6. Jay Cutler (2003-2006)
Regular season record: 27-24
Playoff Record: NA
No. 6 All-Time Broncos passing yardage: 9,024
The 2006 NFL Draft was full of huge stars including Reggie Bush, Vince Young, Matt Leinart, and Jay Cutler. With all those stars, Mario Williams from North Carolina State was the surprise pick at No. 1 overall but he wound up being better than many others — including Bush, who was the presumed top pick.
As far as the quarterbacks go, Young and Leinart were seen as the "cant'-miss" prospects. They just had a sensational National Championship Game where Young led Texas to a victory over the Heisman Trophy winner. They naturally were the first two signal-callers off the board but then, Denver took Cutler, a cocky gun-slinger from Vanderbilt.
Cutler sat behind Jake Plummer as a rookie, and the veteran was 7-4 in 11 games. Cutler started five and led them to a 2-3 mark but took over full-time in 2007. He was the starter for the next two seasons and had at least 20 touchdowns in each campaign with 4,526 yards in 2008.
He made the Pro Bowl and was considered one of the bright stars of the game — but was sent to the Bears in a shocking move in 2009. Josh McDaniels was hired from New England and turned out to be a wrecking ball for the franchise. While he did well in landing Kyle Orton, he ran the team into the ground and used a first-round pick on Tim Tebow, which kept Orton from staying in the starting spot.
#OTD 9 years ago, the #Bears traded Kyle Orton, 2 first-round picks and a third round pick for then Broncos QB Jay Cutler.
— Bears Talk (@NBCSBears) April 2, 2018
Be honest, what was your initial reaction when the trade was made? pic.twitter.com/f25njQdAxo
Cutler went on to start for eight years in Chicago and one in Miami. He had a solid career and if he played all 12 seasons in Denver, could have been at least No. 3 on this list. As it stands, he still deserves recognition for the 9,024 yards and 54 touchdowns he had in just 37 games in the Mile High City.