BroncoWave
06-17-2009, 08:34 PM
Haven't seen this posted yet, so here goes.
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afcwest/0-3-2350/Why-Denver-shouldn-t-trade-Marshall.html
Why Denver shouldn't trade Marshall
June 17, 2009 3:00 PM
Posted by ESPN.com's Bill Williamson
The offseason of unrest in Denver appears to be extending into the summer as the team's second disgruntled Pro Bowl player wants to be traded.
Still, the Broncos do not plan on trading receiver Brandon Marshall, who wants out of Denver because he wants a pay raise and has medical trust issues with the team. New Broncos coach Josh McDaniels has publicly said the team expects Marshall to show up for training camp in late July.
AP Photo
Brandon Marshall is hoping to be traded by the Broncos.
I believe Denver is doing the right thing by planning not to trade Marshall. Here are five reasons why it would not be prudent for the Broncos to trade Marshall:
The Broncos hold all the cards. This is not a unique situation. There have been several players who stayed away from a team and requested a trade because they felt underpaid. Marshall is not breaking new ground here.
This is not the Jay Cutler situation all over again. This is an emotional player wanting a pay raise. This isn't a dispute with McDaniels. This isn't a dicey situation created by the team, which was the case in the Cutler saga. This is a player unhappy for financial reasons. Big deal.
If Denver sticks to its guns, Marshall will have three choices: Report and be a good citizen and get paid very well next year (either by Denver or as a free agent); hold out and not get paid and affect his free-agent status; or report and be a disturbing presence, which would affect his earning power as a free agent.
Really, Marshall has no choice. Denver knows it.
It would be crippling to lose another star. The Broncos set themselves back by trading Cutler. He is a top-tier quarterback who is entering his prime. Teams chase franchise quarterbacks for years. Denver needed to find a way to keep Cutler.
Losing Marshall, who has had 100-plus catches in each of the past two seasons, will further damage this team and make it even tougher for Denver to be a legitimate playoff contender in 2009. Cutler and Marshall -- both part of a strong 2006 draft class -- were supposed to grow old together. They were a special tandem. Denver has to keep at least half of the pair. Teams just don't lose multiple skill-position Pro Bowl players and become better.
Kyle Orton needs Marshall. If Orton is going to have any chance of succeeding as Cutler's replacement, he'll need Marshall, who can be a quarterback's best friend on the field.
Orton has never played with the type of weapons Denver has on offense. Marshall is a catalyst. He makes everyone better because he is such a reliable target. Eddie Royal had a terrific rookie season and he should flourish in McDaniels' system. But the smallish Royal will not be nearly as dangerous without Marshall.
With Marshall and Royal as his top receivers, Orton has a chance. Without Marshall, Orton will suffer. It wouldn't be fair to take away his best target before he even starts his Broncos career.
The players can't run the show. Don't you think one of the reasons Marshall asked to be traded is because he thinks he can force Denver to act? He saw his friend get traded this offseason by the new regime in Denver.
Marshall doesn't really know McDaniels. He is giving it a shot to see if he can get the same result Cutler did in the post-Mike Shanahan world in Denver.
Every NFL team has players who are dissatisfied for one reason or another. But they usually work it out. If the Broncos allow Marshall to leave town months after Cutler did, the team will become a laughingstock. I think the Broncos get that. They are going to stand their ground.
What if left tackle Ryan Clady gets upset next week and asks for a trade? Would Denver just trade him too? The Broncos have to a send a message to the locker room in the Marshall case.
Denver couldn't get maximum value by trading Marshall now. If Marshall were to maintain his stance and the Broncos were to get a big offer for him, I think they would seriously consider it because Marshall has proved to be a large headache for the team in the past three years.
But the Broncos don't expect to hear much from other teams, or at least get an offer to match Marshall's talent. The going rate for a Pro Bowl receiver probably is first- and third-round draft choices.
Considering Marshall's legal history and the fact that he is recovering from a hip injury, it would be difficult to imagine Marshall would fetch that type of return. Besides, a new contract is at the heart of this matter.
Denver doesn't want to tie itself to Marshall with a huge contract until he can prove his trouble is behind him and he can stay healthy. Most teams probably would take that stance.
There will be teams interested in Marshall, but at what price? It probably wouldn't be enough to entice Denver to change its mind and trade another star.
