And even though Cutler eventually hopes to supplant either starter Jake Plummer or backup Bradlee Van Pelt, the Broncos' No. 1 draft pick is going out of his way to make nice during his initial days with the team.

So, Cutler's coronation as the Broncos' future savior will have to wait at least until July, when the team opens its 2006 training camp. For now, he's just trying to find his way around.

"It has been a fun week," Culter said Friday in his first official news conference since joining the team. "The guys have been great, the coaches have been supportive and the I think I did all right. But I've still got a lot of work to do."

That's not surprising. The NFL is a blur for any newcomer, let alone a quarterback who is being asked to memorize a thick play book and act like he knows what he is doing.

Still, when coach Mike Shanahan praised the former Vanderbilt star's ability to break the huddle and call a play following the first day of camp, more than a few eyebrows were raised. Cutler said Shanahan was giving him too much credit.

"I had a general idea of the plays, but as far as formations and reads, I had no clue," he said, laughing at his own struggles. "That first day was a little rough, but I felt like I got a little better each day."

As for Shanahan, he seemed pleased with Cutler's early progress but added that the player he traded up to acquire in the draft is not in the same situation Elway faced when he arrived from Stanford in 1983 to become the face of the franchise.

"The big difference is that when John came in, everyone knew he was going to be the quarterback," Shanahan said. "Jay doesn't have to worry about that. But any time you're a first rounder, there's pressure. That's the nature of this business. We've always been pretty straightforward with our players. We don't care where you were drafted. You've got to prove yourself on the field."

That's going to take some time. Cutler admitted that, while he feels fortunate to have played in Vanderbilt's pro-style passing attack, the complexities of the Broncos' offense have left him a bit dizzy. He just hopes there's enough study time between now and the July 28 start of camp to learn the play book.

"You feel like everything you do is being evaluated," he said. "I know that when you're taken in the first round you obviously are expected to perform quickly. Right now, I'm just trying to help the team any way I can."

Early on, that help likely will be limited to toting Plummer's clipboard. Shanahan has made it clear that Plummer, who led the Broncos within a game of the Super Bowl and is coming off a career year, is the starter.

And although Van Pelt's role is unclear, Shanahan has made no indication that the former Colorado State University star will be replaced.

Cutler knows all of that so, for now, he's just trying to fit in. Plummer has invited him to a backyard barbecue today at his home, and he has enjoyed being around the colorful Van Pelt.

"Bradlee is funny; he kill's me," he said. "Right now, he's the second-team dude, and he knows what's going on out there. He's a good quarterback."

Asked to describe what makes Van Pelt so funny, Cutler simply laughed.

"He's just a goofy dude," he said. "I like him."

Come July, however, the competition will begin, and Cutler will discover where he fits in the team's immediate and future plans. He's looking forward to the opportunity.

"I'm just learning the system, and I know I've still got a lot to learn," he said. "But I know I can throw it. Now it's just a matter of figuring out where to throw it."

All those contractual safeguards must take longer to decipher than the Broncos and Javon Walker expected.

Having agreed in principle last week on a six-year contract worth around $43 million, the Broncos and the receiver did not finalize the deal as expected Monday as the two continued to pore over contract language that has become especially crucial considering Walker's recovery from major knee surgery.

Once the deal is done, the Broncos could have a win-win situation.

Should Walker, 27, regain his 2004 Pro Bowl form, the Broncos would make him the third-highest paid receiver in the game. But if Walker struggles to overcome the knee injury that forced him to miss all but 2 1/2 quarters of the 2005 season, the Broncos would have a chance to minimize their financial investment.

According to a league source, Walker, acquired April 29 for a second-round draft pick, will get the $1.15 million base salary he had remaining from the contract he originally signed with the Green Bay Packers, then a five-year, $42 million extension from the Broncos. Included in the extension is a $1 million roster bonus the Broncos inherited from the Packers.

The key to the deal is the bonus payout, which according to the source is between $15 million and $16 million. Multiple websites have reported Monday the bonuses would be paid out as club options - most in 2007, the rest in 2008.

Option bonuses are usually not guaranteed, although they can trigger salary promises.

Know this: The Broncos didn't give up a second-round pick with the idea of keeping Walker for a year.

If all goes well for both sides, Walker would be paid more than any receiver except Indianapolis'