The Denver Broncos on Monday traded defensive tackle Gerard Warren to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for an undisclosed pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, Head Coach Mike Shanahan announced.
Warren is a seventh-year player who spent the last two seasons with Denver after joining the club in a trade with Cleveland on March 2, 2005.
It is the first time the Broncos have completed a trade with Oakland since 1993 when the Raiders acquired RB Gaston Green for a 3rd Round pick.
I am all for the theory that the Pre-Season doesn't matter and that the Broncos have been playing a base defense, 7-man front throughout. But to be that confident that the D-Line is going to come together, ESPECIALLY after the loss of Ebenezar Ekuban for the season, seems downright stubborn to me. Warren was a warm body at least and a big one at that.
The Broncos painted themselves into a corner with Warren by leaving him at home the past two weeks. They really had no choice but to deal him, and now the Broncos get to see him twice a season.
I'm still confident that the defense can step it up, but it had better, or simply giving players away before the season will require alot of explaining!