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afcwest/0-3-2350/Why-Denver-shouldn-t-trade-Marshall.html
Why Denver shouldn't trade Marshall
June 17, 2009 3:00 PM
Posted by ESPN.com's Bill Williamson
The offseason of unrest in Denver appears to be extending into the summer as the team's second disgruntled Pro Bowl player wants to be traded.
Still, the Broncos do not plan on trading receiver Brandon Marshall, who wants out of Denver because he wants a pay raise and has medical trust issues with the team. New Broncos coach Josh McDaniels has publicly said the team expects Marshall to show up for training camp in late July.
AP Photo
Brandon Marshall is hoping to be traded by the Broncos.
I believe Denver is doing the right thing by planning not to trade Marshall. Here are five reasons why it would not be prudent for the Broncos to trade Marshall:
The Broncos hold all the cards. This is not a unique situation. There have been several players who stayed away from a team and requested a trade because they felt underpaid. Marshall is not breaking new ground here.
This is not the Jay Cutler situation all over again. This is an emotional player wanting a pay raise. This isn't a dispute with McDaniels. This isn't a dicey situation created by the team, which was the case in the Cutler saga. This is a player unhappy for financial reasons. Big deal.
If Denver sticks to its guns, Marshall will have three choices: Report and be a good citizen and get paid very well next year (either by Denver or as a free agent); hold out and not get paid and affect his free-agent status; or report and be a disturbing presence, which would affect his earning power as a free agent.
Really, Marshall has no choice. Denver knows it.
It would be crippling to lose another star. The Broncos set themselves back by trading Cutler. He is a top-tier quarterback who is entering his prime. Teams chase franchise quarterbacks for years. Denver needed to find a way to keep Cutler.
Losing Marshall, who has had 100-plus catches in each of the past two seasons, will further damage this team and make it even tougher for Denver to be a legitimate playoff contender in 2009. Cutler and Marshall -- both part of a strong 2006 draft class -- were supposed to grow old together. They were a special tandem. Denver has to keep at least half of the pair. Teams just don't lose multiple skill-position Pro Bowl players and become better.
Kyle Orton needs Marshall. If Orton is going to have any chance of succeeding as Cutler's replacement, he'll need Marshall, who can be a quarterback's best friend on the field.
Orton has never played with the type of weapons Denver has on offense. Marshall is a catalyst. He makes everyone better because he is such a reliable target. Eddie Royal had a terrific rookie season and he should flourish in McDaniels' system. But the smallish Royal will not be nearly as dangerous without Marshall.
With Marshall and Royal as his top receivers, Orton has a chance. Without Marshall, Orton will suffer. It wouldn't be fair to take away his best target before he even starts his Broncos career.
The players can't run the show. Don't you think one of the reasons Marshall asked to be traded is because he thinks he can force Denver to act? He saw his friend get traded this offseason by the new regime in Denver.
Marshall doesn't really know McDaniels. He is giving it a shot to see if he can get the same result Cutler did in the post-Mike Shanahan world in Denver.
Every NFL team has players who are dissatisfied for one reason or another. But they usually work it out. If the Broncos allow Marshall to leave town months after Cutler did, the team will become a laughingstock. I think the Broncos get that. They are going to stand their ground.
What if left tackle Ryan Clady gets upset next week and asks for a trade? Would Denver just trade him too? The Broncos have to a send a message to the locker room in the Marshall case.
Denver couldn't get maximum value by trading Marshall now. If Marshall were to maintain his stance and the Broncos were to get a big offer for him, I think they would seriously consider it because Marshall has proved to be a large headache for the team in the past three years.
But the Broncos don't expect to hear much from other teams, or at least get an offer to match Marshall's talent. The going rate for a Pro Bowl receiver probably is first- and third-round draft choices.
Considering Marshall's legal history and the fact that he is recovering from a hip injury, it would be difficult to imagine Marshall would fetch that type of return. Besides, a new contract is at the heart of this matter.
Denver doesn't want to tie itself to Marshall with a huge contract until he can prove his trouble is behind him and he can stay healthy. Most teams probably would take that stance.
There will be teams interested in Marshall, but at what price? It probably wouldn't be enough to entice Denver to change its mind and trade another star.