B-MarshGate?: Discerning the Truth Through the Speculation

The Denver Broncos page here at Bleacher Report has been inundated as of late with a myriad of articles about Brandon Marshall.  As news gets slow in the off-season this story has made many writers experience a rubbernecking effect. 

 

It seems that no one can help themselves. Writers here at B/R just can’t look away and as a result editorials have run amok.

 

Many of these articles were written by hateful rivals who couldn’t pass up the chance to relish in the misfortune of the team they disdain. For them this was a welcome distraction from the issues of their own teams and a chance for some retribution for past attacks.

 

For others it was an exercise of arrogance.  It helped their self-esteem to write an article that would receive a lot of traffic. 

 

Unfortunately, all the reads in the world couldn’t change the fact that they spoke from a place of ignorance about the team, player and situation in question. These “writers” have speculated wildly and have muddied an already complicated situation. 

 

So let me simplify it for everyone by simply stating the facts:  

 

Brandon Marshall was drafted in the fourth round (119^th overall) of the 2006 NFL draft. Brandon has had a productive NFL Career.

 

Receiving Stats (Regular Season)
Year	Team	G	GS	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	1st	Fum	Fum Lost	YAC	Trgt
2006	Denver Broncos	15	1	20	309	15.5	71	2	14	1	0	110	37
2007	Denver Broncos	16	16	102	1,325	13.0	68	7	70	3	1	505	170
2008	Denver Broncos	15	15	104	1,265	12.2	47	6	65	4	3	419	181
Totals		46	32	226	2,899	12.8	71	15	149	8	4	1,034	388

 

(Due to this production many consider Marshall to be one of the top ten wide receivers in the NFL.)

 

Brandon Marshall has only ever had Jay Cutler throwing him the ball in the NFL. Jay Cutler made more pass attempts to Brandon Marshall than any other receiver on his team during his time in Denver.

 

Brandon Marshall is in the final year of a four-year rookie contract where he is scheduled to make $2.198 million this season. Many NFL players renegotiate and seek contract extensions in the final year of their contracts.

 

Based on an NFL salary database compiled by USA Today last season; 58 receivers made more than $2.2 million last season. Brandon Marshall walked into Dove Valley headquarters the afternoon of Friday June 13^th  for a private meeting with team owner Pat Bowlen.

 

Marshall walked out a little more than an hour later carrying packed boxes to his car before driving away from the players’ parking lot. Marshall has complained about the Broncos’ medical staff, accusing them of not discovering the full extent of his hip problem last year.

 

Brandon Marshall has not yet participated in any off-season activities with the Denver Broncos in 2009. Marshall  has been arrested three times in the span of 12 months, twice for domestic disputes.

Marshall was suspended for three games at the start of the 2008 season.  The suspension was knocked down to one game after a Marshall appeal.

A Broncos player has not held out from training camp since receiver Ashley Lelie in 2006. Lelie eventually was traded to San Francisco, a move that helped clear playing time for a rookie named Brandon Marshall

 

Jay Cutler demanded to be traded this off-season, and was later traded to the Chicago Bears.

 

Brandon Marshall released the following statement on his personal website:

 

“To whom it may concern. Life is filled with change, and where I am in my life now change is probably best. 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. The hardest thing was hearing Mr. B 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.”

 

When questioned about Marshall’s situation in light of the above statement Josh McDaniels responded “We look forward to having Brandon at training camp.”

 

These are the Facts of the Situation, and as such they are undisputed.

 

In the end this whole situation is about Money and Trust.

 

Should Marshall get paid?  Yes.

 

Despite Marshall’s legal issues, immaturity, injury and possible suspension he is still one of the best receivers in the game (In my personal opinion) and he warrants a contract that reflects his ability. 

 

Do the Denver Broncos have a right to protect their own interests? Yes.

 

Along with elite talent, Marshall brings with him a hailstorm of concerns that could be a major liability to the franchise.  For all the benefits the Broncos would garner from Marshall’s services they also get a player with a lot of question marks. 

 

He could be suspended for half a season, he might not be able to return to form after injury, or he may struggle to adapt to McDaniels’ new offensive system.

 

Marshall has also taken issue with the Broncos medical staff, who were either incompetent or were not completely honest with him about his injury.  Can this trust be mended with Marshall?  I don’t know.

 

Marshall has requested to be traded.  This could be merely a tactic in contract negotiations or it could be a legitimate desire to no longer play in Denver.

 

If this relationship can be mended with money, I believe that the Broncos should pay the man.  I understand that it is a gamble, you are taking the risk that in paying him he may under perform or get himself into further trouble that prevents him from playing, but in my estimation it is worth it to role the dice with Marshall. 

 

The Broncos can help protect themselves from Brandon’s troubles by structuring the contract with clauses that penalize Marshall for his misdeeds off the field while satiating his desire for a larger paycheck.  

 

If Marshall really wants out of Denver though, the Broncos need to get as much as they can for him.   If a player doesn’t want to be with your team you have three options:  you can keep him and make him play, make him sit, or let him go. 

 

If you keep him he can be a distraction and a cancer a la T.O.  If he plays he is playing for himself and not the team a la T.O.

 

If he sits, the organization is wasting their money on a player that adds no value to the team. If you let him go you may not get equal value for the player in return, but you allow your team to move on. 

 

Cincinnatiis not all the better for keeping Ochocinco instead of cutting him loose.  He has underperformed and his value has degraded over the past few years. 

 

The Eagles were better with T.O. than without him, yet everyone in Philly will tell you that letting him go was the right thing to do.

 

There is a way to manage this situation where all parties come to the table and leave satisfied.  As long as the communication lines stay open, Denver can keep Marshall while still protecting themselves and ensuring the balance of power stays with the franchise. 

 

Personally, I don’t buy the desire to be traded.  It is just a dance, a posturing for position in the game of contract negotiation.  Marshall is trying to gain the upper hand by saying he wants out, when he really just wants to get paid. 

