Report: Denver Broncos’ Brandon Marshall Benched For Season Finale Vs Chiefs

The Denver Broncos‘ playoff hopes took a huge blow today after head coach Josh McDaniels said receiver Brandon Marshall will not play in the final game of the season.

The Denver Broncos, currently with an 8-7 record, are one of the many teams still alive for an AFC playoff birth.

Starting the season 6-0, the team has lost seven out of the last nine, and needs a win along with help from other teams to enter the postseason.

But McDaniels revealed Marshall—who is believed to have injured his hamstring during practice this week—will not line up against Kansas City, saying “several other players will play Sunday with injuries worse than Marshall’s.”

Marshall and McDaniels had their issues earlier in the season, but improved the relationship when the Broncos got off to the hot start.

With the Broncos now fighting for their playoff lives, they are now in a much tougher position, with Marshall being the most targeted player on the Broncos offense.

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Breaking News: Brandon Marshall Suspended by Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos continue to face turmoil this offseason. With the falling out between Jay Cutler and new head coach Josh McDaniels, there has been a bit of a split within the organization, which wants to move on under new staff.

Receiver Brandon Marshall, who has requested a trade for months now, has been a distraction for the Broncos. Marshall has missed the first two preseason games and was demoted to the scout team just a short time ago.

However, the feud took a turn for the worse in the past couple of days, and Denver has had enough.

According to a recent report, the Denver Broncos have suspended Brandon Marshall for the rest of the preseason and possibly part of the regular season.

ESPN has learned that a video was shown of Broncos camp where Marshall was “walking when the rest of the team was running during warm-ups, insolently punting the ball away instead of handing it to a ball boy, and swatting away a pass that was thrown to him.”

While Marshall claims it wasn’t intentional, his desire for a trade has been known for quite some time, yet the Broncos have not found anything on the market worthy for him.

This suspension will make the trade market for Marshall drop very quickly, as it seems to be more unlikely that Marshall will find a new home this season.

 

Matt Miselis is an NFL writer for BleacherReport.com.

Report: Jets, Ravens Interested In Marshall, Denver Staying Put??

With less then three weeks away from the beginning of the 2009 season, the Denver Broncos have fallen to 0-2 in the preseason, with questions surrounding the offense.

Quarterback Kyle Orton did struggle in his second start, while Chris Simms went down to injury in his stint.

Surely the offense could have been better if Brandon Marshall cooperated with the team during the off season, instead of being placed on the scout team.

The trade talks have continue to be known, as Marshall still wants out of Denver, as he feels he is not a good fit for a new offense.

Over the past week, a few teams have been rumored to have interest in Marshall, and is willing to make an offer that could interest the front office.

The New York Jets seem to be the most interested, as they are in need of a dominant presence on the receiving end.

It is also believed that the Baltimore Ravens have interest in Marshall, and could have a good match that Denver is looking for as well.

Yet, the Broncos organization is still going to hold onto Marshall. Even with the troubled past Marshall has shown the front office, and is still a distraction the team has to face, the team still holds on to the receiver most likely for the start of the season.

Denver is going to want a deal like Cutler, where multiple draft picks needs to be involved, but would need a receiver/quarterback in return as well.

The team said that Cutler was staying in Denver, and he found a new home at some point.

Marshall, however, may not have the same luck, which could lead to a long season for the receiver in Denver.

 

Matt Miselis is an NFL writer for BleacherReport.com

Predicting The AFC West: Will Anybody Challenge San Diego In 2009?

As the 2009 NFL season begins, the talk begins. Who will stay on top of the league as true contenders? Who will disappoint? Who will surprise?

As the formal predictions begin, we are taking a look at the AFC West, a division that had an 8-8 team as a representative. Yet, there is promise in the future of this division.

The Denver Broncos begin the post-Cutler era. The Oakland Raiders are still trying to live up to the expectations of their fans, while the Chiefs begin a new plan under a new front office, and head coach Todd Haley.

Who will take the division? Who will slump? Who shall make the most improvement in the AFC West?

 

1. San Diego Chargers—The San Diego Chargers head into the season as the favorite to win the division, with not much surprise. While no major moves were made this off season, every contributor was brought back to the roster in 2009. San Diego’s defense comes at full strength this year, especially with linebacker Shawn Merriman back on the field.

On the offensive sign of the ball, Philip Rivers continues to improve his game, along with returning Antonio Gates at full health.

Not much trouble for San Diego this year, as the Chargers will head back to the playoffs once again.

Prediction: 11-5

2. Denver Broncos—The Denver Broncos begin the 2009 season, known as the post Cutler era, without their franchise quarterback in Jay Cutler. In the offseason, they signed Pro-Bowl safety Brian Dawkins to try and improve the offseason woes. In his first season as head coach, Josh McDaniels will find it difficult.

