There is still another football season to be played before any of us fans begin to think about the NFL Draft, but the news of a three day extension of the greatest event of the NFL season (unless of course your team competes for the Lombardi Trophy in February) got me thinking.

Brandon Marshall, the Denver Broncos’ star wide receiver, has requested a trade.  He has gone public via Twitter and his “official” website as saying “change is best”. 

While this act is cute and all, the Broncos fully expect Marshall to show up for training camp next Friday, and he plans on doing so also, much to his chagrin.

When asked whether or not Marshall would be wearing number 15 for the Denver Broncos in 2009, Marshall responded with a smile, “I’ll be wearing number 15.”

Truth be told, those five words were enough to set off many, if not all Denver Bronco fans. 

The gloves are off.

On multiple occasions, I have met Marshall, and I can say first hand that he is a class act to the fans of the Denver Broncos.  He is always willing to sign extra autographs, take pictures, and despite his off-field issues, I feel Marshall is a good person at heart, or at least wants to be.

The fact remains that Marshall has yet to prove that he can be a reliable citizen, much less a dependable employee and superstar athlete.

So why do the Broncos not unload him?

The first answer that comes to mind is because they do not have any desire to.

Marshall is undoubtedly a top-10 receiver in this league.  He is an absolute beast with the ball in his hands, and no player has been thrown to more times over the last two seasons. 

Another reason?

Marshall has only one year left on his rookie contract, and in 2009, he is going to come at an outstandingly reasonable price.  That being said, how diminished will his trade value be since the team potentially getting him will not be guaranteed more than a one year rental?

Yet another road bump in any potential Marshall trade is his recent hip injury, which he has yet to fully recover from. 

Do not forget about Marshall’s legal history, as well as pending case in mid-August.

So what can the Broncos really get in return for an injured, legally troubled rental of a wide receiver who claimed he was “nowhere near” as fast as the great Larry Fitzgerald at a recent workout session?

The answer to that, my friends, is “not a whole heck of a lot”, which is why I have a proposition for Broncos fans and critics alike.

As you can see by simply viewing the article’s photo, the crux of this rant is Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, arguably the greatest player to ever grace a college football field.

I propose that the Denver Broncos keep Brandon Marshall for 2009, franchise tag him in 2010, trade him, and draft Tebow.

I cannot think of a better player to replace the number 15 jersey in my closet at the current moment.

Tebow has been absolutely hammered by NFL scouts, many saying he is not going to be a good fit for the NFL.  One Todd McShay predicted him as a second day pick at best.

I would like to use this space to say right now that Tim Tebow will be a superb NFL quarterback, just like I think Tyler Hansbrough will be one of the most consistent power forwards in the NBA for the next decade.

Like Hansbrough, Tebow is supposedly not fit to excel at the next level.

Alright, so there is a flaw in that reasoning.  The NBA is not even close to being similar to the NFL, but Tebow and Hansbrough have strikingly similar backgrounds. 

Both are considered to be the best or among the best in their respective sports, both have championship experience, great coaching, and both are hard working, high character student athletes.

If there is one thing I have learned from Josh McDaniels this offseason, it is that he values leadership and the “team” concept more than he does any single player.

Is Tim Tebow not the poster child to represent that description?

Tebow is a Heisman Trophy recipient, and a two-time BCS National Champion.  He has won nearly every accolade or personal achievement any player at the collegiate level could possibly receive.

To boot, he is the ideal size for an NFL quarterback at 6’3″ 240 pounds.

Tebow is the only player in FBS history to throw and rush for 20 touchdowns in the same season, but he is far from being only a “scrambling” quarterback.

Over the last two seasons, Tebow has thrown 62 touchdown passes to only 10 interceptions.  That is better than a six-to-one ratio, for those keeping track at home.

While this is simply a pipe dream, I cannot get the thought out of my head.

Out with the old, and in with the new has been a theme this offseason for the Broncos, and the new management has fans excited about possibly serving delicious crow to the main-stream media.

I could not think of a better way to serve it than ice cold.

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