Thread: Broncos in no hurry to let Marshall go

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_12597567

Brandon Marshall can huff and he can puff. But can he blow his way through the Broncos' control and follow Jay Cutler out the Dove Valley doors?

There are no indications the Broncos will treat the holdout of Marshall, a wide receiver who wants more money, as they did Cutler, a quarterback who refused to play for new head coach Josh McDaniels.

Marshall is dissatisfied with his contract, which is to end after he draws a $2.198 million salary this year. To further demonstrate his position, Marshall skipped three weeks of the team's "voluntary" passing camp, then all three mandatory minicamp sessions last weekend.

Following the mandatory session Friday morning, Marshall was granted a private audience with Broncos owner Pat Bowlen.

Marshall carried packed boxes to his car following his meeting before driving away without comment. A KOA radio report Monday said Marshall told Bowlen, "I think I'd like to be traded."

Think? Did he or did he not demand to be traded?

"I think that would be putting it too strong," said an NFL source with knowledge of the situation.

By skipping the mandatory minicamp, the Broncos have the right to dock their receiver $35,329 in fines and seek repayment of the signing bonus he received in 2006. Marshall would face additional fines if his holdout continues into training camp, and he would have to repay another $78,750 of his signing bonus if he holds out through Aug. 12.

Perhaps more significant, Marshall could risk forfeiting his fourth season of service — which in turn would put him another year away from un-restricted free agency — if he doesn't report by Aug. 12.

A case can be made Marshall is underpaid. Then again, Marshall could consider those penalties walking-around money compared with general parameters of a contract he may be seeking. The league had 26 receivers who made at least $5 million in salary and prorated bonuses in 2008. Marshall had 206 catches the past two seasons, second only to Wes Welker's 223.

As much as salary, Marshall wants a long-term deal knowing the Broncos could keep him on a one-year deal as a restricted free agent next year, and as a franchised unrestricted free agent in 2011 and 2012.

The Broncos appear intent on waiting Marshall out. Trading him would seem to be a dicey option. For starters, several other disgruntled NFL receivers who have more proven track records — Arizona's Anquan Boldin, Cincinnati's Chad Johnson and Green Bay's Donald Driver — have let it be known they are unhappy with their contracts. All are still with their respective teams.

Then there's Plaxico Burress, who in five fewer games than Marshall the past two seasons, has caught three more touchdown passes (16 to 13). Burress accidentally shot himself in the thigh last season, an incident that led to still-pending charges and his release from the Giants. He remains unsigned.

Marshall has a lengthy legal rap sheet, including a misdemeanor battery charge that is pending in an Atlanta court. He is recovering from an injured hip that wasn't surgically repaired until April 1.

Kennard McGuire, Marshall's agent, said Sunday he has been having ongoing dialogue with McDaniels.

Mike Klis: 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com

Blue= in Marshals favor. Orange= Pat and McD's favor. (aka. Marshal loses this one)

Originally Posted by Denver Native (Carol)

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_12597567

Think? Did he or did he not demand to be traded?

"I think that would be putting it too strong," said an NFL source with knowledge of the situation.

[COLOR="rgb(255, 140, 0)"][COLOR="rgb(255, 140, 0)"]Marshall had 206 catches the past two seasons, second only to Wes Welker's 223.[/COLOR][/COLOR]

As much as salary, Marshall wants a long-term deal knowing the Broncos could keep him on a one-year deal as a restricted free agent next year, and as a franchised unrestricted free agent in 2011 and 2012.

The Broncos appear intent on waiting Marshall out. Trading him would seem to be a dicey option. For starters, several other disgruntled NFL receivers who have more proven track records — Arizona's Anquan Boldin, Cincinnati's Chad Johnson and Green Bay's Donald Driver — have let it be known they are unhappy with their contracts. All are still with their respective teams.

Marshall has a lengthy legal rap sheet, including a misdemeanor battery charge that is pending in an Atlanta court. He is recovering from an injured hip that wasn't surgically repaired until April 1.

Kennard McGuire, Marshall's agent, said Sunday he has been having ongoing dialogue with McDaniels.

Mike Klis: 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com

Woody Paige is! Funny but true article (didn't see it posted)!! Marshall's even mentioned in the same breath as Pacman Jones...ouch!!

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Paige: Marshall must run go route
By Woody Paige
The Denver Post
Posted: 06/16/2009 01:00:00 AM MDT


Brandon should be Bran-done.

The Broncos got rid of their star quarterback because he wouldn't return a couple of phone calls. That's child's play in comparison.

Star wide receiver Brandon Marshall has taken absurdity to the extreme.

