CBA Collateral Damage: Free Agency Lost (so far) for Denver Broncos Fans

by Jezru on Mar 19, 2011 7:30 PM MDT in Strictly My Opinion

As of this evening, the Denver Broncos have not been active players in free agency for the upcoming season.

In any other year, this statement would cause consternation and outrage over our beloved team's lack of participation in this yearly event. However, as we all know, this year isn't like any other. With non-productive letters being sent between the NFL and the NFLPA (trade association), acrimony seems to be escalating.

What's lost in all this is that we've already been robbed of one of the most exciting times of football's offseason. One year ago, on March 19, 2010, we'd already had so much Free Agent activity that the disappointment in the Broncos collapse in the second half of the 2009 season had begun to be replaced by hope for the 2010 season.

Check out what had already been done by this point last year:

Acquisitions:

J.J. Arrington (March 4)
Justin Bannan, Nate Jones (March 5)
Jamal Williams (March 9)

Trade:

Brady Quinn for Peyton Hillis & 2011 6^th round pick (March 14)

Re-signed:

Matt Prater (March 9)
Le Kevin Smith (March 11)

Released:

Kenny Peterson (March 10)
J'Vonne Parker (March 11)

Looking back on the transactions above, I, like many of you, get a knot in my stomach. These were moves that helped us to our less than impressive 4-12 record. At the time, however, these were the moves that made Bronco fans look forward to the 2010 season.

On March 4, 2010, the day before Free Agency officially began, there were 631 comments in the first MHR Free Agency open thread alone. Before the sun came up on March 5, there were 408 comments in the second MHR open thread. This year, there have been zero Free Agency open threads and zero comments to go in them. For as badly as we needed to move on from the 2009 season, we are looking forward to moving on from the 2010 season that much more. It's indeed a shame that the exuberance we collectively share this time of year has given way to the CBA non-negotiations we continue to read about.

So far, we've seen no action and plenty of posturing. We've already lost the beginning of Free Agency and there's a good possibly that we may not experience it until long after the draft. As Bronco fans, we want to begin the healing process. That starts with the beginning of Free Agency - that starts with a new CBA.

It's time for the owners and players to stop bickering and get this thing done.

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Comments

Maybe I'm wrong

but I don’t see the owners doing that much bickering. I think the players are the ones doing most of that. What I don’t see is the (NFLPA?) whatever they are calling themselves now doing much to resolve this mess. Everything I’ve seen and read appears to lean towards the players wanting litigate this away. I’m not certain this is going to work out that much better in the courtroom (for the players). But… what do I know? I’m one of the stupid shmucks who buys NFL stuff and goes to the occasional game when I can afford to.

We conquered this territory with our bodies and souls, then we watered it with our tears.
Go Denver!

by SSinSD on Mar 19, 2011 11:35 PM MDT reply actions

Agreed, look at the interviews

The owners, who may or may not be in the wrong, act calm and collected, and don’t attack the other side. The players on the other hand are reactionary, attack the owners and just seem rude.

I am a bear of very little brains and big words bother me.

by Topher Doll on Mar 20, 2011 12:10 AM MDT up reply actions

In the players defense they are paid fighters, that is what fighters do. The owners are businessmen, they know how this game works.

by ThorpeBroncosfan on Mar 20, 2011 12:46 AM MDT up reply actions

But the players have lawyers

And De Smith is paid to talk, so far he hasn’t sounded nearly as reasonable as the owners.

I am a bear of very little brains and big words bother me.

by Topher Doll on Mar 20, 2011 1:16 AM MDT up reply actions

The man's a twat

he doesn’t care about anyone but himself, just like a piece of crap co-worker management forces me to share a prison cell ERRRR domicile with

Brad James

Follow me on Twitter

With Coach Zorro on our side, we will slice opponents to ribbons. Tim Tebow gives me hope and I already have faith and charity in my heart! I see a propitious future rife with Lombardis for our Broncos!

by the new Bradfather on Mar 20, 2011 10:15 AM MDT up reply actions

DMS is hurting many of his own guys

the players who weren’t ready for this lockout, the players who have made poor financial decisions can only go along with the program for so long. A court ordered offseason and regular season for 2011 will be needed or many “poor” players will be the first to lose their nerve and begin pressuring the x-NFLPA to make a deal already.