 

The Broncos are not succumbing to the fear of loss Marshall is trying to create.  Denver knows they hold all the cards and they are going to play it cool. 

 

The story is not over yet and I’m sure the speculation will not end here.

Brandon Lloyd Signs With Denver; Brandon Marshall Demands Trade

No, the two player moves are not related, at least I don’t think they are. But it’s fun putting the two headlines together.

In a move that strikes fear in no one in the AFC West, the Denver Broncos signed wide receiver Brandon Lloyd to a contract.

Lloyd still evokes shame and doubt in me. I referred to him as a “gifted receiver” when the Washington Redskins signed him and Adam Archuleta as the last pieces needed for that supposed 2006 Super Bowl run.

The experience taught Washington’s blogging community that healthy skepticism is a good thing. That’s why we can question the logic of what we’re hearing from Redskin Park without any disloyalty to the team.

Lloyd caught 43 and 48 passes the two seasons with San Francisco before he signed with Washington. The 49ers were a weak team with a question mark at quarterback. Surely, we thought, Lloyd would blossom with Joe Gibbs’ Skins, who made the playoffs in 2005.

It was only after he bombed here (23 receptions, 365 yards, 0 TDs), and after reading a passing reference by Skin Patrol on HogsHaven.com, that I took a deep look at Lloyd’s 49er performance.

Brandon Lloyd was not the equal of Rod Gardner, the man he was brought in to replace.

Gardner, called “fifty-fifty” by Bruce Smith and others because those were the odds he would catch any ball that hit his hands, managed 46 receptions and four touchdowns as a rookie. Over the next three seasons, Gardner never caught less than 51 passes nor fewer than five touchdowns in any one year.

Lloyd never caught more than 48 passes in any season in his career. He contributed 23 receptions in Washington’s disastrous 2006 nightmare.

Pro Football Prospectus 2008 says Lloyd caught 44 percent of the passes thrown his way in 2005. And that was his best year.

Odds are that Lloyd is merely the practice dummy for new Denver QB Kyle Orton.

As if to say “there’s not enough room in Denver for two Brandon’s,” wide receiver Brandon Marshall is demanding a trade. Shockingly, Denver is considering it.

If Denver can set up a draft auction for QB Jay Cutler, why not do the same for Cutler’s No. 1 receiver Marshall? I don’t think that’s going to happen, but I didn’t think the Broncos would cut Cutler loose for any amount of draft picks.

Marshall’s good-bye statement is up on his web site.

“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.  The hardest thing was hearing Mr. B 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.”

It’s a small world and a round one. Brandon Marshall’s trade demands are the same as Brandon Lloyd’s in 2005-06 before he joined the Redskins.

This scares me shirtless.

Redskins owner Daniel Snyder was willing to trade first round picks for Chad Ochocinco (nee Johnson), Jay Cutler and Mark Sanchez. He will at least think about Marshall, who’s a much better receiver than Lloyd, or Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly.

We lambaste Daniel Snyder with regularity in Washington. It could be worse.

Pat Bowlen could be the Redskins’ owner. I have no idea what he’s doing to the Broncos. Chances are that he doesn’t, either. 

This story originally published on redskinshogheaven.com.

Brandon Lloyd Signs With Denver; Brandon Marshall Demands Trade

No, the two player moves are not related, at least I don’t think they are. But it’s fun putting the two headlines together.

In a move that strikes fear in no one in the AFC West, the Denver Broncos signed wide receiver Brandon Lloyd to a contract.

Lloyd still evokes shame and doubt in me. I referred to him as a “gifted receiver” when the Washington Redskins signed him and Adam Archuleta as the last pieces needed for that supposed 2006 Super Bowl run.

The experience taught Washington’s blogging community that healthy skepticism is a good thing. That’s why we can question the logic of what we’re hearing from Redskin Park without any disloyalty to the team.

Lloyd caught 43 and 48 passes the two seasons with San Francisco before he signed with Washington. The 49ers were a weak team with a question mark at quarterback. Surely, we thought, Lloyd would blossom with Joe Gibbs’ Skins, who made the playoffs in 2005.

It was only after he bombed here (23 receptions, 365 yards, 0 TDs), and after reading a passing reference by Skin Patrol on HogsHaven.com, that I took a deep look at Lloyd’s 49er performance.

Brandon Lloyd was not the equal of Rod Gardner, the man he was brought in to replace.

Gardner, called “fifty-fifty” by Bruce Smith and others because those were the odds he would catch any ball that hit his hands, managed 46 receptions and four touchdowns as a rookie. Over the next three seasons, Gardner never caught less than 51 passes nor fewer than five touchdowns in any one year.

Lloyd never caught more than 48 passes in any season in his career. He contributed 23 receptions in Washington’s disastrous 2006 nightmare.

Pro Football Prospectus 2008 says Lloyd caught 44 percent of the passes thrown his way in 2005. And that was his best year.

Odds are that Lloyd is merely the practice dummy for new Denver QB Kyle Orton.

As if to say “there’s not enough room in Denver for two Brandon’s,” wide receiver Brandon Marshall is demanding a trade. Shockingly, Denver is considering it.

If Denver can set up a draft auction for QB Jay Cutler, why not do the same for Cutler’s No. 1 receiver Marshall? I don’t think that’s going to happen, but I didn’t think the Broncos would cut Cutler loose for any amount of draft picks.

Marshall’s good-bye statement is up on his web site.

“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.  The hardest thing was hearing Mr. B 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.”

It’s a small world and a round one. Brandon Marshall’s trade demands are the same as Brandon Lloyd’s in 2005-06 before he joined the Redskins.

This scares me shirtless.

Redskins owner Daniel Snyder was willing to trade first round picks for Chad Ochocinco (nee Johnson), Jay Cutler and Mark Sanchez. He will at least think about Marshall, who’s a much better receiver than Lloyd, or Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly.

We lambaste Daniel Snyder with regularity in Washington. It could be worse.

