Former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Freddie Mitchell is known for speaking his mind.
He did that Saturday when asked if he would be interested in becoming a Bronco.
“That would be awesome,” Mitchell said.
Friday, after months of speculation, the Eagles released Mitchell, a 2001 first-round draft choice from UCLA. Saturday, Mitchell said Denver, Washington, Tampa Bay and Tennessee are teams he would be interested in helping.
Mitchell said he thinks he could thrive in Denver’s offense and said he would love to play with Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer.
“Man, Jake’s a Pac-10 guy,” said Mitchell, referring to Plummer’s college career at Arizona State. “I have always been a big fan of Jake’s. It’s literally never over with him. I know he will give receivers second and third opportunities to make a great play.”
Wherever he ends up, Mitchell said he will consider it a fresh start. The NFL veteran, known for his good hands and ability to go across the middle, never has blossomed into the receiver many, including himself, hoped he would become.
“I want an opportunity to catch the ball,” he said. “Catching the ball is one of my biggest assets, and I wasn’t given the opportunity to do that a lot in Philadelphia.”
In his four-year career, Mitchell played in 63 games and had 90 catches for 1,263 yards and five touchdowns. His best season came in 2003, when he had 35 catches. The biggest play of Mitchell’s NFL career came during an NFC divisional playoff game against Green Bay in January 2004. He made a catch over the middle on a fourth-and-26 play that kept Philadelphia’s postseason alive.
But last season, Mitchell grew restless over his role as a slot receiver and criticized quarterback Donovan McNabb for lacking confidence in him as a go-to receiver. Mitchell didn’t want to talk much about his relationship with McNabb.
“It’s business,” Mitchell said. “One thing I have learned is that what goes on in the team, just keep it in the team. The thing about it is, I can’t let my past relationships affect my future.”
Mitchell had a controversial final season with Philadelphia. Before the Eagles’ Super Bowl loss to New England, Mitchell upset the Patriots when he insulted their secondary during an ESPN interview. Mitchell said he just knew the numbers, but not the names, of New England’s cornerbacks.
Mitchell, 26, had two seasons remaining on the original six-year contract he signed. He was scheduled to make a base salary of $540,000 in 2005 and $600,000 for 2006.
Brown picks Patriots
Free agent Chad Brown, a former Colorado star, won’t be playing for Denver.
Brown accepted a two-year, $4 million contract with the Patriots on Friday that will pay the linebacker $1.5 million this season. The contract includes another $500,000 in incentives he can make based on playing time and performance. The 12-year veteran was released by Seattle this spring.
The Broncos had shown strong interest in Brown, who lives in the Denver area during the offseason. But last week, Brown’s agent, Peter Schaffer, indicated Brown likely would sign with another team.
Patrick Saunders can be reached at 303-820-5459 or psaunders@denverpost.com.
