NFL/NBC conspiracy with the Cutler trade?

Denver traded quarterback Jay Cutler to Chicago this week. The teams meet in Denver during the preseason.

I think we all can acknowledge the Chicago Bears trading for anyone with quarterback Jay Cutler’s pedigree is unprecedented. But is it possible NBC had a hand in the trade as well?

Chicago plays at Denver during the preseason’s third week. That’s known as as the game-planning preseason game where teams prepare like it’s a regular-season game. The starters play as many as three quarters and the level of play shows it.

Before the trade was finalized, the NFL announced NBC would televise the Chicago-Denver preseason game. Granted, both teams have large fan bases, but neither played in the postseason last year.  Seems kind of coincidental that the NFL would schedule them to play a preseason game, let alone ship it to a primary network.

Chicago opens the regular season at Green Bay, which also is televised by NBC as the league’s showcase prime-time match-up. The network slot was announced before the trade. Neither team made the postseason last year, and Brett Favre doesn’t play for Green Bay anymore. It seems kind of coincidental that those teams would meet on NBC when there’s plenty of better teams to choose from.

So, is it a conspiracy or coincidence?