It’ll be interesting to see how long DMS can keep unity among the players.

"All credibility, all good conscience, all evidence of truth come only from the senses." Friedrich Nietzsche
"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great." Mark Twain
"If people never did silly things nothing intelligent would ever get done." Wittgenstein

by Horsepower on Mar 20, 2011 11:41 AM MDT up reply actions

While I am pro owner

I do side with the players on a number of issues, 18 games for example, but I am very against DMS in how he is running this.

I am a bear of very little brains and big words bother me.

by Topher Doll on Mar 20, 2011 12:51 PM MDT up reply actions

That made me laugh!

We conquered this territory with our bodies and souls, then we watered it with our tears.
Go Denver!

by SSinSD on Mar 20, 2011 5:04 PM MDT up reply actions

To this post I say Amen.

by ThorpeBroncosfan on Mar 20, 2011 12:45 AM MDT reply actions

Psychology and personality

When you bait someone and make them mad they are going to sound bad. Maurice has a personality that won’t win over people. Lawyers always muck up everything. The owners aren’t choirboys either. Goodell is a yes man. Who is the good guy?

by Baghdad on Mar 20, 2011 1:38 AM MDT reply actions

Lawyers

If any of you guys are lawyers I appologize. My brother is a laywer

by Baghdad on Mar 20, 2011 1:41 AM MDT reply actions

You'll be hearing....

…from my lawyer.

What I am truly interested in is whether God had any choice in the creation of the world.
Albert Einstein

by bradley on Mar 20, 2011 11:58 AM MDT up reply actions

Comments

The owners know not to talk, the players know not to talk but it is easier keeping 32 people quiet than keeping approximately 2000 people quiet. There are players talking that dont know the issues, just running their mouths, and they have to be told to say “no comment”.
The “NFLPA” have some bad apples making it worse for them in the PR and leverage department.

Here's to Tebow being the starter in 2011!

by milehighinTO on Mar 20, 2011 6:47 AM MDT reply actions

Yep, when Cromartie and Chad Johnson are making the most sense of your player group then you know you are scraping the barrel for common sense.

FIRE DE MAURICE SMITH...he can go suck dog balls for all I care!

NFLPA??? National Fools and Lame Pricks Association!

ANYONE ELSE INTERESTED IN SEEING WHAT WE HAVE IN TEBOW? Watching Kyle orton is like watching re-runs of the Brady Bunch...you always know whats going to happen and makes you feel sick at the end!

"I actually watched the World Cup. I HATE baseball. Hockey’s over. Hey, at least we have the WNBA. Oh, man. I’m making a noose. Want one?"

Harv Neptune.

by boydy2669 on Mar 20, 2011 7:00 AM MDT up reply actions

Well it's not even players in general

It’s the guys who wrote that letter, it’s DeSmith, it’s not the average player who seems to have trouble communicating.

I am a bear of very little brains and big words bother me.

by Topher Doll on Mar 20, 2011 8:46 AM MDT up reply actions

Good!

I hope we lose a few more free agency periods. Except for a rare Dawkins or Lynch along the way, the Broncs have mostly ended up with a whole parade of very expensive busts. And in doing so, Denver have missed the boat on building a long term developmental plan through the draft. The new management says their focus on rebuilding the team will be through the draft. I’m glad their hand is being forced to do so. I hope a draft first philosophy ends up sticking to be the norm for EFX. I sick to my stomach of the quick ~~fix~~ bust strategy that has been largely responsible for getting the Broncos into the mess they’ve been in for most of this century.

