Lions cornerback Bly catches Broncos' eye

Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News

Published February 27, 2007 at midnight

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With their roster a cornerback short after the slaying of Darrent Williams, the Broncos are among the teams that have expressed interest in veteran Dré Bly.

Bly, 29, is among several Detroit Lions players who have been given permission to shop themselves to other NFL teams. The Broncos meet the eight-year pro's yardstick as a playoff-caliber franchise. And from the Broncos' perspective, they would be receiving a two-time Pro Bowl selection they could pair with Champ Bailey to form one of the league's strongest tandems.

The Broncos have an extra third-round pick in the April draft to possibly dangle as trade bait, owning their selection plus one they acquired from the Washington Redskins. That compensation might satiate the Lions, but there are other issues to consider.

The Broncos aren't flush in salary-cap money and likely would have to rework Bly's deal, which includes a base salary of $4.2 million this season.

And with the free-agent market thin at the position, the Broncos likely would face competition for Bly's services. Published reports have listed the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons among the potential suitors.

Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said earlier this month nickel back Domonique Foxworth would move into the right corner spot formerly held by Williams. NFL observers believe Foxworth regressed a bit in his second season and the Broncos need to add a veteran cornerback.

Bly has played in 119 games with the St. Louis Rams and Detroit and has recorded 33 interceptions and five touchdowns. He's a strong man-to-man defender but didn't jell in the Lions' two-deep zone scheme last season.

MONEY MATTERS: The Broncos are involved in a cat-and-mouse game with defensive tackle Gerard Warren.

The team wants to renegotiate his contract, under which he is soon set to earn a $3 million option bonus and $2.37 million roster bonus. And the buzz around the scouting combine in Indianapolis was the Broncos were pushing hard to land New Orleans defensive tackle Hollis Thomas, putting pressure on Warren to agree at the bargaining table.

But ESPN.com reported Thomas agreed to a four-year extension to return to the Saints.

The uncertainty on Warren's side appears to be his value on the open market. He had a down year in 2006 after signing a six-year, $36 million contract. But he was playing with painful toe injuries on both feet, hurting his ability to push off effectively.

Warren frequently has discussed his love for playing in Denver and is considering all options because the market at defensive tackle is thin and he perhaps could command another contract with a decent signing bonus should he be released.

The Broncos figure to save $1.84 million in cap room should they cut ties with Warren. Talks are expected to continue up to Friday's start of free-agency.

NO. 2 CLUES: There's a strong chance the Broncos will take a look at quarterback Jeff Garcia now that he's likely bound for the free-agent market.

His former team, the Philadelphia Eagles, signed A.J. Feeley to a four-year contract, which almost certainly spells the end of Garcia's tenure there. The Broncos would like a veteran hand to help guide new franchise quarterback Jay Cutler.

The Broncos pushed hard for Garcia two years ago before he signed with the Lions.

Garcia eventually landed with the Eagles, whom he helped to a 5-1 record as starter last season. With Jake Plummer almost certainly leaving in a trade or release, Garcia would help fill the leadership void and give the Broncos a viable option should Cutler get hurt.

Garcia's agent, Steve Baker, wouldn't confirm or deny the Broncos' interest. But the criteria he laid out for Garcia seem to mesh with the Broncos' situation.

"There's really a three-part dynamic that we're looking at, and I'm not ranking them - playing situation, playing environment and compensation," Baker said. "Under playing situation, you look at starter versus backup, whether the offensive system fits Jeff, and you look at the quality of the team. Obviously, Philadelphia didn't fit all those categories, but it was good enough that he was seriously considering Philadelphia."

Other possibilities for the Broncos should Garcia head elsewhere are Cincinnati's Anthony Wright and Miami's Joey Harrington, who is expected to be released.

TIGHT END SEARCH: Seven teams, including the Broncos, appear ready to battle for free-agent tight end Daniel Graham of New England, though the Broncos might have to be creative financially. A cheaper option could be Jacksonville's Kyle Brady.

Nash services

Services have been set for Broncos running back Damien Nash, who died Saturday, only hours after a charity basketball game in St. Louis.

A visitation is scheduled for 4-8 p.m. CST Sunday at the Ronald L. Jones Funeral Chapel, 2161 E. Fair Ave. in St. Louis.

The funeral will be held at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church at 10 a.m. CST Monday. The church is at 5544 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive in St. Louis.

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