First-round tender for Brandon Marshall
The Denver Broncos have placed a first-round tender on receiver Brandon Marshall, per Mike Klis of the Denver Post, which means the Broncos would pay Marshall $2.521 million in 2010.
If another team makes an offer for Marshall, however, the Broncos would have seven days to match the offer (unlikely) or they would receive a first-round pick as compensation.
As pointed out by Pro Football Talk, if the Broncos were truly intent on retaining the services of The Beast, they would have placed a first- and third-round tender on Marshall since it would only require an extra $600,000 salary.
Yet speaking of Marshall, coach Josh McDaniels recently said (via USA Today), "I'm really fond of him -- he's a good person."
And since he said it, it must be true, right?
McDaniels benched Marshall for the season finale after Marshall arrived late for a treatment. Despite missing that game, Marshall still finished the season with 101 receptions, 1120 yards and ten touchdowns.
It was his third consecutive season with 100+ receptions and 1,100+ yards.
Although the Bears could be interested in Marshall, they don't have a first- or second-round pick in 2010, which prompted ESPN's Adam Schefter to tweet (via Yahoo!'s Shutdown Corner) that it's "not happening."
Assuming Marshall is playing somewhere other than Denver in 2010, that leaves Jabar Gaffney, who had 14 catches for 213 yards in the game that Marshall missed, Eddie Royal and Brandon Stokley as the top three wide receiver targets for quarterback Kyle Orton.
