Washington’s Clinton Portis and Denver’s Champ Bailey, the principals in a blockbuster deal last year, will be at Invesco Field at Mile High today.
That move just scratches the surface for the Broncos, who have a penchant for making trades in the usually deal-shy NFL. The Portis-Bailey deal made national headlines, but the Broncos have continued dealing furiously. They made five trades this year, the most of any team in the league.
“I love making trades,” Broncos general manager Ted Sundquist said. “It’s hard to find trade partners, but it’s a good way of building your team. I’d like to see more deals.”
The Broncos traded for Cleveland defensive linemen Gerard Warren, Michael Myers and Ebenezer Ekuban. They acquired defensive lineman John Engelberger from San Francisco and punter Todd Sauerbrun from Carolina. They also made a deal with the Redskins that will net Washington’s top pick in the 2006 draft.
All of the acquired players have contributed, so watch for the Broncos to continue to push the trade envelope in future years.
“They’re not all Clinton for Champ,” Sundquist said. “But the smaller deals can turn out pretty good, too.”
Cards will miss Rolle
Arizona: The Cardinals suffered a blow when rookie cornerback Antrel Rolle was lost for the season with a knee injury. That hurts the Cardinals for several reasons. First, the rookie from Miami had been outstanding in the early going, with 16 tackles and two assists. Plus, this injury impedes a young career. For a player who was a rookie of the year candidate, the injury is even more unfortunate.
Jones off to slow start
Dallas: The Cowboys are concerned about second-year running back Julius Jones. He hasn’t been as impressive in the first quarter of the season as he was last year.
As a rookie, Jones rushed for 819 yards, with a 4.2 average per carry and seven touchdowns. This year, Jones has 335 yards and is averaging 3.5 yards per carry.
With the huge expectations this season, some observers are concerned. But fans must be patient. This is his first season as the No. 1 back in Dallas. Give him some time. He has great talent. Expect him to get better as the season goes on and finish with 1,200-plus yards.
Lions look prescient
Detroit: Many second-guessed the Lions when they drafted USC receiver Mike Williams with the No. 10 pick in April despite already having promising young receivers Charles Rogers and Roy Williams.
Are there any more questions?
This week, the NFL suspended Rogers four games for violating the substance abuse policy. Perhaps the Lions knew Rogers was headed the wrong way when they took Mike Williams. Now the move to draft him looks great.
A Pack of trouble
Green Bay: Much has been said about the possibility this is Brett Favre’s final season in Green Bay. Lost in the Favre frenzy is the chance this could be the end for running back Ahman Green. Unlike Favre, Green, 28, is not performing well. Green has gone 11 games without a 100-yard performance. When running backs slip, they rarely regain their groove. And Green has been increasingly more susceptible to injuries.
The Packers drafted Aaron Rodgers to replace Favre, and next year they may have to replace Green. Of course, the Packers need all kinds of defensive help. Continuing to replace their offensive stars is going to push back the overall rebuilding process.
Leftwich’s fade pattern
Jacksonville: Many scouts around the league are starting to cool on Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich. In his second season as a starter, the former Marshall star is showing many flaws.
He’s slow, immobile and doesn’t have a strong arm. He struggles with accuracy and holds on to the ball too long. Not exactly a scouting report for a Pro Bowl quarterback.
Leftwich struggled mightily against the Broncos last week. In that game, Jacksonville wanted to throw the ball often to take advantage of the Broncos’ injuries at cornerback. But it became apparent early in the game that Leftwich wasn’t up to the challenge.
This is not to say the Jaguars need to immediately find a replacement for the former first-round pick. Leftwich is a good leader and has a lot of heart. But weaknesses are starting to overshadow the positives.
Raiders seeing yellow
Oakland: Quick: Which bad habit have the Raiders held onto over the years, no matter the coach? Yes, penalties, of course.
Whether the coach was John Madden, Tom Flores, Jon Gruden or now Norv Turner, it seems every Raiders game is accompanied by an excess of yellow flags. This year, the Raiders are outdoing themselves.
The team has been flagged 49 times for 412 yards in four games. Both marks lead the league for the 1-3 Raiders. They are on pace for a whopping 196 penalties this season. They are just 109 penalties off the NFL record, which was set in 1998 by Kansas City. At this pace, the Raiders will reach the record 158 mark in their 13th game.
Nolan talks too soon
San Francisco: First-year coach Mike Nolan has received good marks for the way he has handled his new job. He has been impressive, but he is being panned around the league for a mistake he made regarding linebacker Jamie Winborn.
Nolan decided Winborn didn’t fit in and told him he would trade him. This was all made public. The problem is, Nolan made the remark before he had a willing trade partner. Now Winborn is sitting out, and the 49ers are playing him $90,000 a week for nothing.
Nolan ruined the 49ers’ leverage in this deal. The 49ers called several teams, including the Broncos, early in the ordeal and have yet to get close to a deal. The 49ers may end up releasing Winborn. Nolan, who has final say in San Francisco, needed to think this situation through. It looks like he will be a great boss, but he’s young and needs some decision-making help.
Bill Williamson can be reached at 303-820-5450 or bwilliamson@denverpost.com.
