Brandon Marshall will you show up to camp? "I'm under contract with the Broncos"

[Quesadilla Joe]

MINNEAPOLIS – Brandon Marshall(notes) is unwilling to talk about what jersey he wants to wear in the fall. However, he’s made it clear that whatever uniform he dons, he expects to suit up in great shape.

“All I can do is get up every day and beat my body up, and that’s the truth,” the Denver Broncos wideout said during an exclusive interview after a workout on Friday at the University of Minnesota with fellow Pro Bowl receiver Larry Fitzgerald(notes). “At the end of the day, I’m going to be playing football, and, if I’m going to be out there, I got to be in the best shape I can be in.”


Neither Marshall, who requested a trade from the Broncos during a meeting with owner Pat Bowlen last month, nor his agent Kennard McGuire would comment on the status of the request.

“I ain’t worrying about that right now,” Marshall said, “and I ain’t going to talk about that.”

Marshall, a 2006 fourth-round NFL draft pick who earned $1.5 million in each of his first three seasons, reportedly wants an upgrade to a contract that is set to pay him $2.2 million in 2009. In addition to salary concerns, Marshall is believed to be bothered by the departure of Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler(notes), who was traded to the Chicago Bears, and the team’s medical staff.

In a May blog post, Marshall said he got two MRIs on his hip and was told that nothing was wrong.

“But come to find out THERE WAS A BIT OF A PROBLEM after all,” Marshall wrote on his blog.

Asked if he plans to report to the team’s training camp on July 30, Marshall said, “Well, I’m under contract with the Broncos.”

Marshall, hoping not to become a distraction to his teammates (“You don’t ever want to be that,” he said), focused many of his answers on his immediate goal: closing a tangible gap with Fitzgerald.

After their full morning workout on Friday, the players ran 16, 110-yard dashes. Marshall didn’t like the view.

“The main thing I’m taking back to Orlando with me is that I’m 20 yards behind Fitzgerald,” Marshall said. “We ended [Fri]day with 110s, and I was 20 yards behind him.”

How many times?

“On all of them,” Marshall matter-of-factly said. “It showed me how far behind I am from the best.”

Marshall didn’t mention that he had hip surgery on April 1. Instead, Fitzgerald later pointed that out in a separate interview.

“Well, I’ve been doing this for a while,” Fitzgerald said of the conditioning drills, “and he just got back from major surgery not too long ago.

“He’s an incredible specimen. It won’t take long for him to recover.”

The injury could be one of several concerns the Broncos have about rewarding Marshall with a lucrative contract. Despite back-to-back 100-catch seasons, Marshall has been on police blotters on several occasions, most recently in March, when he was arrested in Atlanta for disorderly conduct after allegedly being in a fight with his fiancée (the charges were dropped).

“I don’t know what’s going to happen with him and Denver. But, I just hope if he is traded or isn’t trade, I just want him to be happy,” said Fitzgerald, who struck up a friendship with Marshall through former NFL star and onetime Yahoo! Sports analyst Cris Carter. “I want to see him have success, whether that’s in Denver or [somewhere else]. I just want to see him have success, because he puts in the work.”

Marshall said he enjoyed sharing insights with receivers like Fitzgerald and the Green Bay Packers’ Greg Jennings(notes). But the highlight of his week was on Wednesday, when he worked out with Jerry Rice(notes).

“I had never gotten the chance to meet the G.O.A.T. [Greatest of All Time] before,” Marshall said. “It’s inspiring, to see how old he is, and how he’s still got it.”

Photo Cutler, left, and Marshall were drafted in ’06.
(Jamie Squire/Getty)

If he remains a Bronco this season, Marshall will have to adjust to a new quarterback. In addition to acquiring draft picks for Cutler, the Broncos also got veteran quarterback Kyle Orton(notes).

Marshall was nothing but diplomatic in his comments about the team’s new quarterbacks, Orton and Chris Simms(notes), and he downplayed the departure of Cutler.

“With this game, as far as the NFL, it’s about change,” Marshall said. “You see that all the time. People come in and go out. It’s one of those things you have to deal with it and move on. You can’t get caught up in the past.

“You just got to do your best, to control what you can control.”

Right now, Marshall’s focus is on getting into shape so he can avoid being what he called a “so-so” player.

“Football is exciting. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing with the best or you’re playing with average guys, or a bad team,” Marshall said. “Football is always the same. Every time Sunday comes around, you’re going to be pumped up.

“Just to have an opportunity to play ball is exciting.”

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slu...yhoo&type=lgns

[Quesadilla Joe]

Originally Posted by KC Dan

blah #'s, nothin' special

He was a 4th round pick and started 15 games his rookie year, of course he struggled.

And before he hurt his ankle he had a higher QB Rating and a better TD/INT Ratio than Jay Cutler had his first 8 weeks of the season.

Kyle Orton will have a QB Rating higher than 85, have 20 plus TD passes, 8-14 INT's, over 3200 yards, and complete at least 60% of his passes this year. Bank on it.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by KnowMo2724

He was a 4th round pick and started 15 games his rookie year, of course he struggled.

