Denvr_Sports_Insider's Blog

So the Broncos have announced that General Manager Ted Sundquist is “departing.”

The term “departing” while appropriately tactful, is not keeping it all real-at least not to the man himself.

Sundquist feels as if he was fired.

“I didn’t resign, ” he clarified to the Associated Press. “I will say I’m disappointed.”

Now a bull horn isn't being added to this distinction for crafty column fodder, because there is no levity in anyone losing their job. Having your livelihood pulled in a New York “Spitzer” minute may give Jay Leno an opening monologue, but sadly when our television sets go off, at least one family remains in limbo about the source of money to power the tube itself.

With that said, this particular set-up isn’t about punch lines, but about “indicators.”

“Indicators” that help us arrive at this question: What does Sundquist’s firing - a man who worked for the organization for 16 years - say about the Broncos’ current state of affairs?

Well first off, if you think Sundquist’s firing occurred without “indication” you’d be wrong - wrong like choosing a snow-covered exit path without “footprints,” as opposed to a snow-covered exit path with them.

Hang with me here.

For me, this “path” started just one week into the Broncos’ off-season. It was then that an inside Broncos source revealed one perspective on the “work environment” at Dove Valley. The source said the tension between Mike Shanahan, and Sundquist was so palpable, “I couldn’t wait to get out of there. Trust me they’re not getting along.”

Days later the deteriorating relationship between both men was emphasized once again, but not to the point where a firing was imminent.

As the path through this developing story progressed, the “footprints” started to get closer like you’d anticipate when an “exit” was near.

Nearly a month later, more signage over Sundquist’s fate was provided - this time from a third Broncos source-about things Sundquist had said. Reporting the specific details from this conversation would compromise the source, but let’s say it was clear that Sundquist’s future was at best unstable, and at worst over.

From present "indications," the latter was the case.

To that end, in an emailed press release Shanahan stated:

“I am grateful to Ted for all his hard work and efforts on behalf of the Broncos for the past 16 years. Now is the time for our organization to move forward and look at new directions…”

But will the Broncos be looking in a new direction, or in the same rear-view mirror?
And is that rear view mirror "indicating" objects are closer than they appear?

Well, that is what many NFL agents and players are suggesting aloud on the heels of the latest Broncos off-season decisions.

When asked about Sundquist’s firing one such agent opined,
.
“Well that’s been in the making for a long time. Shanahan runs that, and that was just the guy [Sundquist] they had as the figurehead. But you know what, it’s about to collapse on him [Shanahan], it’s getting ready to end now, he realizes he’s got a lot of problems that can’t be fixed in one year, so this is the beginning of the end there.”

Those were very bold words.

So to clarify, it was asked whether this NFL agent meant the “end” of Shanahan as Broncos head coach, or the “end” of the Broncos being a formidable team in their opinion?

“Well they’re already are not good, so, Shanahan,” clarified the NFL agent [who will now be referred to as NFL agent A.]

NFL agent A divulged more of their opinion.

“What they did with him [Sundquist], is they shut him up….He’s been there 16 years and they shut him up.”

In a subsequent conversation, NFL agent B revealed they didn’t know about Sundquist’s firing until after receiving word from their client. That same client had just received word shortly before that, as text messages traveled over several Broncos' cell phones like wildfire.

“I had no idea…didn’t see it coming, “ said NFL agent B.

“I’ve always heard that Ted [Sundquist] does not have any real control…He was scapegoated that’s for sure. It sucks for him.”

As the conversation progressed, agent B began to wonder about the timing of such a firing.

“Timing is real interesting with the draft a month away. I don’t even know why you would make that move right now?”

Another agent turned his questioning into a full blown accusation, “saying there is no way they’re [the Broncos] are interested in winning, all they care about is making money. Let me stop before I say too much,” said NFL agent C.

Agent C had just recently come off the phone with the organization, and clearly had a hard time concealing their frustrations. Frustrations that apparently are rooted in "indications" all three agents feel they're observing of the organization’s growing instability.

“Then they hired the wrong guy Jim Bates, then they get rid of him. See, no one else would have hired Bates because they know he doesn’t know what he’s doing anymore. So you bring him in [Bates], and then you go from using the big 2 gap d-lineman, [and then] go to small guys. Nobody can do that in the middle of the season. You got rid of some guys thinking the young guys would be good, and the young guys aren’t that good…So when you don’t draft well, and you don’t use the personnel you got, now you got a problem…You got a shortage of talent, and no cap room,” said agent A.

