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Denver Post: Bailey, Portis all but dealt


Taco John

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Last week, the New York Jets offered their own blockbuster proposal to the Redskins. In return for Bailey, running back Ladell Betts and Washington's second-round pick, the Jets agreed to send a package of players that included Pro Bowl defensive end Shaun Ellis, tight end Anthony Becht and running back LaMont Jordan.

That is Definately Interesting but they would not get our 2nd rounder

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I'm as happy as a pig in slop if this deal goes through. :drool: The defense will be addessed next. Snyder is warming up the jet for Jevon Kearse or Grant Wistrom who will not be franchise tagged. :)

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Article Published: Tuesday, February 24, 2004

Broncos: - Bailey, Portis all but dealt

New deals for players trade focus

By Adam Schefter

Denver Post Sports Writer

Though the blockbuster trade has its dissenters, the Broncos and Washington Redskins are not among them. They already have agreed upon compensation, according to multiple sources involved in the discussions.

Now it is up to the respective teams to do the same with the players they covet.

Denver would get Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey and Washington's 2004 second-round draft pick; the Redskins would get Pro Bowl running back Clinton Portis. The focus is on whether each team can come to terms with its potential new player.

Most parties expect an agreement this week. If it becomes official, one of the biggest trades in NFL history - one some Broncos players thought was a prank - would be announced March 3, the day the NFL's trading period begins.

"It was enjoyable playing with the Broncos," Portis said on KKFN 950 AM. "If this is the end of my stay, I had a great time."

As of Monday evening, there were no signs of any hang-ups in the contract talks. Bailey's agent, Jack Reale, is busy hammering out a contract with the Broncos, while Portis' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, is busy hammering out a contract with the Redskins.

In the end, their efforts will dictate whether the deal comes to fruition. But a source directly involved in some of the contract talks stated confidently, "One way or another, it all should be worked out."

The only dissenting voices about the trade emerged from the Broncos' locker room.

"I think Champ's a great player, man," said Pro Bowl middle linebacker Al Wilson, scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. "But we're bringing all these outsiders in, and we're not taking care of the guys who have been there and been productive."

Denver will attempt to squash that complaint in Wilson's case today, and up until the free-agent signing period begins March 3.

If Wilson does not accept by 2 p.m. today Denver's seven-year deal worth approximately $42 million, the Broncos will slap their franchise tag on the linebacker.

The tag would restrict Wilson's negotiating opportunities with other teams while paying him $5.834 million for the coming season. Wilson issued his own threat to the Broncos, saying: "If I get franchised, I'm out of there next year."

However, under the terms of the NFL's collective bargaining agreement, the Broncos could opt to put their franchise tag on Wilson again, further restricting his negotiating opportunities and aggravating their defensive leader.

It is not what Wilson or Denver wants, but it is up to each side to avert the hard feelings that have built up in negotiations that were stalled as of Monday evening.

"I feel like I've been very underpaid, but I signed the contract and you have to play it out," said Wilson, who earned $350,000 and $375,000 in base salary each of the past two seasons. "So now it's my opportunity to have some say in what I want to do. They may put the tag on me. But I can tell you this: It won't be a happy situation, and they know that."

What Denver also knows is that until it resolves its talks with Wilson, it cannot fully focus on Bailey.

But the parameters of Bailey's contract are in place based on the extensive negotiations he conducted during the past season with Washington.

Bailey rejected the Redskins' offer of a nine-year, $55 million contract that included $14.75 million in bonuses. How much Bailey will receive in Denver is uncertain, but one Broncos official said the team has devised a way to squeeze the Pro Bowl cornerback into their salary cap.

Washington has done the same for Portis, who has sought a new deal since last season. At this month's Pro Bowl, Portis made his desire for a new contract explicitly clear, and it was that exact wish that triggered the Broncos to look into a trade for their Pro Bowl running back.

"C'mon, man," Portis said at the Pro Bowl. "There are players on special teams making more money than me. How long am I going to stay content with that? The Broncos know the situation. It's however they want to do it. I've given them two good years for the low-low. Why can't I be one of the top-paid players in the league?"

Portis said Monday he considers himself the best running back in football, and he would like to be paid as such.

