for passer rating (117.0 and 132.2). I'd like to see Rodgers play at a high level for another season before I call him a top-10 quarterback, but the 25-year-old has that kind of potential. He played hurt part of last year, and defense, not Rodgers, wasn't the reason the Packers went from 13 to six wins last year.

3. Minnesota – Favre is closing in on his 40th birthday, but he didn't play like he was over the hill most of last season. Before things fell apart the final five weeks, Favre had 20 touchdown passes and had the Jets headed for the playoffs. His struggles were somewhat injury-related down the stretch, though he remains a chance-taking gunslinger. Beyond that, Minnesota has the most depth at the quarterback position with Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels as capable backups.

4. Detroit – Take heart, Lions fans. A year ago everyone thought Detroit had the best quarterback in the division in Jon Kitna and all that got them was an 0-16 record. The Lions are much more stable under center now, with No. 1 pick Matthew Stafford and a slimmed-down, something-to-prove Daunte Culpepper in the fold. But Culpepper didn't look good in his cameo last year, he's had turnover and injury issues throughout his career, and Stafford is the great unknown. Two years from now, he might be the best quarterback in the North, but he's got to prove it first.

The Brett Favre saga continues to churn with ESPN now reporting that x-rays of Favre's injured shoulder have been sent to Minnesota and Favre will return next season as long as he doesn't need major surgery. Can't say that comes as a big surprise to anyone who follows the NFL, but this might: The NFC North is now the best division for quarterbacks in the NFL.

Including Favre, the old black and blue division has gone glam with Jay Cutler in Chicago, Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay and No. 1 overall pick Matthew Stafford in Detroit. Stafford probably won't start from the get, and both Rodgers and Cutler had their struggles last year, but no other division moves the meter under center like the north – even without a singular talent like Tom Brady.

The AFC North is No. 2 in my book with Ben Roethlisberger, Carson Palmer, Joe Flacco and Brady Quinn running their respective teams. Interestingly enough, the divisions cross over this year.

Two other Lions notes of interest. First, if you didn't see it already, running back Kevin Smith blogged earlier this week that the Lions “will definitely make the playoffs this year.” Smith is one of the best personalities in the locker room and I don't mind his confidence, but he better be ready for some Jon Kitna jokes over the next few months. His blog, if you're interested, is www.Smith34.com.

Finally, the Lions made a minor roster move today, releasing middle linebacker Chris Graham and signing another receiver, Tommy Saunders, who caught 72 passes last year for Missouri.

Update: The Lions also signed Florida State running back Antone Smith to a three-year contract. Smith, a tryout player at last week's rookie orientation, impressed coaches with his speed.

The NFL didn't do the Lions any favors with their 2009 schedule.

Coming off the first ever 0-16 season and with 17 straight losses overall, the Lions open on the road for the third straight year and don't look to have a game they'll be favored to win until after their Oct. 25 bye.

They open Sept. 13 at New Orleans, when their league-worst pass defense (in terms of quarterback efficiency rating) faces Drew Brees and last year's top-ranked offense. After that, the Lions return home for games against Minnesota and Washington, where new coach Jim Schwartz will see his former pupil (and big-money free agent) Albert Haynesworth.

They face the Bears and Jay Cutler, the quarterback they failed to trade for, in Chicago Oct. 4, host the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers Oct. 11, and play at Green Bay, where they haven't won in 18 years, on Oct. 18.

Despite the tough start, I don't see the Lions threatening Tampa Bay's record losing streak of 26 games (set in its first two seasons of 1976-77). Their schedule gets considerably easier after the bye, beginning with a Nov. 1 home date against St. Louis. The Lions pick first in next week's draft; the Rams, who finished 2-14 last year, choose second.

Also in the second half of the season, Detroit travels to Seattle and Cincinnati, hosts Cleveland, and plays Green Bay in its annual Thanksgiving game. The Seahawks, Bengals and Browns each won four games last year.

If you're looking for an early prediction - subject to revision, of course - I'll pick the Lions to go 5-11 with wins over Washington, St. Louis, Cleveland, Green Bay and, in Matt Stafford's starting debut, Arizona.

The NFL will release its full schedule at 7 p.m. Tuesday live on NFL.com and NFL Network.

Total speculation here, but I'd expect the Lions to open at home in 2009. They've started on the road the last two years, and coming off an 0-16 season (and with 17 straight losses overall) you can bet the NFL doesn't want the streak to linger.

At home next year, the Lions play: the Bears, Packers, Vikings, Cardinals, Rams, Steelers, Browns and Redskins. On the road, they play the three NFC North teams plus the 49ers, Seahawks, Ravens, Bengals and Saints.

