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.

Sponsored Links

Buy Denver Broncos Tickets, NFL Tickets, Football Tickets and Sports Tickets at StubPass.com.

BroncosZone Latest

• The Denver Broncos Must Face Their New Reality
• Denver Broncos: The Beginning of a New Era, Or The Beginning of the End?
• Hey Denver, Where’s the Love for Josh McDaniels?
• Josh McDaniels Is the Poster Boy for “Too Much, Too Soon”
• Denver Wide Receiver Brandon Marshall: “I Love Being a Bronco”