Pat Bowlen could be the Redskins’ owner. I have no idea what he’s doing to the Broncos. Chances are that he doesn’t, either. 

This story originally published on redskinshogheaven.com.

Never To Early: A Sneak Peak at The AFC West (Part 2 of 8)

This is part two of my eight-part series breaking down the entire NFL as we move closer to the 2009 season.

 

AFC WEST

San Diego Chargers

Last season, the Chargers were more unpredictable than the jumping lightning bolts they’re named after. Losing two heart-breakers in Weeks One and Two, they rebounded to beat the New York Jets by 19 at home. Their first two defeats seemed like sheer misfortune—we all were expecting another 10-win season. But heading into Week 14 the Chargers sat at 4-8, with the Broncos lapping the rest of the division.

Then Phillip Rivers showed he was one of the leagues’ elite.

Four straight victories coupled with a momentous collapse by the Broncos, and the Chargers once again snuck into the playoffs after a sluggish start to the season. Darren Sproles ignited a Wild Card victory over Indianapolis in overtime, but the Pittsburgh Steelers proved to be to much at home in the Divisional Round.

Steady Rivers

Phillip Rivers demonstrated his talents in 2007, after a valiant effort in Indianapolis lead to a Chargers birth in the AFC title game. In 2008, he made sure everyone knew that game wasn’t a coincidence. His 34 touchdowns led the NFL, and he managed to throw only 11 interceptions.

He was the most consistent player for San Diego in a year when LaDainain Tomlinson and Shawn Merriman suffered injuries. Tomlinson was able to play sparingly, while Merriman was sidelined for the year after hobbling on defense in Week One.

The franchise is riding Phillip Rivers’ tenacity and arm strength, and the team will go as far as he can take them.

’09 Outlook

Mr. Merriman is slated to be ready in Week One, and although Igor Olshansky is now a Cowboy, the Chargers drafted Northern Illinois’ hybrid Larry English, who was a prominent force in his career in the Mid-American Conference. San Diego was able to keep Darren Sproles and LaDainian Tomlinson on their roster, and added brute Gartrell Johnson to the mix in the draft.

The Chargers’ coaching staff is counting on big targets, Malcolm Floyd and Vincent Jackson to continue to improve, which spells lots of trouble for any defense. Health is always a concern, but San Diego should be fully charged heading into 2009.

Denver Broncos

How could a team led by Mike Shanahan and Jay Cutler give up such a vast divisional lead so late in the season, and fail to make the playoffs?

Maybe you can tell me, cause I haven’t been able to figure it out just yet. Cutler had a Pro-Bowl season but his 18 interceptions definitely played a role in the Bronco blunder. Their supposed lock-down secondary two-some of Champ Bailey and Dre Bly was surprisingly permeable, as they ranked near the bottom of the NFL in all the major defensive categories.

Buckin’ Bronco

This offseasons’ soap opera was placed in the lovely city of Denver. After apparently being dangled as trade bait, Jay Cutler completely shut off communication with new head coach Josh McDaniels and owner Pat Bowlen.

After a feud that seemingly got more weird each week, Cutler was shipped to Chicago for Kyle Orton and some draft picks. With the Cuter catastrophe over, the Broncos went on a serious shopping spree. After signing Brandon Loyd, Lamont Jordan, Brian Dawkins, J.J. Arrington and Correll Buckhalter, it was obvious the Broncos were in complete overhaul mode with their new Head Coach.

Now, Brandon Marshall is demanding to be traded.

Come on guys, give Bowlen a break, he’s had enough headache this offseason.

’09 Outlook 

We haven’t seen a team completely renovate their roster like Denver did this off season in quite some time. McDaniels is known for being a great coach of system quarterbacks, and that’s the type of quarterback Kyle Orton is.

Draftee Knowshon Moreno oddly enters what seems to be a log-jam at the running back position, but there is a bevy of talent in the backfield. Brian Dawkins brings much needed resolve to a defense that’s lacked drive in the past.

Obviously, the status of Brandon Marshall looms large in Denver, but I’m thinking the Broncos may be in a very unusual rebuilding mode. Kyle Orton will be center point of the team in 2009.

 

Oakland Raiders

The Raiders were back to their old tricks last season. Saying Al Davis embarrassed Lane Kiffin in his press conference—where he fired the former USC assistant—is the understatement of the year.

JaMarcus Russell started 15 games and threw 13 touchdowns to only eight interceptions, but Raiders fans want more out of the 2007 No. 1 overall pick. The dream running back trio of Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas, and Michael Bush never fully developed and Zach Millers’ 56 receptions were nearly 30 grabs ahead of McFadden who finished with a mere 29.

The defense was anchored by Nnamdi Asomugha but he only recorded one interception on the year.

Draft to Remember

The Raiders 2009 draft was undoubtedly one to remember—for all the wrong reasons. In one of the most unprecedented reaches in recent draft history, the Raiders selected Darius Heyward-Bey out of Maryland, who never made an All-ACC first team, with the seventh overall pick.

Heyward-Bey, who has upside, ran the fastest 40 time at the combine, and many believe his great clocked speed was the main factor in Al Davis pulling the trigger. To seemingly make matters worse, Michael Mitchell, a workout warrior from Ohio University, who many had slated as a second day prospect, was selected 47th overall in the second round.

Boy Al Davis, do you make things interesting.

’09 Outlook

Believe it or not, outside of the draft, the Raiders had a respectable offseason. Jeff Garcia was brought in to, well, we’re not sure yet? He’ll surely provide great competition for the young Russell in camp, if nothing else.

Lorenzo Neal brings his bulldozer mentality to a backfield with a lot of young flair. Greg Ellis should bolster a defense that may turn the corner and become one of the AFC’s best. If the quarterback, whoever it may be, can manage games consistently, while relying on what should be a daunting running assault, the Raiders may win a few more games this season.

Heyward-Bey needs to confirm the Raiders decision on drafting him over the likes of Jeremy Maclin, and cross-town rival, Michael Crabtree. We’ll see where Al Davis takes his team in 2009.