Games against the Rams and Browns would seem to give the Lions the best chance to win. The Bears game would involve the most intriguing storyline with Jay Cutler and former coach Rod Marinelli now in the Windy City, but they play that Sunday night at Green Bay. Defending Super Bowl champ Pittsburgh also is accounted for in Week 1. The Steelers host the Titans on Sept. 10.

Update: As someone pointed out to me, the Lions play at Cleveland in Week 2 of the preseason so it's unlikely the two teams open against each other less than a month later. That makes the Rams, Cardinals, Vikings or Redskins the likely Week 1 opponent. I'll guess it's St. Louis in a battle of top draft picks (as was the case two years ago when the Lions-Raiders opened) and a revenge game for ex-Rams and current Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan.

The Jay Cutler trade is complete, and the Bears gave up quite a haul to get him. A first-round pick this year and next, a third this year and quarterback Kyle Orton. (Chicago also got a fifth-round pick in the deal.)

That leaves the Lions with, essentially, three options at quarterback. One, they can play the season out with Daunte Culpepper as starter. Two and in my opinion most likely, they can draft Matt Stafford with the No. 1 overall pick (presumably to replace Culpepper at some point next season). Or three, they can take Jason Smith or Aaron Curry up top and trade for someone like Cleveland's Derek Anderson or Arizona's Matt Leinart.

None of those scenarios is as appealing as having Cutler, a Pro Bowler, under center, but by not going hard after the disgruntled vet the Lions decided to stick with their plan of building through the draft. Say you what will about recent history, but that's the right path for a team with so many holes to go down.

That said, I firmly believe the Lions will bemoan this trade twice a year for the next decade. Cutler is one of the two best young quarterbacks in the game, and his addition will make it difficult for Detroit to end its 15-year division championship drought anytime soon. Chicago still needs a receiver and its defense is aging, but throw in the best free-agent addition of the offseason in a new defensive line coach and the Bears should be playoff contenders in 2009.

I spent about 20 minutes talking Aaron Curry with Wake Forest linebackers coach Brad Lambert earlier today, but I'll save the details of that conversation for tomorrow when I'm bogged down with NCAA tournament coverage and all this Jay Cutler-Matt Stafford talk subsides (somewhat, at least).

For now, one more post on Cutler and Stafford. More of a question, actually. If you're the Lions, which quarterback do you prefer and why?

I can make the case for both guys. Cutler is 25, a Pro Bowler and one of the top two young quarterbacks in the game (along with Matt Ryan). He has a rocket for an arm and a box full of tools the Lions have salivated over for years, and I'm not as worried about the immaturity issues as some. Granted, he hasn't handled this situation perfectly, but that's what happens in the NFL when someone needs to engineer a trade.

Stafford has even better tools than Cutler, including his own fully-equipped Howitzer, and by all accounts impressed the Lions in his private workout Tuesday. There are questions about his NFL readiness, but he started more college games than Ryan (34 to 32) and likely would sit half or more of next season behind Daunte Culpepper.

If things were equal, if the No. 1 pick was the only compensation it took to land Cutler, I'd want the more proven commodity. But that's not the case, not with four, six or eight teams bidding for the quarterback. It'll probably cost the Lions three picks – remember, their second first rounder (No. 20) is less attractive than Washington's (13), New York's (17), Chicago's (18) or Tampa Bay's (19) – including a high choice next year, and they might need to involve a third team to get any deal done.

Admittedly, Cutler and Curry or Baylor's Jason Smith – assuming the Lions hold on to No. 1 – is as good a draft haul as any imaginable. But the Lions have said time and again, including today, that they intend the build long term and through the draft, and if they're sold on Stafford this is the time to make good on their word.

For the Lions to land Jay Cutler, it's going to take a lot of draft picks. And that's why I don't think it's going to happen.

The Lions don't have the players to entice Denver to deal its franchise quarterback, even though the Broncos have backed themselves into a must-trade corner. They'll have to part with some combination of draft picks to get it done. One of their two first-rounders for sure (if Martin Mayhew can get rid of No. 1, more power to him), plus more early-round compensation and maybe a pick for next year. If Denver wants a quarterback in return, someone like Cleveland's Brady Quinn for instance, the Lions would have to send at least one of those picks another team's way.

They have eight picks overall, including three of the first 33 and five of the first 82, but spending several high choices on Cutler (plus giving him a restructured contract similar to what the No. 1 pick would make) doesn't jive with how the Lions want to build their team.