Kyle Orton could play well in McDaniels’ system, yet he didn’t prove in Chicago he can throw the ball downfield where the receiving corps, led by Brandon Marshall,who loves to make the big grabs.

The addition of Dawkins helps the defense; but there are many holes on the field, particularly the lack of pass-rush.

The Broncos will play well in their home stadium; though a rough season does await in 2009.

Prediction: 7-9

3. Oakland Raiders—The silver and black finished the 2008 season on a winning streak under Tom Cable, despite being six games under .500.

The organization is expecting a progression from JaMarcus Russell, who has underachieved as the number one pick in the draft.

Darren McFadden and Justin Fargas are becoming a forceful running back combo beneath our eyes.

On the defensive side, the brightest spot is Nnamdi Asomugha, whom they signed to a long-term contract as a building piece on defense.

Tom Cable could be the answer in Oakland, that is, if he gets lee-way as coach to help build the roster.

The Raiders do face a tough schedule on the road, which includes; New York, Pittsburgh, and Dallas, along with games against the Eagles, Ravens, and Redskins.

The Raiders will put on a show, but are a few off seasons away from contending again, another losing season is coming for Oakland.

Prediction: 6-10

4. Kansas City Chiefs—The Kansas City Chiefs began their project by hiring new head coach Todd Haley, an offensive mastermind who led the Arizona Cardinals to a Super Bowl appearance.

With that, Kansas City traded for quarterback Matt Cassel, who had his career year with the Patriots. Just a few weeks ago the front office signed him to an extension, making him the quarterback for the forseeable future.

Receiver Dwayne Bowe continues to make strides as an offense threat, however, he is still the only bright spot in a weak team.

One of the worst offenses in the league in 2008, Kansas City shipped Tony Gonzalez out of town, their only productive weapon, statistically the best tight end in the NFL.

This year with the third overall pick, the Chiefs selected Tyson Jackson out of LSU. Along with Glenn Dorsey, Kansas City is building a defensive line for the future. However, with a very young squad, the talent is simply not there to build a winning team at the moment.

Prediction: 4-12

Matt Miselis is a writer for BleacherReport.com

 

Why Brandon Marshall Will Not Be Traded By the Denver Broncos In 2009

The Denver Broncos faced great woes this off-season.

They lost Mike Shanahan, the long tenured coach and adviser of the organization, and brought in Josh McDaniels from New England. Trouble began quickly after McDaniels attempted to make a play to get Matt Cassell to Denver.

A feud began between then-quarterback Jay Cutler and McDaniels after that. It was an ongoing media event that lasted for weeks. Finally, Cutler forced his way out of Denver, and was shipped off to Chicago. 

The Broncos did what they felt was best for the organization in the draft, taking advantage of the extra picks they had from the deal.

Mini camp came around the corner quickly, and the post-Cutler era began to surge.

Last week Kyle Orton, the replacement for Cutler, was named the starting quarterback even before training camp started so the team could prepare with him at the helm.

However, more controversy has arrived in Denver.

Brandon Marshall, the top receiver for the Broncos, has reportedly requested a trade. This was after he missed practice, and was believed to be seen packing his things and leaving the complex.

At the age of 25, Marshall is one of the top young wideouts in the league. In 2008, he had 104 receptions for 1,265 yards and six touchdown catches. These are quality numbers for a man who continues to develop and is entering his fourth season in the league.

But his troubles with the law have led to suspensions and disciplinary actions from the Broncos organization, giving everyone notice that Marshall still has some maturing to do. He is most likely going to take the same route as Cutler and try to force his way out of Denver by not cooperating with the front office.

However, is there a suitor for his services this late in 2009?

Arizona wide receiver Anquan Boldin wanted his way out of town, but he is still a Cardinal up to this point.

Now that the draft is over and training camp is nearing, it is unlikely that many teams will make a play for him.

He is much younger than Boldin, however, and will find more interest. He can also be more flexible in contract negotiations in the future.

What teams come to mind as possible destinations for Marshall?

If this day came earlier, the Eagles could have made a play for him. With the addition of Jeremy Maclin via the draft, however, Philadelphia looks like it feels comfortable to play this season with the receiving corps it has.

The Giants can still use a receiver, even with the addition of Hakeem Nicks. However, I’m sure the team would be picky about bringing in a troubled receiver.

The Ravens, who did show interest in Boldin, could also make a bid for Marshall. The question is, would they be willing to pay the price for him? The Broncos are going to want a good package for Marshall, especially at the age he is at.

There aren’t many options for Marshall to find a new home this season. It looks like he is going to have to tough it out with the Broncos in 2009.

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Matt Miselis is a writer for BleacherReport.com

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