Rod Gardner

[EMCF]

I was just reading an article on ESPN, and I came across this...

Washington officials suspect that wide receiver Rod Gardner, who has been on the trade block for months, will skip the team's formal offseason program. That could mean the price tag for acquiring the former first-round draft pick drops to next to nothing. And that means some team willing to surrender a seventh-round pick in the 2006 draft would be wise to pull the trigger on a deal. Sure, the four-year veteran suffers from some lapses in consistency. And he is more possession receiver than burner. But at age 27, Gardner still has something left, and he did catch 51 passes in 2004 in a poorly-designed attack. Given the paltry investment it will take to land Gardner, the comparative dividend could be a pretty good one.

I'd much rather have him than Mitchell, that's for sure.

I came across this on Fox Sports...

HARD TRUTH WR Rod Smith is a great player, but he'll be 35 this season and simply can't be the Broncos' go-to guy forever.

Ashley Lelie has showed flashes of talent as a big-play receiver, but he disappears in the red zone, and second-year receiver Darius Watts showed a maddening lack of concentration last season that cost him at least three touchdowns.


If Lelie and Watts don't take giant steps forward this season, leaving Smith as QB Jake Plummer's main receiving threat, the Broncos will regret their inaction on the free-agent market and in the draft in addressing this problem spot.

Hmm... I'm not sure if I agree. Thoughts?

[Colorado Bronch]

.

A 7th round pick is cheap for picking up some insurance like Gardner.

Gardner would definetly be worth the gamble.

Mitchell would not.

[topscribe]

The more I think about it, the more I believe the Broncos need to bring in some reliable, experienced help in the WR area. Who that should be, I don't know for sure. But someone . . .

[KellenWinslow81]

Rod would be a better pickup than Freddie. But we need SOMEONE. Im here to tell you, Watts is a bust, he will never be more than a 4th reciever in this league, Lelie is 1 dimensional, and Luke/Jackson/The Hamburgerler are going to be journeymen.

I REALLY hope Shannahan quits after this year because I know he's going to trade one of our firsts to get more picks in the second round and reach for 4th round corners This team could really use a nice young reciever and I dont think next year's draft class is going to be a recievers draft. Great.

[vicious2500]

Rod would be a better pickup than Freddie. But we need SOMEONE. Im here to tell you, Watts is a bust, he will never be more than a 4th reciever in this league, Lelie is 1 dimensional, and Luke/Jackson/The Hamburgerler are going to be journeymen.

I REALLY hope Shannahan quits after this year because I know he's going to trade one of our firsts to get more picks in the second round and reach for 4th round corners This team could really use a nice young reciever and I dont think next year's draft class is going to be a recievers draft. Great.

Its sounds like to me u jsut don't like the broncos, maybe u should go where ur solider Winslow is act in Cleveland maybe they'll do better than denver this year. Since the draft all you've done is whine ***** moan and grown. Its getting childish and annoying grow up and live with the decisions we made or find a new team (become a journeysmen fan .)

[bornbroncofan]

I'm all for gardner as a bronco and if we can get him for a seventh round pick then its even better.

[dbdom]

rod gardner for a sixth or a seventh would definitely good value
hes a good target to aim at and made some plays last season and from what i saw he had some skills and can be a decent addition to our receiving group

[silkamilkamonic]

Rod would be a better pickup than Freddie. But we need SOMEONE. Im here to tell you, Watts is a bust, he will never be more than a 4th reciever in this league, Lelie is 1 dimensional, and Luke/Jackson/The Hamburgerler are going to be journeymen.

I REALLY hope Shannahan quits after this year because I know he's going to trade one of our firsts to get more picks in the second round and reach for 4th round corners This team could really use a nice young reciever and I dont think next year's draft class is going to be a recievers draft. Great.

He has to trade one of them. We can't afford 2 1st round contracts next year.

[HORSEPOWER 56]

Heck, I'd give up a fourth for Gardener without blinking an eye. He's a very good receiver and was their #1 guy before Coles showed up. Gardener would easily be able to take over from Rod when he retired. He's still pretty young, he stays healthy, and he did catch more TDs than Coles did this year - even in Washington's sorry pass offense. I'd love to have him!

[topscribe]

Rod would be a better pickup than Freddie. But we need SOMEONE. Im here to tell you, Watts is a bust, he will never be more than a 4th reciever in this league, Lelie is 1 dimensional, and Luke/Jackson/The Hamburgerler are going to be journeymen.

I REALLY hope Shannahan quits after this year because I know he's going to trade one of our firsts to get more picks in the second round and reach for 4th round corners This team could really use a nice young reciever and I dont think next year's draft class is going to be a recievers draft. Great.

It wouldn't matter. Give him six weeks, and you won't like him, either.

[Mat'hir Uth Gan]

With 2 first round picks next year, we can afford to wait on getting a WR and see how our young players develop this season. If nobody steps up, we can just draft a WR next year to replace Smith.

[NJfan26]

it's good to see the skins in even more trouble...keep all the good news coming.

[Cugel]

With 2 first round picks next year, we can afford to wait on getting a WR and see how our young players develop this season. If nobody steps up, we can just draft a WR next year to replace Smith.

That's fine for NEXT year MUG, but if nobody steps up it's going to be a LONG season THIS year!

Personally, I think the Broncos coaches are happy with the receivers they have. Shanahan just said that no-one in the draft after the 2nd round could have improved the team.

Considering that there were a number of WRs with reasonable talent taken after that, I'd say he's set at WR.

I could imagine David Patten being a #3 receiver, but if Shanahan believes that Watts is his #3, then bringing in Patten would only slow down Watt's development. It would be an indication that the team has lost faith in its young WRs.

I'd say that's a bit premature. Those who think you KNOW based on 1 year that Watts is no good are full of it.

You DON'T know yet. Most receivers don't immediately catch fire in the NFL in their rookie year. It takes up to 3-4 years for them to mature. 3 years and they should be a starter if they're ever going to become one. 4 years and you have a good idea what their potential is.

So Watts is still raw, and the others are completely untried. It's early days to relegate them to the trash-pile.

I wouldn't mind David Patten as insurance, but I doubt he's coming here.

[West]

I like Gardner but i dont know...we've made some 7th round scrubs into #1 overall type players

[ChiefSurgeon]

He has to trade one of them. We can't afford 2 1st round contracts next year.

let's not rush to trade anything. i really believe it's time to start rebuilding our offensive line and with Eric Winston and D'Brickasaw Fergunson in the draft next year i think we'll be able to get a long-term fixture on our O-line and possibly address another need.

Keep in mind that Warren and Brown are in the last year of their contracts...so we may or may not want to resign them. either way, i don't think we're going to get out of our cap hell until we start drafting and signing players that can help us long-term.