 

Kansas City Chiefs

It’s well known that the Chiefs have one of the best fan bases in the NFL. A 2-14 record doesn’t cut it with the die-hard Kansas City faithful, re-building or not. Tyler Thigpen was a fantasy steal during some stretches, but he’s simply not experienced enough to be a legitimate starting quarterback in the NFL.

Larry Johnson started 12 games and although he averaged 4.5 yards a carry, his five scores were well under what we’re used to seeing out of one of the NFL’s best.

Dwayne Bowe built on his stellar rookie season with 86 grabs and accumulated over 1,000 yards receiving. A few crushing losses led to their worst season in quite some time.

The Pioli Push

With Scott Pioli, the true mastermind behind the Patriots’ dynasty, now controlling all player personnel decisions, the Chiefs know they have a great mind in their front office.

In somewhat of a fishy deal, the Chiefs were able to gather Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel from New England for chump change. They made a surprise pick at No. 3 overall in the draft when the chose Tyson Jackson out of LSU.

Switching to a new coach, quarterback, and defensive scheme encourages Chief fans to have faith in Pioli.

’09 Outlook

Tony Gonzalez is now a Falcon, but Matt Cassel still has offensive weapons at his disposal. The aforementioned Bowe has legitimized himself as a No. 1 receiver, and Bobby Engram was brought in to play the role as not only a possession guy, but as a mentor to the young group of receivers behind him.

The offensive line needs to detain edge rushers to give Cassel plenty of time to throw, and must pave the way for the one-two punch of Johnson and Jamal Charles. A lot is looking up in Kansas City, but don’t expect great amounts of improvement this season.

 

Your thoughts?

Part 3 Coming Soon….AFC EAST

Never To Early: A Sneak Peak at The AFC West (Part 2 of 8)

This is part two of my eight-part series breaking down the entire NFL as we move closer to the 2009 season.

 

AFC WEST

San Diego Chargers

Last season, the Chargers were more unpredictable than the jumping lightning bolts they’re named after. Losing two heart-breakers in Weeks One and Two, they rebounded to beat the New York Jets by 19 at home. Their first two defeats seemed like sheer misfortune—we all were expecting another 10-win season. But heading into Week 14 the Chargers sat at 4-8, with the Broncos lapping the rest of the division.

Then Phillip Rivers showed he was one of the leagues’ elite.

Four straight victories coupled with a momentous collapse by the Broncos, and the Chargers once again snuck into the playoffs after a sluggish start to the season. Darren Sproles ignited a Wild Card victory over Indianapolis in overtime, but the Pittsburgh Steelers proved to be to much at home in the Divisional Round.

Steady Rivers

Phillip Rivers demonstrated his talents in 2007, after a valiant effort in Indianapolis lead to a Chargers birth in the AFC title game. In 2008, he made sure everyone knew that game wasn’t a coincidence. His 34 touchdowns led the NFL, and he managed to throw only 11 interceptions.

He was the most consistent player for San Diego in a year when LaDainain Tomlinson and Shawn Merriman suffered injuries. Tomlinson was able to play sparingly, while Merriman was sidelined for the year after hobbling on defense in Week One.

The franchise is riding Phillip Rivers’ tenacity and arm strength, and the team will go as far as he can take them.

’09 Outlook

Mr. Merriman is slated to be ready in Week One, and although Igor Olshansky is now a Cowboy, the Chargers drafted Northern Illinois’ hybrid Larry English, who was a prominent force in his career in the Mid-American Conference. San Diego was able to keep Darren Sproles and LaDainian Tomlinson on their roster, and added brute Gartrell Johnson to the mix in the draft.

The Chargers’ coaching staff is counting on big targets, Malcolm Floyd and Vincent Jackson to continue to improve, which spells lots of trouble for any defense. Health is always a concern, but San Diego should be fully charged heading into 2009.

Denver Broncos

How could a team led by Mike Shanahan and Jay Cutler give up such a vast divisional lead so late in the season, and fail to make the playoffs?

Maybe you can tell me, cause I haven’t been able to figure it out just yet. Cutler had a Pro-Bowl season but his 18 interceptions definitely played a role in the Bronco blunder. Their supposed lock-down secondary two-some of Champ Bailey and Dre Bly was surprisingly permeable, as they ranked near the bottom of the NFL in all the major defensive categories.

Buckin’ Bronco

This offseasons’ soap opera was placed in the lovely city of Denver. After apparently being dangled as trade bait, Jay Cutler completely shut off communication with new head coach Josh McDaniels and owner Pat Bowlen.

After a feud that seemingly got more weird each week, Cutler was shipped to Chicago for Kyle Orton and some draft picks. With the Cuter catastrophe over, the Broncos went on a serious shopping spree. After signing Brandon Loyd, Lamont Jordan, Brian Dawkins, J.J. Arrington and Correll Buckhalter, it was obvious the Broncos were in complete overhaul mode with their new Head Coach.

Now, Brandon Marshall is demanding to be traded.

Come on guys, give Bowlen a break, he’s had enough headache this offseason.

’09 Outlook 

We haven’t seen a team completely renovate their roster like Denver did this off season in quite some time. McDaniels is known for being a great coach of system quarterbacks, and that’s the type of quarterback Kyle Orton is.

Draftee Knowshon Moreno oddly enters what seems to be a log-jam at the running back position, but there is a bevy of talent in the backfield. Brian Dawkins brings much needed resolve to a defense that’s lacked drive in the past.

Obviously, the status of Brandon Marshall looms large in Denver, but I’m thinking the Broncos may be in a very unusual rebuilding mode. Kyle Orton will be center point of the team in 2009.

 

Oakland Raiders

The Raiders were back to their old tricks last season. Saying Al Davis embarrassed Lane Kiffin in his press conference—where he fired the former USC assistant—is the understatement of the year.

