Bronco Rob
06-19-2009, 03:40 AM
Inside Slant
After a few quiet weeks—a rarity since Josh McDaniels took over as head coach—the Denver Broncos found themselves in another full-fledged personnel controversy.
Receiver Brandon Marshall wants out.
Earlier this offseason, quarterback Jay Cutler forced his way out of Denver by demanding a trade. He was dealt to Chicago.
The Broncos’ situation with Marshall is different, but a major problem nonetheless. Marshall stayed away from the team’s mandatory minicamp, upset with his own contract and a hip injury that wasn’t diagnosed properly last season. He had surgery this offseason and is still recovering while mostly rehabbing at his Orlando, Fla., home.
A meeting with team officials, including owner Pat Bowlen, led to the trade request. Marshall posted on his blog that he was ready to move on.
“It’s hard leaving an organization ran by one of the best owners in all of sports, and someone who’s been there for me through my ups and downs,” Marshall’s blog said.
The Broncos have a decision to make. Marshall has one year left on his contract, with a base salary of about $2.2 million. Marshall would be a restricted free agent after this season. He would be fined every day he holds out of training camp, if he chooses to do so.
McDaniels has preached team over individuals, especially in the wake of the Cutler trade. Also trading Marshall when he asks out could be bad precedent for the new regime. The team also needs playmakers, and Marshall had more than 100 catches each of the last two seasons.
Giving Marshall a new contract might also not send the right message, or be in the best interest of the team. Marshall has dealt with some off-field incidents, which led to a one-game suspension by the NFL last season. The Broncos did send a message by extending center Casey Wiegmann’s contract. Wiegmann was unhappy with his contract but showed up to all offseason training activities.
Because Marshall doesn’t have much leverage, the Broncos don’t have to trade him if they don’t get the right offer. The Broncos moved quickly to trade Cutler a couple of months ago after Cutler refused to return messages. The team doesn’t seem to have the same kind of urgency to move Marshall.
Notes, Quotes
• The Broncos didn’t wait until training camp to name a starting quarterback, pegging Kyle Orton before the team’s mandatory minicamp was over. The move was no surprise, considering Orton has a longer history of NFL success than Chris Simms, and he was a key to the trade that sent Jay Cutler to Chicago.
Orton has 5,319 yards in his 33 career starts, all with Chicago. He has a 21-12 record as a starter.
• Linebacker Boss Bailey, who had microfracture surgery last year, was released by the team. Bailey would have fit in the mix with the Broncos’ outside linebackers in their new 3-4 scheme, but the team will move on without him. Darrell Reid, Robert Ayers, Elvis Dumervil and Tim Crowder were the top outside linebackers at the team’s most recent minicamp.
• Center Casey Wiegmann was given a raise and a contract extension. The 2008 Pro Bowler wasn’t happy with his contract, which had only one year remaining on it. His deal was extended through 2010. Wiegmann had expressed recently that it would have been difficult for him to show up to training camp without a new extension.
• Broncos center Blake Schlueter signed a contract, the first of Denver’s draft picks to sign a deal. Schlueter was a seventh-round pick. The Broncos drafted 10 players in April.
Quote To Note: “The hardest thing was hearing Mr. B (Broncos owner Pat Bowlen) wish me luck in the future, but we both came to the conclusion that this is probably the best thing for me to grow on and off the field.”—Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall, from his blog, concerning his trade request.
:afro:
After a few quiet weeks—a rarity since Josh McDaniels took over as head coach—the Denver Broncos found themselves in another full-fledged personnel controversy.
Receiver Brandon Marshall wants out.
Earlier this offseason, quarterback Jay Cutler forced his way out of Denver by demanding a trade. He was dealt to Chicago.
The Broncos’ situation with Marshall is different, but a major problem nonetheless. Marshall stayed away from the team’s mandatory minicamp, upset with his own contract and a hip injury that wasn’t diagnosed properly last season. He had surgery this offseason and is still recovering while mostly rehabbing at his Orlando, Fla., home.
A meeting with team officials, including owner Pat Bowlen, led to the trade request. Marshall posted on his blog that he was ready to move on.
“It’s hard leaving an organization ran by one of the best owners in all of sports, and someone who’s been there for me through my ups and downs,” Marshall’s blog said.
The Broncos have a decision to make. Marshall has one year left on his contract, with a base salary of about $2.2 million. Marshall would be a restricted free agent after this season. He would be fined every day he holds out of training camp, if he chooses to do so.
McDaniels has preached team over individuals, especially in the wake of the Cutler trade. Also trading Marshall when he asks out could be bad precedent for the new regime. The team also needs playmakers, and Marshall had more than 100 catches each of the last two seasons.
Giving Marshall a new contract might also not send the right message, or be in the best interest of the team. Marshall has dealt with some off-field incidents, which led to a one-game suspension by the NFL last season. The Broncos did send a message by extending center Casey Wiegmann’s contract. Wiegmann was unhappy with his contract but showed up to all offseason training activities.
Because Marshall doesn’t have much leverage, the Broncos don’t have to trade him if they don’t get the right offer. The Broncos moved quickly to trade Cutler a couple of months ago after Cutler refused to return messages. The team doesn’t seem to have the same kind of urgency to move Marshall.
Notes, Quotes
• The Broncos didn’t wait until training camp to name a starting quarterback, pegging Kyle Orton before the team’s mandatory minicamp was over. The move was no surprise, considering Orton has a longer history of NFL success than Chris Simms, and he was a key to the trade that sent Jay Cutler to Chicago.
Orton has 5,319 yards in his 33 career starts, all with Chicago. He has a 21-12 record as a starter.
• Linebacker Boss Bailey, who had microfracture surgery last year, was released by the team. Bailey would have fit in the mix with the Broncos’ outside linebackers in their new 3-4 scheme, but the team will move on without him. Darrell Reid, Robert Ayers, Elvis Dumervil and Tim Crowder were the top outside linebackers at the team’s most recent minicamp.
• Center Casey Wiegmann was given a raise and a contract extension. The 2008 Pro Bowler wasn’t happy with his contract, which had only one year remaining on it. His deal was extended through 2010. Wiegmann had expressed recently that it would have been difficult for him to show up to training camp without a new extension.
• Broncos center Blake Schlueter signed a contract, the first of Denver’s draft picks to sign a deal. Schlueter was a seventh-round pick. The Broncos drafted 10 players in April.
Quote To Note: “The hardest thing was hearing Mr. B (Broncos owner Pat Bowlen) wish me luck in the future, but we both came to the conclusion that this is probably the best thing for me to grow on and off the field.”—Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall, from his blog, concerning his trade request.
:afro: