Jake Plummer just finished his fifth season of mediocrity in Our Town. And wonder of wonders, the Broncos were mediocre, too, winning seven out of 16 games and missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

It didn't happen, of course, but imagine it had.

Imagine Jay Cutler hadn't dropped to the No. 11 pick in the 2006 draft, enabling the Broncos to trade up to grab him. Imagine Plummer's baggage piled higher with each passing year. Imagine Jake the Snake as the Broncos' starting quarterback in 2008 because, as was the case when they signed him, they couldn't find a better alternative.

Now for something you don't have to imagine: Brett Favre is available, and the Packers would like to trade him to an AFC team.

If the circumstances were different - if the Broncos, like a lot of other teams out there, were desperate for a quarterback - Mike Shanahan would be on the phone as we speak. This is, after all, the coach who tried to lure Steve Young out of retirement before the Broncos signed Plummer.

Remember that the next time you flip your eyes when the latest Favre update crosses your TV screen. This isn't a big story, but only because this is Denver, not New York or some other NFL city in search of a legitimate quarterback.

Just think. If Cutler hadn't come along, the Broncos could be the Jets.