JaMarcus Russell started 15 games and threw 13 touchdowns to only eight interceptions, but Raiders fans want more out of the 2007 No. 1 overall pick. The dream running back trio of Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas, and Michael Bush never fully developed and Zach Millers’ 56 receptions were nearly 30 grabs ahead of McFadden who finished with a mere 29.

The defense was anchored by Nnamdi Asomugha but he only recorded one interception on the year.

Draft to Remember

The Raiders 2009 draft was undoubtedly one to remember—for all the wrong reasons. In one of the most unprecedented reaches in recent draft history, the Raiders selected Darius Heyward-Bey out of Maryland, who never made an All-ACC first team, with the seventh overall pick.

Heyward-Bey, who has upside, ran the fastest 40 time at the combine, and many believe his great clocked speed was the main factor in Al Davis pulling the trigger. To seemingly make matters worse, Michael Mitchell, a workout warrior from Ohio University, who many had slated as a second day prospect, was selected 47th overall in the second round.

Boy Al Davis, do you make things interesting.

’09 Outlook

Believe it or not, outside of the draft, the Raiders had a respectable offseason. Jeff Garcia was brought in to, well, we’re not sure yet? He’ll surely provide great competition for the young Russell in camp, if nothing else.

Lorenzo Neal brings his bulldozer mentality to a backfield with a lot of young flair. Greg Ellis should bolster a defense that may turn the corner and become one of the AFC’s best. If the quarterback, whoever it may be, can manage games consistently, while relying on what should be a daunting running assault, the Raiders may win a few more games this season.

Heyward-Bey needs to confirm the Raiders decision on drafting him over the likes of Jeremy Maclin, and cross-town rival, Michael Crabtree. We’ll see where Al Davis takes his team in 2009.

 

Kansas City Chiefs

It’s well known that the Chiefs have one of the best fan bases in the NFL. A 2-14 record doesn’t cut it with the die-hard Kansas City faithful, re-building or not. Tyler Thigpen was a fantasy steal during some stretches, but he’s simply not experienced enough to be a legitimate starting quarterback in the NFL.

Larry Johnson started 12 games and although he averaged 4.5 yards a carry, his five scores were well under what we’re used to seeing out of one of the NFL’s best.

Dwayne Bowe built on his stellar rookie season with 86 grabs and accumulated over 1,000 yards receiving. A few crushing losses led to their worst season in quite some time.

The Pioli Push

With Scott Pioli, the true mastermind behind the Patriots’ dynasty, now controlling all player personnel decisions, the Chiefs know they have a great mind in their front office.

In somewhat of a fishy deal, the Chiefs were able to gather Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel from New England for chump change. They made a surprise pick at No. 3 overall in the draft when the chose Tyson Jackson out of LSU.

Switching to a new coach, quarterback, and defensive scheme encourages Chief fans to have faith in Pioli.

’09 Outlook

Tony Gonzalez is now a Falcon, but Matt Cassel still has offensive weapons at his disposal. The aforementioned Bowe has legitimized himself as a No. 1 receiver, and Bobby Engram was brought in to play the role as not only a possession guy, but as a mentor to the young group of receivers behind him.

The offensive line needs to detain edge rushers to give Cassel plenty of time to throw, and must pave the way for the one-two punch of Johnson and Jamal Charles. A lot is looking up in Kansas City, but don’t expect great amounts of improvement this season.

 

Your thoughts?

Part 3 Coming Soon….AFC EAST

AFC West Preview: Chargers’ Job Made Easier by Slow Offseasons

The offseason of the AFC West has been a very agitated one. From Kansas City changing the front office and trading for Matt Cassel, through the major changes in the Denver Broncos brass and roster, it could be said that it is almost a different division.

 

Taken as one of the least competitive divisions in the NFL, the AFC East walked towards an even more uneven competition in 2009.

 

During the 2008 season, football fans all saw the Kansas City Chiefs struggle hardly, in what was the worst season in the franchise’s history. While the Chiefs made some changes that may promptly improve the team, they failed to address their most important need, which is their (horrible) offensive line.

 

The Oakland Raiders continued their streak of losing seasons in 2008, and through a quiet offseason, made some valuable acquisitions for the team. However, the team is still in rebuild mode, and isn’t expected to make much noise in 2009.

 

When you take a look at the Denver Broncos, than you see the most relevant changes. With the hiring of Josh McDaniels, one of the brightest offensive minds in the league, all Broncos fans—and even foes—could think about were the possibilities.

 

The Broncos already possessed a very explosive offense behind the arm of Jay Cutler, their 25-year-old rocket-armed QB just coming off a 4,500-plus yards Pro Bowl season.

 

The offense also counted with young rising stars like Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal, and Tony Scheffler; not to mention the true brick wall that is their O-line, led by stud left tackle Ryan Clady.

 

When anyone thought about the Broncos, it was something like: “If McDaniels was able to make Matt Cassel, a career long backup, play effectively, imagine what he could do with Cutler?!”

 

The possibilities were almost too good to be true. But after a big dose of drama, Broncos fans ended up having to put up with a handful of free agents, most of them average players, and, the worst part, Kyle Orton as their QB.

 

To complete an already agitated offseason for the Broncos, their No. 1 receiver Brandon Marshall has stated that he will no longer play for the Broncos because he is not satisfied with his contract and doesn’t like the direction the franchise is heading.

 

If McDaniels is going to make this team work remains to be seen, but things don’t look too good for the Broncos right now.

 

As we look to the Chargers, the perspective is different.

 

Their QB situation could not be better, as Phillip Rivers was the nation’s top passer in the ’08 season. Rivers is a young and promising QB that should lead the Chargers for years to come.

 

The offense has other great weapons as well, with running backs Ladainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles poised to make one of the most explosive RB duals of the league in 2009. Regarding receivers, they count with all-world TE Antonio Gates, Big man Vincent Jackson, and experienced Chris Chambers.

 

On the defensive side of the ball, San Diego counts with the return of star linebacker Shawne Merriman, who missed the entire ’08 season due to injury.