First they ignore you.
They then laugh at you.
Then they fight you.
Then, you win.
--Gandhi

by Santa Fe Bronc on Mar 20, 2011 9:59 AM MDT reply actions

Out of the above FA moves

I disagreed only with:

Trade:
* Brady Quinn for Peyton Hillis & 2011 6th round pick (March 14)

Re-signed:
* Le Kevin Smith (March 11)

The rest of the moves I thought were understandable, I just wish McX would’ve drafted more defensive players than Ayers for the front-7 in ’09 and ’10.

by Horsepower on Mar 20, 2011 11:52 AM MDT up reply actions

I meant to quote the Le Kevin too

by Horsepower on Mar 20, 2011 11:52 AM MDT up reply actions

Quote the Kevin, nevermore.

All I'm trying to do is read a MF blog here.

by BringBackOrange on Mar 21, 2011 10:53 AM MDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs

With Monday Morning hindsight

the only good move was signing Prater. The others seemed reasonable at the time, except, of course, the Quinn for Hillis stupidity.

What I am truly interested in is whether God had any choice in the creation of the world.
Albert Einstein

by bradley on Mar 20, 2011 12:02 PM MDT up reply actions

FA moves look different in hindsight

Not many people said those things when they happened. Plus the fact FA’s can be the missing piece in a team.

I am a bear of very little brains and big words bother me.

by Topher Doll on Mar 20, 2011 12:52 PM MDT up reply actions

Most fans were livid about the Peyton Hills trade.

Me included. It still is just sickening. I know he puts the rock on the ground alot (I even call him Fumbelina!) but man the guy is just a workhorse. He’s a tank with vision and heart. We really screwed ourselves with that one!

I think I will go cry now.

by Heeler on Mar 20, 2011 1:14 PM MDT up reply actions

That was Hillis

Not FA trades in general, as you suggest.

I am a bear of very little brains and big words bother me.

by Topher Doll on Mar 20, 2011 5:22 PM MDT up reply actions

I don't know if we have always missed in FA, but it can seem that way.

Alfred Williams and Neil Smith were crucial to the SB teams as was Ray Crockett and Darien Gordon. Jake Plummer was a winner while he was here. I think the trick has been with those names they were still starters on the teams they left. McD tried to find diamonds in the rough. Unfortunatley he went looking in a yard full of old leaves and Dog Poop. Guess what he found?

by Heeler on Mar 20, 2011 1:20 PM MDT up reply actions

Free Agency can be a 'bandaid' or a 'healing' agent...

Brian Xanders spoke before the Senior Bowl that this year with the new regime, drafting for youth will be center stage. Players they will focus on for the future and the core ingredient for the Broncos success…Not to say that they will forego FA and target specific players to fill needed positions, but the main goal will be to build the team through the draft. The fact that there may be more ingredients (talent) on this team than first realised leaves me to believe that FA this year (if there is one) will be minimal…

by bfree2bronc on Mar 20, 2011 4:21 PM MDT reply actions

Players going to EFL & CFL

I bet the owners will come to terms when players leave for the CFL & EFL. If major players decide to sign to play for other leagues and the leagues sign major tv deals the owners will have to come to terms. Players are already being contacted.
http://sports-glory.com

SPORTS-GLORY.com

by Sports-Glory on Mar 20, 2011 4:26 PM MDT reply actions

Very doubtful....

The players will make no where near the money and put more wear and tear on their bodies. This just decreases what they will be able to make once the situation is resolved and for some they will be career ending injuries.

Like the owner or not, they have invested billions of dollars to make the NFL the stage that it is so players can make the kind of money they were making. I just don’t think you will find that many willing investors to construct the kind of operating infrastructure so they players can make the same amount of money.

by Keyworthpunch on Mar 21, 2011 10:04 AM MDT up reply actions

They've also reaped incredible benefits...

The money they’ve invested came from my wallet.

by Jezru on Mar 21, 2011 11:59 AM MDT up reply actions

Means we will have to use the draft for immediate needs not BPA.

This might hurt those of us who would be happy with Dareus or Peterson. I would bet it will be a DL position if no FA occurs before the draft.

"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence."
John Adams

by Broncotodd on Mar 21, 2011 7:42 AM MDT reply actions