Dorsett Davis on the trading block as well it appears

[SoCalBronco]

Middlebrooks gone
Cornerback traded to San Francisco for DE Engelberger

By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News
July 16, 2005

In the end, the Broncos were able to trade a player without a career interception to gain a player with 58 career starts and 17.5 career sacks.

Not bad for a few days' work.


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The Broncos and the San Francisco 49ers completed the paperwork for the trade Friday morning that sent cornerback Willie Middlebrooks, the team's first-round pick in the 2001 draft, to the 49ers in exchange for 28-year-old defensive end John Engelberger.

Engelberger, a five-year starter for the 49ers, joins a large group of defensive linemen fighting for playing time in Denver.

The former All-Big East performer at Virginia Tech had a career-most six sacks last season but was deemed expendable by first-year coach Mike Nolan because of the switch to a 3-4 defense.

The 49ers considered Engelberger, at 268 pounds, too small to play the position. He was bumped down the depth chart this off-season.

His contract, which he signed in March 2004 and runs through the 2007 season, comes with him in the trade. Engelberger is scheduled to count $1.665 million against the salary cap this season and $2.150 million next season.

Calls to Engelberger's off-season home in Virginia were not returned Thursday night or Friday. A call to Middlebrooks' Aurora home also was not returned. Most players usually use the weeks before training camp for their last vacations before the season.

The Broncos report for training camp July 28.

The Broncos have been one of the most active teams in the trade market this off-season, already having acquired defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban, defensive tackle Gerard Warren, defensive tackle Michael Myers, punter Todd Sauerbrun and Engelberger.

Denver, according to two teams reached Friday, was shopping defensive tackle Dorsett Davis at the same time they were dangling Middlebrooks around the league.

Davis is another first-day draft pick for the Broncos who has been unable to find significant playing time.

[SoCalBronco]

Davis, a third-round pick in the 2002 draft, has played in only 14 games in his career - no starts - but all of those came in 2003. He spent last season on injured reserve and was a game-day inactive for all 16 games in 2002.

Middlebrooks' spot on the Broncos roster was tenuous at best, especially after a New Year's Day arrest on domestic violence charges. He has an Oct. 11 court date and still could face a possible suspension under the league's personal conduct policy.

Denver used three picks in April's draft on cornerbacks to go with the two picks the Broncos used in the 2004 draft on cornerbacks.

Middlebrooks, who said this past season he hoped he finally had turned the corner in his injury-filled career, finished 2004 on injured reserve because of an injury to his lower left leg. He also had hamstring troubles during the season.

Since being the Broncos' first pick in the 2001 draft, the 24th player selected overall, Middlebrooks started only two games in his career. Guard Ben Hamilton is the only player from the 2001 draft still on the roster.

legwoldj@RockyMountainNews.com
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Interesting. Prolly means he hasnt shown jack which has been the case since the beginning (but for the spring of 03). I wonder if they are still shopping him even after making one trade. I dont see any real value for Dorsett out there. He looks the part but thats about it. There is nothing there on the inside though.

I am happy though. I like how Shanny is looking at the deadweights and trying to shed the fat so to speak in terms of cutting off guys who arent going to contribute anyway while at the same time getting some value for them. Gotta maximize value and get what you can get for your scrubs. At the very least, it puts everyone on notice that there are only a finite amount of oppurtunities you will get, no matter your draft position. Sure, they'll get a couple shots at the brass ring, but only a couple before we try and get as much as we can for them.

Solid.

[Kaylore]

Lets trade him for a nickle-back.

[SoCalBronco]

Lets trade him for a nickle-back.

That would be nice Khan, but i dunno if anyone would give us any corner of value for the guy. Maybe some DL coach somewhere thinks they can turn him into something. Maybe they are intrigued with him since he is a specimen on the exterior. That's the trap we fell in 3 years ago though. That prospect of potential might be attractive to someone but i dont think they would part witha quality nickel guy though.

Never know for sure though, the 49ers were dumber than we even thought they were.

[watermock]

To be fair, he had an injured pinky last year.

I don't think he has any trade value. I would be shocked. We have a zillion DL. If this clown shows up like a pig, just cut line.

[watermock]

Let's sell him to the niner's for Rattay. heh...

[Clockwork Orange]

I would normally jump in here with a "who on earth would gve up anything for Dorsett Davis" comment, but the Broncos just managed to get something for Middlebust so I guess anything's possible.

[Bronco Yoda]

can't wait to see our new 6-4 defensive formation this year with champ playing deep outfielder.

[watermock]

I would normally jump in here with a "who on earth would gve up anything for Dorsett Davis" comment, but the Broncos just managed to get something for Middlebust so I guess anything's possible.

I have heard that the guy looks like Bruce Smith, but "looks like Tarzan plays like Jane" only takes you so far.

We wouldn't of made a dozen changes if Davis was a part of the future.

[watermock]

It woudn't surprise me at all to see some sort of 86 type defnese next year.

I would say this is a pretty flexible defense.

[Bronco LB 59]

Dorsett has been a major disapointment thus far, but youth is still on his side. I don't like the idea of trading one of the few young defensive linemen on the team with room to grow. Dorsett is well worth giving another shot.

[watermock]

Dorsett has been a major disapointment thus far, but youth is still on his side. I don't like the idea of trading one of the few young defensive linemen on the team with room to grow. Dorsett is well worth giving another shot.

That might be true if we didn't have three dozen DL. Eventually, you just cut line.

[Arkansas Bronco]

I say we trade him off for 3 snowcones.....cherry ones

[Drek]

Talk about just sticking something out there and hoping for a sucker. The FO would probably take a 7th round draft pick for him at this point, because I don't see how he makes it through camp cuts, let alone pre-season cuts. Who knows though, we moved Middlebrooks for a solid backup to the DL, and I would assume saved money in the process (1st rounder v. 2nd rounder contracts).

[elsid13]

I guess the front office is real clearing the non-performer for the team. I wonder if this part of the plan or they are just taking the opperunity to clean this up. Maybe we trade him for punter.....

[Broncoman13]

I'm thinking a 6th or 7th for Davis. He comes at a fairly cheap price so a team may pull the trigger.

[TotallyScrewed]

Package him with Engleberger and pick up Andre Carter???

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Just replace the 7th that went to Carolina for Sauerbrun

[ND Bronco Fan]

I say we trade him off for 3 snowcones.....cherry ones

I freakin love cherry snowcones.......probably the reason I am not in the front office of any team I guess.

[illbroncsfn]

Just replace the 7th that went to Carolina for Sauerbrun

I think a 7th is a reasonable place to start, only if it is tied to playing incentives that could move the pick up to a 4th rd choice...

[Needa Pass Rush]

Just replace the 7th that went to Carolina for Sauerbrun

Replace the 7th with a 6th! As a Broncos fan I looooooooove 6th round selections! :charge:

[Pat Bowlen]

I say we trade him off for 3 snowcones.....cherry ones
I'm working on it.

[Atlas]

Lets trade him for a nickle-back.

Trade Davis/Fatefehi or Davis/Myers for a nickleback.

[broncosteven]

It would be sweet if they got a low round pick & left the roster spot open so we could carry the kick off specialist rookie. Would like to see them try to move Q also later in preseaon if he is healthy. We could have a stock pile of picks like Patsys & Egirls seem to have every year.

[DBroncos4life]

Miami would have been a good choice but they picked Wright. Philly maybe the next option to trade him too. 7th round pick would be nice instead of just cutting him.