 

Together with other defensive weapons such as Shaun Phillips, Antonio Cromartie, and Quentin Jammer, the Chargers unit should be pretty solid and give the offense the ball back plenty of times.

 

All in all, the season looks very promising for the San Diego Chargers. However, notwithstanding the quality of the team, the biggest reason for this is the lack of quality of the division rivals.

 

Last year the AFC West division was marked by the disputes between the Broncos and the Chargers, but as the headline of the article states, Josh McDaniels made San Diego’s job a lot easier.

Has Pat Bowlen Gone Around the Bend?

With the news Brandon Marshall may be leaving the mile high city for greener pastures, Bronco fans have got to be asking themselves if their team owner has misplaced a few of his marbles. So the question is: Is Pat Bowlen NUTS?

In a word … No.

If he’s not crazy, what is going on behind the pate of that nordic receding hairline? I think the answer is pretty easy: Jan. 1, 2007 and Feb. 26, 2007.

There’s no doubt the murder of Darrent Williams changed the Bronco’s, and particularly Mr. Bowlen forever. And while the circumstances and reasons for Damien Nash’s death were completely different from the events of New Years Eve, they could not help but re-inforce Mr. Bowlen’s feelings about the way Mike Shanahan ran his shop off the field.

Life is too fragile and too fleeting not to safeguard with every effort possible.

If you compile all of the changes over the past two years and look at the bottom line of what they’ve wrought, you can see one thread runs through all of those events.

The Bronco’s and Mike Shanahan have long been known as a player-friendly place to play. As long as a player did his job on the field, the Bronco’s have been one of the teams more likely to overlook a players off the field piccadillos. And I’m not condemning them for it either.

As a life-long Chiefs fan, I have long hated the Broncos – but with one exception, I’ve never hated a Bronco player… there was this one linebacker… I forget his name now… a ‘roid raging’ freak of a man… but I digress…

In fact, I have a lot of respect for the Bronco’s. No matter when or where KC beat those guys, it was a victory to savor and be proud of. And the credit for that has to ultimately land at Mr. Bowlen’s feet. He’s got multiple super bowl appearances and two Lombardi trophies in his closet. One must respect him for that.

So, here’s the deal. Why is Mr. Bowlen making the changes he is making to his team?

I think the answer lies in how his players are conducting their lives off the field. Is it possible he decided that he never again wanted to go thru what happened during the first 8 weeks of 2007 ever again? I can see how he would feel that way.

If that IS the case, where would he look to make fundamental changes in the culture of his team? I think the answer to that is the Head Coach.

If so, did he go to Shanahan and tell him he wanted him to assert more control of the team off the field than he had in the past? I would have.

As Shanahan had never been that kind of guy, and because the team needed to focus more on healing and playing than culture in the immediate aftermath of those events in 2007, I imagine little or nothing more than planning was done that season with regard to culture.

When 2008 rolled around, whatever changes in team culture (if any) Shanahan attempted to put in place evidently did not meet with Mr. Bowlen’s standards.

Let’s not ignore the fact Shanahan would most likely be chaffing under such ‘babysitter’ requirements being added to his job description. He treated his players like men and expected them to be men.

Unfortunately, whenever they got into scrapes off the field, Shanahan was mostly concerned with how quickly they could return to the field.

And that sent the wrong message to the younger guys on the team.

After 2008, Mr. Bowlen realized the team, if not on the decline, was at the very least underperforming for the talent on hand. Couple that with Shanahan’s reluctance to babysit, and the decision to make a coaching change begins to clarify.

If Mr. Bowlen really wanted a new team culture, it was becoming glaringly obvious he was going to have to replace Shanahan.

If you look around the league, there are several teams you never see having off the field issues. Of those, the most successful are the Patriots. Josh McDaniels was the most attractive choice for Bowlen’s offensive mindset. It was a no-brainer.

I think Mr. Bowlen had long talks with McDaniels about team culture and off the field issues. I think they KNEW before McDaniels ever took the job they were going to have to run off a couple of team leaders who would not conform to the new culture.

I think they specifically knew Cutler was probably going to be one of their biggest headaches before the trade stuff ever started.

The way Shanahan protected and coddled Cutler, and Cutler’s off the field drinking issues, along with his lack of maturity made it inevitable. And I think both Mr. Bowlen and McDaniels knew it going in.

At the end of the day, I think creating a new culture that forced the team to put football, professionalism and winning ahead of money, fame, notoriety and nightlife in stripper bars was more important to Mr. Bowlen than allowing his team to become a refuge for thugs and buttheads with a horrible reputation in their community for show-boating and excessive behaviour.

Let’s not forget Brandon Marshall was allegedly party to the events of Jan. 1, 2007. Supposedly he helped instigate or inflame the encounter in the strip bar that led some gang bangers to machinegun the Hummer Darrent Williams died in.

Marshall’s repeated issues of domestic abuse since January 2007 only make this possibility more believeable.

If the Bronco’s let Marshall or any other player go in the name of creating a new culture in that locker room and after hours for those players. I think Bronco fans should stand behind your owner no matter what.

Denver is a great city, and the Bronco’s are a noble team with a history worthy of protecting. If Mr. Bowlen has to run off a couple of punks to get his team back to where they become a jewel of the city rather than a focal point of tradgety and disgrace… I say he’s to be admired for the effort.

Too many owners in the NFL lack the courage or character to stand up for something purely on the basis of principle. For most owners, only winning matters.

Mr. Bowlen is larger than that, and Denver is lucky to have him.

I have always considered Lamar Hunt to be the greatest owner in the NFL, and I felt that way because his teams valued character. So much so they would run off the likes of Dale Carter when he was still in his prime.

Today, I consider Pat Bowlen to be Lamar’s peer. And there are damn few men on that list.

Denver Broncos Re-Sign C Casey Wiegmann, Cut LB Boss Bailey

Casey Wiegmann will be making his NFL record 128th NFL start as an NFL center for the Denver Broncos in 2009 after signing a two-year contract extension with the team on Wednesday.