Just days before last season kicked off, Kansas City running back Priest Holmes - the player Portis once viewed as the best at his position - signed a four-year contract extension that included a $10 million signing bonus and a $5 million annual average.

Paying Portis and Bailey is the last obstacle in the way of any trade. But should it bog down for some reason, other teams are waiting to pitch offers at the Redskins.

Last week, the New York Jets offered their own blockbuster proposal to the Redskins. In return for Bailey, running back Ladell Betts and Washington's second-round pick, the Jets agreed to send a package of players that included Pro Bowl defensive end Shaun Ellis, tight end Anthony Becht and running back LaMont Jordan.

However, the Broncos' offer of the best young running back in football is the front-runner.

"I didn't think there was much truth to it," said Denver defensive end Bertrand Berry, who also is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. "I thought it was hearsay. I didn't think they were serious about giving up Clinton.

"At this point, I'm just shocked. I don't know what to say. I didn't see this one coming. Wow. Wow!"

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Lets see........ if that Jet trade was true....... hmm. :rolleyes:

RB - Lamont Jordan for RB Ladell Betts (probably a trade off here, both backs taken in 2nd round. What would be the purpose here?

DE - Shaun Ellis

TE - Anthony Becht for Champ Bailey and our 2nd round pick.

Ellis is young and had an all-pro season with 12 sacks, and Anthony Becht was a former #1 draft pick, but is primarily a blocker and not much of a receiver.

An all-pro DE for an all-pro CB

And a TE former #1 pick for our 2nd round pick.

Hmm. What do you guys think of the above trade if true?

Well we would have upgraded our DL and have a good blocking TE, at the cost of Champ (he was a goner anyway) and a 2nd round pick. Its questionable whether Lamont Jordan would be an upgrade at RB.

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I don't want to hear another Denver fan thinking that they are getting robbed if they don't get our 1st rounder. Half of these people don't even know who Champ is, they don't understand that this could still be straight-swap. We don't need Portis, there are other options.

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TJ,

I am very glad you've been here to provide perspective on this, but, seriously, if you think Portis is worth Bailey AND our No. 1 pick, you are more than just mile high. Legitimately an argument can be made that the trade is fair straight up. Perhaps even more so that YOU should provide extra.

I think what tips the trade in your favor here is the topic I've touched on in another thread. Why the hell is Denver doing this? Why not KEEP Portis AND get Champ since they have that ability. Why not get another good corner and keep Portis. The fact that you have those options probably means we have to sweeten the pot for you some.

I think we'd be getting a bigger game-changing player than you'll be getting. So, in the end, I like what it does for us assuming we make fill moves later. But, Portis isn't worth quite as much as you're painting him out to be worth.

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Not sure what the Jets are thinking. It's hard to say Jordan is better than Betts. You could make a case that this is a loss in the swap for us even. Becht and Ellis are nice, but, the deal isn't one that moves me. The Jets have some ability to move an end so any deal with them will have to include Ellis or Abraham I suppose. This deal just doesn't make it for me.

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Originally posted by Duke

A third, then a second, WTF??? Is this draft going to be another boring one for us for the second year in a row?

I think this post epitomizes the problem people have with any trade involving our picks. Even if the trade greatly improves our team, you'll lean against it because it means a boring draft day for you. I say, get your priorities straight.

I would not lose any sleep over giving up a pick to get Portis. Champ is gone anyway. If not to Denver then to someone else. We can either make up for the pick with another move, or just eat it. I don't care. There are a lot of things I could be doing on draft day. Frankly, it doesn't mean that much to me at all. Just get the players...on way or another -- GET THE PLAYERS.

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Who's to say we've actually given our 2nd rounder to them yet? We don't know? The deal hasn't been made yet. All we are hearing is speculation of what the parameters are. Who knows. We might of gotten a 3rd from them. Nobody knows until it's official. Unless there is one person on this site that has been there at the negotiating table, we don't know what the deal is yet. So let's not all panick until we get the final word here.

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I have purposely tried to stay away from criticizing Snyder for any moves he makes because I know how badly he wants to win. Just trying to do this trade because it's a blockbuster and will be the talk of the NFL is a mistake. If we do include this year's 2nd round pick for Portis then Snyder is a freaking moron and I will have lost respect for him.

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