No more Brett!

No, he's not disappeared under a Wisconsin Snowplough, we're just refusing to document the shenanigans until something is decided.

DENVER:

Denver wideout Rod Smith has retired in a very emotional fashion after 13 years in the game, where Broncos President and CEO Pat Bowlen called Smith the best Broncos player not named John Elway that he's ever had play for him.

Is this a stretch? Bowlen has been in Denver since 1984, and whilst Tony Dorsett played a season there, the clear-cut number 2 behind Elway is Terrell Davis, who won Super Bowl 32 for the Broncos, and had 152 rushing/receiving yards in Super Bowl 33.

Smith has been in place for longer than Davis, and he too has won 2 rings. Moreover, as arguably the most successful undrafted rookie, he has the name recognition in place, but without Davis in SB32, the Broncos win zip. For that reason, Elway, Davis, Smith make up my top 3 Broncos players since 1984.

HOLDOUTS:

Devin Hester (KR/WR, Chicago)
Jason Peters (LT, Buffalo)

The two primary holdouts remaining, excluding rookies. Both feel they're underpaid (In Hester's case I agree - without him, where are the Bears scoring?), and both are Pro Bowlers. Two very different circumstances. Hester is still on his rookie contract and he's due to make circa $500k this season. Peters is a 5 year vet, and Trent Edwards' bodyguard, earning $3.25m this year, but crucially he's THIRD on the Bills line on 08 salary levels behind LG Derrick Dockery and RT Langston Walker. Based on that factor, and his salary isn't in line with a player of his abilities (Jake Long is guaranteed $6m per year and hasn't played a down). Also, he's $2m down on the 2004 average salary for a LT*. Pay them both, and get them into camp asap, particularly Hester if you want him to succeed (With Rexy?) at WR.

* - http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/24/magazine/24football.html


Breaking news in that Hester has reported to camp today, (Friday) after a two-day hold out. Various reports are suggesting that the Bears return specialist merely sought to shock the management into prioritising a new deal for him. Hester accumulated $30k of fines for his two day absence.

ANQUAN'S ANGRY:

Anquan Boldin wants out of Arizona. He's fed up of contract negotiations (which he signed two years ago) because the Cards were daft enough to say that he'd out-performed his contract. Seriously, say things like that when you're almost at your cap limit, and what more do you expect? Boldin would immediately improve any team in the league, and is a hard nosed, blue-collar player that fans respond to. Losing him would be a huge blow for a franchise looking to build for a playoff place.