Wiegmann, an undrafted free agent out of Iowa back in 1996, made his first career Pro Bowl in 2008 as an alternate for Kevin Mawae.  Due to his play and fairly modest contract, Wiegmann felt he deserved more money from the Broncos and openly stated that he would retire if Denver did not pay up.

Unlike wide receiver Brandon Marshall, Wiegmann impressed the new coaching staff by showing up to all but one off season activity, voluntary or mandatory, and that was an excused absence to attend a family event.

“They had patience, we had patience,” Broncos’ head coach Josh McDaniels said.  “We tried to make sure we did this the right way. We tried to do what is in the best interest of Casey and the Denver Broncos.”

I have been open about my opinion of Wiegmann, and how impressed I am with his work ethic and professional approach to wanting a more fruitful contract, and apparently so is new coach McDaniels.

“I can’t say enough about the way he went through this process,” McDaniels said. “We’re very grateful.”

After losing Jay Cutler to the Bears, and Brandon Marshall now requesting a trade, the Broncos are guaranteed to retain at least one of their three 2008 Pro Bowl performers.

 

Boss Bailey Cut

After missing all of the team’s off season workouts, linebacker Boss Bailey was released today. 

“I wasn’t really surprised by it. I understand how the business goes,” Bailey said. “It’s a business call. I appreciate everything they’ve done for me since I’ve been here. Once you’re a Bronco, you’re always a Bronco.”

Bailey is the brother of star cornerback Champ Bailey, and was one of Denver’s biggest signings prior to the 2008 season.  He played well until suffering a season ending knee injury, and the fact that half of Denver’s defensive linemen from 2008 are now playing linebacker did not bode well for Bailey’s future with the team.

The Broncos also released veteran linebacker/special teams player Louis Green.

AFC West Preview 2009: Does Any Team Want This Division?

Last year, 8-8 was good enough to tie for the AFC West title.

This year, it may very well be good enough to win it outright…by three games.

The San Diego Chargers’ biggest offseason acquisition was Dallas Cowboys reserve linebacker Kevin Burnett. Running back LaDainian Tomlinson is facing durability questions, and his backup is about the size (and speed, it must be said) of an animated Mexican mouse. (And not this one, either.)

With all this, they still stand head and shoulders above the rest of the division. The other teams in the West seem to be actively ramming their heads against a brick wall, wondering why it doesn’t open.

The Kansas City Chiefs traded for a potential quarterback of the future, then proceeded to make another trade that makes a talented young QB that much better. Unfortunately, it’s not Matt Cassel; it’s Matt Ryan of Atlanta who gets to throw to Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez.

The second-worst defense in the NFL gets a pair of inside linebackers to bolster the new 3-4…unfortunately, Zach Thomas and Mike Vrabel are a collective 119 years old. God love ’em, they’re trying, but it’s like a guy with no ears wondering why his glasses keep falling off.

The Oakland Raiders miss a prime opportunity to trade down in the draft and still get a chance at the guy they want. Instead, they choose to draft said player 15 spots too high, just so Al Davis can try once more to prove he’s the smartest guy in the room.

Keeping Nnamdi Asomugha and adding defensive end Greg Ellis makes their Top-10 pass defense even scarier for now. However, if the rumors of Ellis being a replacement rather than a complement for Derrick Burgess are true, it’s another case of one step up and at least one step back.

And all this brings us to the Denver Broncos, the team that only needed to give up 40 fewer points to the Chargers in Week 17 to win this sad, God-forsaken division. (Gee, is that all?)

To pull the franchise out of its rut, longtime owner Pat Bowlen decides it’s time to move on from his team’s all-time winningest coach and bring in a Patriots assistant who was born the same year that Mike Shanahan got his first coaching gig.

Josh McDaniels came into town from a winning organization and was hoping to bring a piece of it with him—that piece being the aforementioned quarterback, Matt Cassel.

The partnership may have continued to bring high dividends, as Cassel thrived under McDaniels’ guidance and managed not to wilt in the spotlight of his first starting job since high school.

McDaniels’ desire to coach Cassel again was perfectly understandable, but it showed that he possessed very little understanding of the combustible elements that make up the average (read: not New England) NFL locker room.

Jay Cutler reacted like a wife who’s just caught her husband with his hand up another woman’s skirt and immediately called the lawyers—or agents, in this case. A few weeks and hours of ESPN footage later, Cutler was off to Chicago in exchange for one of my people, Purdue alumnus Kyle Orton, and three draft picks.

With this domino falling, it stood to reason that the other high-profile drama queen on the Denver offense would soon have something to say, and now Brandon Marshall has decided to say it.

Marshall wants out because he’s not being given a new contract a year before his current deal expires. Reading between the lines tells us that Brandon is scared to death that Orton won’t be able to get him the ball as frequently as Cutler did, and knows that a dip in production will cost him a lot of money next year.

It’s a perfectly sound strategy, but him demanding a trade now is hardly the way to go about it. The NFL is in a climate where owners are scared to death of signing long-term contracts, especially fat ones, for fear of being caught short when the salary cap disappears after next season.

Anquan Boldin can’t get one in Arizona, mainly because they already re-upped Larry Fitzgerald. Subsequently, he also wanted a trade, but couldn’t get one of those, either.

Understand that Boldin is a guy who comes with none of the off-field drama of Brandon Marshall. He doesn’t get DUIs, doesn’t beat up his lady friends, and doesn’t beat up his television.

In a league where a solid citizen and productive player like Anquan Boldin can’t get a deal made, why exactly is Brandon Marshall convinced he’ll be highly demanded?

The offense was supposed to be the saving grace for the Broncos this season, but Kyle Orton and Eddie Royal—solid players they may be—do represent a bit of a step down from Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall.

The defense isn’t scaring anyone anymore, not even Champ Bailey.

If the Chiefs and Raiders are stubbing their toes, the Broncos appear to be in the midst of a double-leg amputation.

Not since that iceberg got a little too friendly with the Titanic has such a seemingly stable craft taken on so much water so quickly.