“We've said all along that we want to build this team through the draft,” Lions president Tom Lewand said Wednesday during a media event to promote the Final Four at Ford Field. “I think a lot of teams say that. The teams who are disciplined about that approach actually do it. So we have to be cognizant of that goal and that philosophy and have the discipline to stick to that. That doesn't mean you don't make trades, but it means you do so with the recognition that you're giving away the opportunity to add to your core through the draft and the recognition that that's the most important way to construct a foundation of a team.”

The Lions already are operating without fourth- and fifth-round picks this year, having included a fifth-rounder in the Julian Peterson trade last month. Asked how not having those picks might hamstring the Lions trade wise, Lewand said he wouldn't venture a guess.

“That's a purely hypothetical and theoretical question," he said.

He also declined comment on Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford's private workout Tuesday. When asked specifically about Cutler, he cited anti-tampering rules in dodging the question.

“It still falls under the purview of somebody who's under contract with another club that I can't comment on,” he said. “I would say, consistent with everything that Jim Schwartz has said and Martin has said, we'll look at every opportunity to improve our football team and do it in a way that's consistent with our philosophy and that allows us to do things in way that's going to maximize the potential to build this team in a way that is sound and that is consistent with the plan that we've set out.”

A couple more notes from Wednesday:

• Lewand said talks with the representatives for potential No. 1 overall picks are ongoing. “I wouldn't term them in-depth negotiations at this point,” he said. “We're having discussions on frameworks of contracts with several different representatives at this point.”

• Asked if he was "close" with Stafford's agent, Tom Condon, Lewand said, “Close? I've never had him over for Thanksgiving dinner.” No word on whether that will change this year.

• On whether the Lions intend to sign Caleb Campbell, the seventh-round pick who had to give up football to return to the Army last year, Lewand said no decision has been made. Campbell, who still has another year of military service to fulfill before he can play football, re-enters the draft pool if he doesn't sign with the Lions before this year's draft. Don't expect the Lions to make a big push to get a contract done.

ESPN analyst Mel Kiper, in his second teleconference previewing the NFL draft, said Wednesday he still has the Lions taking Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford with the No. 1 overall pick.

“I'm not making the choice,” Kiper said. “All I'm saying is for the Detroit Lions, who do you take? And if you don't take Stafford and you take somebody else, who's going to be your quarterback? You got (Daunte) Culpepper and you got (Drew) Stanton. Are you just going to forget about quarterback this year because there's no guarantee (Josh) Freeman's going to be there at 20 (and) there's no other quarterback to think about until the fifth round?”

The Lions have a private workout set up with Stafford next Tuesday and already have begun contract dialogue with him and other potential No. 1 picks. Baylor left tackle Jason Smith, Boston College defensive tackle B.J. Raji and Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry are other potential top choice. Stafford and Smith are represented by the same CAA Football agency, and the Lions have yet to reach out to Curry's agent.

“He's got skills that very few quarterbacks have throwing the football,” Kiper said of Stafford. “And if the Lions don't take him and he goes say four to Seattle, then you say who would they take? You would probably have to take the offensive tackle Jason Smith. Curry, I don't know? Curry's a great player, but are they going to take another linebacker? They've kind of addressed that already during these last couple of months.

“I just think the Lions, at the end of the day, unless they make a deal for (Jay) Cutler and get the quarterback that way, I think Stafford's a guy you almost have to take. If they don't get Cutler, I'd be very surprised if they don't take Stafford.”

If the Lions are going to trade for Jay Cutler, there's a good chance it'll happen this week.

The NFL's annual meetings run today through Wednesday in Dana Point, Calif., and most of the league's important decision-makers will be in attendance. Lions general manager Martin Mayhew and team president Tom Lewand are there, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen is expected as well, and no one would be surprised if Cutler's agent Bus Cook had urgent business matters to tend to on the west coast.

The Lions are one of a reported 10 teams that have contacted the Broncos about acquiring Cutler, a Pro Bowl quarterback whose incessant whining has made him persona non grata in Denver. Neither Mayhew nor head coach Jim Schwartz would acknowledge any interest in Cutler last week, but the Lions' most glaring need is at quarterback and chances don't come around every day to acquire a 25-year-old proven commodity.

“Nothing planned out there,” Mayhew said in a conference call when asked about his agenda for the meetings. “I'll just go and see where we are. CBA wise, that's important, obviously. Get an update on that. Hopefully meet the new union chief. But nothing planned, nothing major planned right now.”

