The barrage of activity involving the Denver Broncos the past 4 days or so is historic, or at least that's the feeling I get on message boards and on the team's own website. There is some growing concern that there has been some activity for activity's sake. The only question to ask after any roster move is "Is the team better now then they were before the move?" Sometimes it's an easy question to answer, sometimes not so much.
Andrew Mason, a fine writer for DenverBroncos.com posted an entry in his blog containing a little Q&A with Broncos' GM Ted Sundquist. It was appropriate and timely, with the team just finalizing three seperate signings earlier in the day. There were glaring ommissions, of course, which is to be expected when you work for the team. More worrisome to me is the Main-Stream-Media's(MSM) lack of asking the tough questions. I mean, unless the Broncos aren't granting interviews to guys like Bill Williamson or Jeff Legwold why aren't these guys finding out some answers? To be fair, they might be trying and it could be the team that is balking, but at least come out and say it.
Back to Mason's interview. He asked the typical stuff, what does this guy bring to the table, were you surprised that travis Henry became available, how's the cap situation. No where in the session did Mason ask about the team's concern over Henry's past. The guy is one binge away from a year long suspension and we just gave him 12 million large guaranteed. Now sure, we can assume it was discussed, and we can assume if that happens the Broncos would recoup some of the money, but you know what they say when you "assume".
While the interview was geared towards the three FA's the Broncos signed on Monday, how can you not ask about the Dre Bly situation? Bly has yet to grant an interview, and it is becoming painfully obvious that he doesn't want to play in Denver. I know Shanny likes to impose his will on players at times, but why give up 2 players and a draft pick for a guy THAT DOESN'T WANT TO PLAY FOR YOU? Seems like a fair question to me.
I am the ultimate Bronco homer. If I wanted to be unbiased and balanced I would have become a "real" journalist. I am biased. I try to look for the positive in everything the Broncos do. Some of these scenarios have me concerned, however, as a fan. Remember, unlike the guys who get paid to ask the questions I do this for free, as a a form of therapy for the mental illness that is being a Bronco fanatic. When I ask these questions I ask them out of concern for the future of the team, not the concern over my next paycheck. Both have their positives and negatives, but I prefer this route becuase I get to speak from the heart, good or bad.
Hopefully in the days ahead we'll get some of these answers. I have learned not to judge Shanny's moves until after they are over. Sometimes a deal can look bad, until it leads to another move, then another. After the draft we'll know if acquiring Dre Bly was a good move. After the draft we'll know if the team brass have concerns about Travis Henry's off-field history. Maybe then the tough questions will get asked.
Let this be an open invitation to the team, or anyone that covers it, to reach out to me and answer them. You can reach me at milehighreport@gmail.com. Until then, I'll have to rely on MSM to do it for me, and so far I am unimpressed.