And before he hurt his ankle he had a higher QB Rating and a better TD/INT Ratio than Jay Cutler had his first 8 weeks of the season.

Kyle Orton will have a QB Rating higher than 85, have 20 plus TD passes, 8-14 INT's, over 3200 yards, and complete at least 60% of his passes this year. Bank on it.

There really isn't anything you won't say to make excuses for his mediocre play.

Look on the bright side though. When your QB disappoints you again you won't have to stick your tail between your legs and ask for another name change.

[KC Dan]

Originally Posted by KnowMo2724

Kyle Orton will have a QB Rating higher than 85, have 20 plus TD passes, 8-14 INT's, over 3200 yards, and complete at least 60% of his passes this year. Bank on it.

Call me when he breaks 80 or 60% completion %. He hasn't done either yet...

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by KnowMo2724

He was lucky to be a 4th round pick and started 15 games his rookie year because the Dabears did not have anyone else, of course he struggled.

And before he hurt his ankle in a gay sex orgy, he had a higher QB Rating and a better TD/INT Ratio than Jay Cutler had his first 8 weeks of the season. Which isn't saying much.

Kyle Orton will have a QB Rating no higher than 25, have 2 TD passes, 45 INT's, under 1200 yards, and complete at less 30% of his passes this year before he is booed out of Mile High and fakes another injury. Bank on it.

FYP Homer!

[stumppy]

Originally Posted by KnowMo2724

He was a 4th round pick and started 15 games his rookie year, of course he struggled.

And before he hurt his ankle he had a higher QB Rating and a better TD/INT Ratio than Jay Cutler had his first 8 weeks of the season.

Kyle Orton will have a QB Rating higher than 85, have 20 plus TD passes, 8-14 INT's, over 3200 yards, and complete at least 60% of his passes this year. Bank on it.

Well, if you're confident enough to bank on it surely you'd be eager to make a friendly wager on it. What do ya say ?

[Quesadilla Joe]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

FYP Homer!

[Quesadilla Joe]

Originally Posted by KC Dan

Call me when he breaks 80 or 60% completion %. He hasn't done either yet...

He never had an offensive minded coach and great weapons in Chicago. The weather in Chicago isn't exactly QB friendly either.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by KnowMo2724

He never had an offensive minded coach and great weapons in Chicago. The weather in Chicago isn't exactly QB friendly either.

Rationalization is one of the defense mechanisms proposed by Sigmund Freud, which were later developed further by his daughter Anna Freud.

According to the DSM-IV rationalization occurs "when the individual deals with emotional conflict or internal or external stressors by concealing the true motivations for his or her own thoughts, actions, or feelings through the elaboration of reassuring or self serving but incorrect explanations."

[Quesadilla Joe]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

Rationalization is one of the defense mechanisms proposed by Sigmund Freud, which were later developed further by his daughter Anna Freud.

According to the DSM-IV rationalization occurs "when the individual deals with emotional conflict or internal or external stressors by concealing the true motivations for his or her own thoughts, actions, or feelings through the elaboration of reassuring or self serving but incorrect explanations."

Ignorance the state or fact of being ignorant : lack of knowledge, education, or awareness.

Did you watch any complete games from Kyle Orton last year? Did you see the crap he had around him on offense? Did you see how many easy balls his WR's dropped? Did you know Kyle Orton couldn't do 5 step and 7 step drops for half of the season because he had an injured ankle?

[rockymtnchief]

Originally Posted by KnowMo2724

The weather in Chicago isn't exactly QB friendly either.

And Denver is?

Don't mention that Chicago is called "The Windy City" either. It was named that because of all the politicians and braggorts blowing hot air. Not because of the weather.

[Ceej]

I don't know why I continue to click on these threads started by you.


It's the same bullshit over and over. I'll give you credit though -- it's quite amusing.


Good luck Denver.

[Quesadilla Joe]

Originally Posted by rockymtnchief

And Denver is?

Don't mention that Chicago is called "The Windy City" either. It was named that because of all the politicians and braggorts blowing hot air. Not because of the weather.

Denver has the best weather in the USA.

[Mile High Mania]

Originally Posted by KnowMo2724

Denver has the best weather in the USA.

I'll vote for San Diego on the weather aspect... although, I do love CO in the winter.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by cutler7624

KC didn't beat Denver. Jay Cutler lost to KC with the 3 turnovers he had.

Oh, cutler7624...you're quite the piece of work. You pimp Jay for months around here. Then he gets traded and suddenly he's the cause of all your problems. Perhaps you forgot about the role your defense played in your team's losses.

[Quesadilla Joe]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Oh, cutler7624...you're quite the piece of work. You pimp Jay for months around here. Then he gets traded and suddenly he's the cause of all your problems. Perhaps you forgot about the role your defense played in your team's losses.

That game and the Miami game were Cutler's two worst games he played last season IMO.

I pimped Cutler last offseason and I was proved right. I am not saying Orton is better than Jay, I am just saying he is more careful and is very underrated. I will be right about Orton this year. I think we will be a much better team with Orton plus two first round draft picks. Sometimes both teams win in a trade.