Speaking of shortage of talent…

NEW DETAILS ON BRONCOS DT MARCUS THOMAS:

Conversations with these NFL insiders concerning the Broncos so-called shortage of talent is a natural segue into a discussion about the Broncos defensive line, and the case of Bronco DT Marcus Thomas.

Thomas was recently charged with possession of a controlled substance after police said they found cocaine and a hand-gun in a pick-up truck Thomas was a passenger in.

In a statement provided subsequent to Thomas’s release the Broncos said,

"The owner-operator of the vehicle has since admitted the cocaine was his, and no cocaine was ever found on Marcus Thomas. Within hours of his release, Marcus had a test which confirmed that there was no cocaine in his system," said the statement.

Thomas agent, Richard Burnoski, has appealed to our logic by saying that Thomas was actually doing the right thing by “getting a ride” after an evening of drinking. Burnoski has also appealed to our morality not to condemn Thomas based on his past [Thomas was kicked off Florida’s 2006 championship team for his marijuana use.]

Which was all understandable…

That is, before a little “C.S.I” turned up extra intel on those “footprints.”

Multiple NFL sources have "indicated" to me now that Shanahan reportedly received word of more bad signs about Thomas after they drafted him.

“The guy even after they drafted him was still driving around with drugs in his car…so this was still inevitable,” said one of those NFL sources.

Wait a minute, what?

[Reporter's Note: Further details on this new information is being withheld to protect the path of information].

A direct comment from Shanahan on this could not be obtained, as Broncos PR said the head coach does not comment on such matters in the off season.

Now in all fairness to Shanahan, these additional warnings Shanahan reportedly received were already after Thomas was drafted; but in fairness to the information the public is consuming on this matter-this new insight gives "indication" to the benefit of doubt Thomas should get.

Or should it?

“Hopefully that’s not true, I would hope he [Thomas] would not put himself in that position. I have known him since the eighth grade,” answered Burnoski when asked for his reaction to the reported warnings Shanahan had received.

From talking to Burnoski, the belief he has in Thomas sounds very genuine. Let’s be real, some agents can blow a lot of hot air about their clients, but that impression wasn’t received during our conversation Friday.

“I have never seen him [Thomas] so embarrassed and depressed. But his mother has moved out there, so it’s good that’s she is giving him support, “ Burnoski very willingly added.

According to Burnoski, he’s “99% sure,” that Thomas will have his “arraignment hearing for Tuesday [March] the 18th.”

New Reporter's note:  Available now to speak, Assistant State Attorney Darcy Galnor told me Monday March 17th, that Thomas's arraignment was actually originally scheduled for Wednesday the 19th, but now the earliest it will take place is, "Wednesday March 26th. We actually do these on Wednesday's.  The investigation is still going," said Galnor.  When asked if the delay is an indication that the case isn't decisively pointing in Thomas's favor, Galnor said, "the ongoing investigation is standard procedure."

To Burnoski’s knowledge, the driver of the pick-up, Bryce Carter, will cop to possession on the same day, “and only one can be charged with possession. So when he [Carter] says he is guilty, there should be no case against Thomas.”

The downside is that the unfortunate occurrence still puts Thomas into the NFL’s substance abuse policy.

“He flies down to San Diego on the 31st [March] to be evaluated.”

Stage one of the NFL’s substance abuse program is an evaluation stage according to the NFLPA’s website.

The same source who broke Ricky Williams’s and Travis Henry’s failed marijuana tests to me, said that if for some reason Thomas doesn’t escape the law on the possession charge “Thomas will be subject to discipline at the Commissioner’s discretion under violation of the law.”

But Thomas’s agent is confident it won’t come to that.

“That will all come out. The police report didn’t even mention that there was a third person in the car that said ‘I am the driver’s roommate, that it’s not Marcus’s [drugs]. He doesn’t do that.’”

After telling Burnoski that a Clay County Records Specialist told me the booking report says that the controlled substance was found on the “passenger floorboard,” and not the middle console as reported elsewhere, Burnoski said “there will be an explanation for that too.”

Despite the explanations, whether on behalf of Thomas, or whether given by Shanahan, will the result be positive in the end?

So again it is asked, what does Thomas’s case, Sundquist’s firing, and other organizational miscues this past season "indicate" about the Broncos? Well let’s answer that through the same abstract illustrations woven throughout this whole article.

They say that when the winds come in, it forces movement. When there is a lot of movement – like that occurring at Dove Valley - it’s an “indication” of a “path” of change.

But if you're smart, you won't get scattered by the wind, but you'll follow the path with "footprints."

For the Broncos, these “footprints” may lead to a light at the end of the tunnel, or they may lead to a sign that “indicates” a dead end.