Owner Pat Bowlen would be forgiven for walking around with the shell-shocked expression of a man who just wanted a cigarette, only to watch his house explode from a gas leak.

San Diego’s not a team that looks like a world-beater in the upcoming NFL season. Even so, in this year’s AFC West, it appears that just being able to not beat themselves will very easily get them to the playoffs.

Trading Brandon Marshall Away Is the Only Option Left for Denver

In one of the worst offseasons in Denver Broncos history, devastating news continues to break with Pro Bowl star WR Brandon Marshall requesting a trade. For the Denver Broncos, their only option left is to meet Marshall’s demands and place him on the open trade market.

The more time this story goes on, the worse it makes the Denver Broncos look. The franchise has become a laughingstock, as they are on the verge of trading away two young, talented, Pro Bowl players in one offseason.

The reason why Marshall is demanding a trade in his final year of his four-year rookie contract is very simple. This is Marshall’s last chance to cash out for big money and a long-term deal.

If Marshall doesn’t get the extension now and was to play the final year of his rookie contract, in 2010 he would become a restricted free agent. In that case, all Denver would have to do is franchise tag him, meaning Marshall wouldn’t get the security of a long-term deal nor the guaranteed money.

Marshall is considered around the NFL to be a top 10 WR in this league, yet there are 50 current NFL WRs who make more than Marshall’s $2 million per year.

Marshall would like to be paid the same as top WRs make in this league.

Think about this: In 2008 the Buffalo Bills signed Lee Evans to a four-year, $37.25 million dollar contract with $18.25 million guaranteed. Evans became the third highest paid WR in the NFL behind Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Smith.

Lets compare the four players’ stats for the last two seasons.

 

Fitzgerald

2008: 96 catches, 1,431 yards, 12 TD

2007: 100 catches, 1,409 yards, 10 TD

 

Smith

2008: 78 catches, 1,421 yards, 6 TD

2007: 87 catches, 1,002 yards, 7 TD

 

Evans

2008: 63 catches, 1,017 yards, 3 TD

2007: 55 catches, 849 yards, 5 TD

 

Marshall

2008: 104 catches, 1,265 yards, 6 TD

2007: 102 catches, 1,325 yards, 7 TD

 

As you can clearly see, Marshall’s numbers for the last two seasons are as good as any WR in the NFL, yet he doesn’t make anywhere close to the other top WRs.

If I were Marshall, there is no way I would play this upcoming season for $2 million. I would hold out and demand a trade.

There is a great chance that if Marshall comes back for this upcoming season, his numbers will drop, meaning his value would as well in terms of getting a long-term deal. Kyle Orton isn’t Jay Cutler, and the Broncos offense will be much different this season: new plays, new terms, new players, new everything.

Broncos fans are calling Brandon Marshall a baby and stupid for missing the mandatory mini-camps and OTAs because he is getting fined by Denver. This is the same ordeal that was going on with Cutler, as he was getting fined as well.

By Marshall going to the camps and playing and not holding out, he is losing on his last chance to gain a long-term deal and being paid as a top five WR in the NFL.

Well, you might ask, why wouldn’t the Broncos want to give Marshall a long-term extension and pay him millions of dollars to keep him in Denver?

Two words:

Risk and Gamble.

If Lee Evans was able to get a contract worth $37 million over four years, then how much do you think Brandon Marshall should get?

When things were going good for Terrell Owens in Dallas, Owens was able to get a contract worth $34 million for four years. Fast-forward one year later, and the Cowboys cut Owens, only to now see him playing in Buffalo under a one-year contact worth around $7 million. Risk and Gamble.

Marshall wants a three- to four-year deal worth $30-40 million. He feels his on-field performance should get him that type of deal, and really, if he doesn’t go for it now he won’t get it in the future.

Why wouldn’t the Broncos want to do anything in their power to keep Marshall no matter what the cost?

There are many reasons why the Broncos won’t give him that new contact. Let’s take a look at these five.

1. The Broncos want to milk every penny out of Marshall and force him to play for $2 million this season, and then next season talk about it.

2. The Broncos would like to see if he still is a top 10 WR in the NFL without Cutler and in Josh McDaniels’ new system.

3. Look at past players who signed large long-term deals (Michael Vick, Terrell Owens, Alex Smith…THE LIST GOES ON AND ON).

4. Marshall had offseason surgery on his hip and still is trying to rehab, so it’s not 100 percent certain he will be back at his Pro Bowl level.

5. The final and most important reason: Marshall’s track record with the law in the last three years as a Bronco.

* Has been ordered to get anger management counseling in exchange for having false imprisonment and domestic violence charges dropped.

* Has been sentenced to a year of probation after avoiding a likely DUI conviction by entering a guilty plea to driving while ability-impaired (after being pulled over with a reported blood-alcohol level of 0.116 in a state where the legal limit is 0.08).

* Still has two counts of simple battery charges pending due to alleged violence against former girlfriend Rasheedah Watley.

* Was suspended by the league for three games in 2008 (which was later reduced to one game after he complied with league requirements that included more counseling).

* Was arrested in March along with Michi Nogami-Campbell—just weeks after they were engaged—by an off-duty police officer who reportedly saw the pair hitting and kicking each other in public.

Really, there are no more options. The Denver Broncos franchise has taken many bad PR hits this year. If Marshall was to screw up again with the law, it would only lower his trade value. Broncos fans would just have to sit and wonder how in one offseason they lost their two best offensive players.

This is not the start new head coach Josh McDaniels wanted to get off to, but it is what it is.

What team is willing to give Brandon Marshall a long-term deal? When Marshall is one mess-up with the law from being suspended eight games, plus you add a bad hip, cuts on his arm, and the fact that his legal issues aren’t even behind him.

All in all, it spells a big headache for the Broncos, with the only option left to get rid of this guy. However, Denver won’t get anywhere near equal value.

Brandon Marshall doesn’t want to be a Bronco anymore.

The Broncos are in a very tough spot.

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