His phone rings, but nobody's home.

Denver's drama king is a crisis always waiting to happen, and it usually does.

Now, Marshall shows up for the Broncos' final, mandatory minicamp, but only to talk briefly with the owner, then gather three boxes of his things and leave. No practice, no playbook study, no team meetings, no anything football-related.

Adam Schefter, formerly of The Post, reported Monday that Marshall asked Pat Bowlen to trade him. Let us assist Marshall in packing the rest of his boxes.

Don't go away mad, Brandon. Just go, take all your luggage — and baggage — and don't come back.

If Josh McDaniels wants the Broncos to have a fresh, New England West start in 2009, he will dump the "divo."

Marshall has demanded that his contract be renegotiated.

He's not worth the trouble.

The trouble he gets into, the trouble he causes on and off the field, the trouble he most certainly will be in the future. Marshall is one bar fight, one domestic argument, one drunken driving charge, one more 911 call away from an eight-game suspension, two more from being Pacman.

But he has the audacity, the absurdity, to seek more millions of dollars this season.

Based on what?

Based on the 13 "incidents" that have involved police since 2004?

And that doesn't even include the "incident" of Marshall and his cousin in the New Year's Eve nightclub conflict that eventually ended with the murder of teammate Darrent Williams, or a Puerto Rico "incident" or the "incident" in Orlando, Fla., that Marshall called "roughhousing with a relative" that led to the infamous "McDonald's Bag Slip" and a severe arm artery wound — which Marshall has said caused numbness in his hand the entire 2008 season, or, possibly, other "incidents" we haven't heard about.

Based on training camp, exhibitions and first regular- season games?

In Marshall's rookie season in 2006 — after he was picked in the fourth round (for reasons you might guess) — he injured a knee in an exhibition and was inactive for the first game and didn't catch a pass (two) until Oct. 22 and another until Nov. 19.

In 2007 Marshall lamed up with a groin strain in minicamp, then pulled a muscle in another minicamp, then didn't practice in the real training camp until, finally, Mike Shanahan ordered him onto the field.

In 2008 the NFL suspended Marshall for two games (reduced to one) for his myriad "incidents." He also was recovering from the arm surgery and was limited in workouts prior to the season.

In 2009 Marshall has a hip injury and isn't supposed to be able to practice until sometime next month, or who knows when? And there's always another court date (in August). Marshall spends as much time as Alan Stone of "Boston Legal" before the judge(s). Denver attorney Harvey Steinberg must have a full-time retainer representing Marshall — and did another masterful job of preventing the player from being suspended for four or more games in the coming season.

Marshall wants more money?

Based on his history, Marshall should receive money for a one-way Greyhound bus ticket out of town, maybe to Chicago.

Problem is, what team wants this problem? Particularly if anybody in the league saw the recent ESPN "Outside the Lines" program about Marshall's "incidents." In his interview, Marshall stalled, muttered and squirmed, and made a mistake appearing on TV.

Based on the Broncos' team success? In his three seasons, Marshall and the Broncos haven't played in one playoff game and were .500 over three seasons. Those results got most of the coaches and a lot of the players fired, and Jay Cutler is gone too.

Based on performance? Marshall had 206 receptions for 2,590 yards and 13 touchdowns the past two seasons, but he also had four critical fumbles that helped cost the Broncos victories. He may be an all-pro, except for constant drama everywhere inbounds and out.

It seemed as if Marshall had become all warm and fuzzy last season, and everybody in Denver (me included) decided to give him a second — no, a 22nd — chance.

But he's become a tangled mess again.

I believe (with no supportive evidence) that Marshall is "rehabilitating" in Orlando instead of at Dove Valley because he doesn't want his hip to be examined, his health might be worse than suspected and he couldn't renegotiate.

Marshall is scheduled to be in camp in Denver on Thursday and Friday — that is, "Camp 15" he is running, for free, at Overland High School for youths 7 to 18. In addition to football, Marshall has said he has "a lot to teach some younger kids, and hopefully they don't bump their heads like I have."

Marshall still needs to learn. He keeps bumping his head. Let him do it against a wall somewhere else.

Enough already.

Woody Paige: 303-954-1095 or wpaige@denverpost.com

That's good, but wasn't Woody just using this situation yesterday or the day before to continuously beat McDaniels over the head? You gotta love the media.

"If Josh McDaniels wants the Broncos to have a fresh, New England West start in 2009, he will dump the "divo."

Is Woody Page calling B.Marsh a psycho chicken??




Doh! just googled that song. It wasn't Devo it was TheFools. Will the irony never run out..