ESPN reaffirmed Sunday morning that the Broncos would need a starting quarterback, a first-round pick and “maybe something else” to get any deal done. That limits the number of realistic suitors, but the Lions have enough draft-pick ammunition to be in the mix. (As a side note, I'm still not convinced Cutler's going anywhere, and if he does, Cleveland with Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson and possibly a renegotiated Shaun Rogers is the favorite. The Lions probably would need to involve a third team.)

Two years ago, Detroit talked trade with Kansas City for quarterback Trent Green at the league meetings. The same year, Philadelphia worked out a deal with Buffalo for linebacker Takeo Spikes. If the Broncos are serious about moving Cutler, history tells us something could happen soon.

It's three days into the Lions' offseason workout program and Dominic Raiola already has noticed a dramatic change in quarterback Daunte Culpepper.

“You can see it,” Raiola said. “You guys haven't seen him yet. You can see it. At least 20 pounds. But it's not like he lost muscle. It looks like he's been working.”

Culpepper signed midway through last year's 0-16 season and started five games with limited practice time and inconsistent results. He weighed 280 pounds at one point last year and was noticeably out of shape.

He missed the final three games of the season with a shoulder injury.

“It was a difficult place to put him in, coming in half the year,” Raiola said. “He didn't know he was going to play football. I think that's unfair. I think first year after all of us retire you're going to kind of live it up a little bit, live the good life. He was out of shape, he knew that. He was heavy. He never played that heavy before. So just, I don't even know how much weight he lost or what he weighs, what he weighed last year, but he just looks great.”

Culpepper is expected to open next season as starter for the Lions, though general manager Martin Mayhew said Tuesday the team plans to add a veteran backup in free agency. The Lions also have been at the center of trade talks about Denver's Jay Cutler and could draft Georgia's Matt Stafford with the No. 1 overall pick.

“I don't know how serious that stuff is or how serious it gets until I read it in the paper,” Raiola said. “What I know is that we have a great leader, a great quarterback in Daunte right now who has played for (offensive coordinator Scott) Linehan and who has been successful with him in the past. And he's excited about that so that makes me excited about it.”

Culpepper had his most successful season as a pro in Minnesota when Linehan was offensive coordinator.

Now that Jay Cutler's trade demands are official, it's time to examine the Lions' realistic hopes of trading for Denver's disgruntled quarterback. I still think the Broncos will end up keeping him. Young arms like that are too precious to pass on for a few draft picks. But if Cutler's dealt, here, in my mind, are the five most likely landing spots for him in 2010:

1. Cleveland: I'll put the Browns No. 1 only because they have the quarterbacks to satisfy Denver's demand. If reports are true that Eric Mangini isn't thrilled with either Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson, Denver can have its pick of young signal callers in return. The Browns also have two second-round choices (the extra came from the Kellen Winslow trade) and an early first to barter with, but no third- fifth- or seventh-round selection. Next year's picks could come into play.

2. Detroit: The Lions have the picks (two firsts, a second and two thirds), but not the quarterback to land Cutler. I can't see a three-way with Cleveland happening because the Browns might want Cutler themselves. Arizona's Matt Leinart is a possibility, but he'll take a draft pick (a third, probably) to land. The Lions don't have fourth- or fifth-round choices, and they've said they want to get younger (though the signing of Grady Jackson and trades for Anthony Henry and Julian Peterson fly in the face of that) and build through the draft. Moving too many choices means once again the organization is straying from its plan. One other note here: For those who say Matt Stafford and the No. 1 pick are the trump card, I have a hard time seeing Denver unload a young quarterback who's locked up fairly cheaply for a younger, more unproven quarterback it'd have to give $35 million guaranteed to.

3. Tampa Bay: The Bucs, like the Lions, tried to make the Matt Cassel-Jay Cutler three-way happen only to see Cassel end up in Kansas City for a second-round pick. Tampa needs a quarterback and is willing to pay. The Bucs pick one spot in front of the Lions in the mid-first and third rounds (Nos. 19 and 81), and have the cap room to give Cutler the new deal he desires.

4. San Francisco: At pick No. 10, the 49ers might have the most desirable choice in the first round. The Broncos wouldn't have to pay obscene money, would still get a premium talent and could probably land their quarterback of the future in Mark Sanchez (or possibly even Stafford; especially if the Lions don't go QB at No. 1). If the 49ers, who brought Kurt Warner in for a visit, are serious about upgrading at quarterback, they have a full compliment of draft picks to work with and a compensatory choice or two coming their way that might make their regular picks easier to part with.

