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According to the team's official web site, the Denver Broncos have agreed in principle to trade quarterback Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears.

The Broncos did not announce terms, but Chicago Sun-Times staffer Mike Mulligan reports the Bears acquired Cutler for No. 1 draft picks in 2009 and 2010, a No. 3 pick this year and Kyle Orton.

The Bears receive the Broncos' fifth-round draft pick this year.

Cutler, 25, is coming off a Pro Bowl season with the Broncos, but he became disgruntled and wanted a trade after learning Denver was considering a deal for quarterback Matt Cassel on Feb. 28.

The trade never took place and Cassel wound up in Kansas City. Still, Cutler claimed he was unable to trust new head coach Josh McDaniels, who downplayed the Broncos' interest in moving Cutler.

Cutler said at the time he wasn't upset about being traded -- but didn't care for McDaniels' handling of the situation.

On March 9, Cutler and his agent, James "Bus" Cook talked via a conference call with McDaniels, general manager Brian Xanders, owner Pat Bowlen and chief operating officer Joe Ellis. Cutler was in Nashville. The Broncos say it was a positive meeting and the possibility of a trade never came up.

Cutler claims the call did not go well.

On March 14, Cutler sits down with McDaniels in a meeting at Broncos headquarters along with his agent, with Xanders also in the meeting.

Cutler, in an interview with ESPN's Chris Mortensen that night, says the meeting did not go well. Bowlen says he is disappointed in his quarterback and his coach being unable to end the feud, but more disappointed in Cutler.

Later that night, Cutler instructed Cook to request a trade.

On Tuesday, Bowlen, upset by Cutler's failure to return phone calls, issued a press release announcing the team would begin discussions with other teams in an effort to accommodate Cutler's request to be traded.

Speaking Wednesday night with FOXSports.com's Jay Glazer, Cutler said he was shocked the Broncos were moving forward on the deal.

"I was surprised they decided to trade me this soon," Cutler told Glazer in his first comments since the statement was released. "I didn't want to get traded. This wasn't me. They [The Broncos] had been going back and forth saying things, wanting me to be their quarterback and then they didn't. ...

"I really didn't want this. I love Denver. I really like my teammates. I didn't want it to get this far."

Too bad. The horse -- or Bronco QB -- is officially out of the barn.

Cutler is now the Chicago Bears' starting quarterback and Orton heads for Denver, where's it's not yet clear what the Broncos' plans at the position are. Will they roll with Orton as their starter? Will he compete with recent signee Chris Simms for that spot?

Or will the Broncos use an early pick to snag their QB of the future in this month's draft?

Stay tuned. I'll undoubtedly have more on both sides of this deal in coming weeks.