Don't trade for Brandon Marshall

Denver Post columnist Dave Krieger floated a trade balloon yesterday, suggesting that the Broncos should trade Brandon Marshall and Bears' #1 pick to the Rams for the absolute #1 pick in 2010 draft. Presumably, the Broncos would use this pick to select Suh. Naturally this lit up the conversation wires among Rams fans.

Let squash this one with a simple principle from warfare and business: Never pay for anything you can get for free. Everyone is presuming that Denver still owns the rights to this 4th year player. That is only true if 2010 is going to be an uncapped year. This question is still uncertain. If we have a labor accord, and 2010 is not uncapped, Brandon Marshall can move as he pleases, provided they don't franchise him. Can you imagine how fucking stupid we will actually be and look if we deal Suh for a 1st and a guy we could have for free? What if we don't get a good contractual hold on him immediately? We would look about as stupid as Al Davis is about to look trading for Richard Seymour.

There may well be a series of late-preseason free agents because of a latter day labor accord. Wait and watch for this moment.

No my friends, you get Brandon Marshall in free agency by signing him to a good contract, or you don't get him at all. A trade involves massive risks that, from my viewpoint, are unnecessary. I'll chase Brandon Marshall all day long in free agency. I won't trade for him.

I understand Dave Krieger's desire to get something for Marshall rather than merely allowing him to walk away as a 100% loss to the Broncos. This is human nature. I just hope we aren't stupid enough be on the other end of that transaction. Given the highly tenuous legal hold the Broncos have on Brandon Marshall, they are really in no position to be talking trade deal with anyone regarding him. This is a sucker's trade. Don't be the sucker.