5. New York Jets: New coach Rex Ryan isn't tied to any of the project quarterbacks currently on New York's roster, and that demanding organization is in win-now mode. That could be a dangerous combination if Cutler-to-the-highest-bidder materializes. It's unlikely Kellen Clemens would satisfy Denver's demand for a new quarterback, but the Broncos could sign a veteran like Jeff Garcia as a stopgap. The Jets also have a valuable first-round choice at No. 17 and an interesting history with Cutler's agent, Bus Cook, who just so happens to represent the quarterback who was at the center of a similar drama last year – Brett Favre.

Circle Monday on your calendars, Lions fans. That's the day the Denver Broncos begin their offseason program, a program quarterback Jay Cutler is considering no-showing after a contentious conference call with coach Josh McDaniels, ESPN reported.

If Cutler stays home, it might not be long before he demands a trade. And if he demands a trade, the Lions are one of the few teams that have the ammunition to land him.

I wrote two weeks ago that I didn't think the Lions had a chance to land Cutler because the Broncos would require a quarterback in return. That was before the Broncos signed free-agent Chris Simms - a move that looks more telling by the day (though it doesn't solve their problems entirely) - and before Cutler forced Denver's hand (assuming he does).

If draft picks come into play, the Lions are in better shape pull off a trade than Tampa Bay, the other team reportedly involved in late-to-the-party three-way talks with Cutler and Matt Cassel two weeks ago. They have picks 20, 33 and two in the third round; the Buccaneers have No. 19, but no second-rounder and presumably less-desirable 2010 choices if those enter the mix.

If agents get involved (as they often do), the Lions might have an edge there, too. Cutler's agent is Bus Cook, who also happens to represent Calvin Johnson. Surely, Cook wants the best for clients, and that may mean pairing two of the game's brightest young stars together.

There's a long way to go before a Cutler trade materializes and the Lions surely won't be the only interested suitor. But it's a storyline that bears close watching six weeks before the draft.

Now that the Matt Cassel-for-Jay Cutler, Detroit-Denver-New England threesome has fizzled out and Cassel is a Chief, two questions remain: Why didn't the Lions want Cassel, and who will be under center when Detroit opens the season next year?

The Lions have been mum on yesterday's trade news, but reading between the lines it's clear they weren't enamored with Tom Brady's pressed-into-action backup. Kansas City acquired Cassel for the 34th pick in the draft, the Lions own No. 33 (plus two first-rounders), and it's reasonable to assume they could have outbid the Chiefs had they wanted Cassel bad enough. For those who say KC got a steal because of new general manager Scott Pioli's relationship with Patriots coach Bill Belichick, a) that's not how it works in the ruthless NFL, and b) what about new Lions coach Jim Schwartz's ties with Belichick? Wouldn't it have made more sense to move the quarterback to another close friend outside the division (even if he wouldn't have been able to stick it to another Belichick disciple, Broncos coach Josh McDaniels, twice a year)?

To be fair, Tampa Bay, it seems, was willing to outbid both the Lions and Chiefs for Cassel in an effort to ship him to Denver for Cutler, who in my eyes is neck-and-neck with Matt Ryan for the best young quarterback (three years or less) in the league. But back to Cassel for a minute, the fact that he went for less than the going rate – Matt Schaub cost two second-rounders and a swap of firsts two years ago – suggests teams weren't anxious to pay a possible one-year wonder franchise money.

Cutler, meanwhile, is now the hottest commodity on the market even though Denver insists he's staying put. He's 25, has all the requisite tools, and his relationship with McDaniels and the Broncos is strained at best. So what are the chances the Lions land Cutler? In a straight-up swap, probably not good. It'd be suicide for Denver to deal Cutler without getting a quarterback in return, and now that Cassel is off the market there aren't many options. Matt Stafford I guess would qualify, but Mike Shanahan wasn't fired so the Broncos can rebuild.

For now, Daunte Culpepper remains the starter in Detroit and the failure of this deal leads me to believe he'll be there when the season begins. Dan Orlovsky is likely headed elsewhere in free agency, Drew Stanton isn't in the mix, and as of Saturday the Lions hadn't set up visits with available signal callers like J.P. Losman, though they'll surely add a veteran this offseason if Orlovsky doesn't re-sign.

Stafford and Mark Sanchez remain in the mix as first-round draft picks, and now that Kansas City's acquired its quarterback there's a chance one could slide to 20 if the Lions pass on both at No. 1. Even if it's not in the first round, I'd expect Detroit to take a quarterback somewhere in April's draft.

In the bigger picture, it'll be interesting to see where Cassel and the Chiefs go from here. Remember, Lions owner William Clay Ford promoted Martin Mayhew and Tom Lewand after the season without so much as interviewing outside candidates. Pioli should have been in the mix. Now, he's made the biggest splash of the offseason while the Lions are still charting their course at quarterback.