The trade that sends Denver Broncos QB Jay Cutler and their 2009 fifth round draft pick to the Chicago Bears for QB Kyle Orton, two first round picks (2009, 2010) and this year's third round pick will resonate throughout the league and may greatly affect the NFL Draft later this month.
Even with Orton on the team, the Broncos should still be in the market for a QB and might very well use one of their two first round picks or even both to trade up to grab either Georgia's Matthew Stafford or USC's Mark Sanchez, whose stock has risen considerably since USC's Pro Day earlier this week. The combination of what happens will have a huge domino effect on the entire draft which will surely affect every other team.
While the Baltimore Ravens, picking at the 26th slot in the first round, have no interest in a QB, the ripples felt from Denver grabbing one could change everyone else's draft board, which could absolutely affect the Ravens when they make their pick. However, the good thing is that the Bears were thought to be targeting a top notch wide receiver with their first pick and now without one, there may be one more options by the time the Ravens are on the board. Many mock drafts had Chicago taking either Florida's Percy Harvin or Maryland's Darius Heyward-Bey, but now without a first round pick, both may drop further into the first or perhaps even the early second round.This could end up boding well for Baltimore, who is also thought to be looking at one of the top six wideouts on the board, although both Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree and Missouri's Jeremy Maclin will more than likely be gone by the time the Ravens pick. That does, however, leave the possibility of one or more of Harvin, Heyward-Bey, UNC's Hakeem Nicks, or Rutgers' Kenny Britt still being available deep into the first or perhaps even the second round How far these guys drop will also change where and when the second tier group of wide receivers go in the draft, such as Ohio State's Brian Robiskie.
What are your thoughts on the effect that Denver having Chicago's first round pick and its effect on the other teams, notably the Ravens?