Broncos camp report: Marshall has choice to make

By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published July 24, 2008 at 7:55 p.m.

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Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall is a "good kid" with a choice to make, coach Mike Shanahan said Thursday.

A choice between being in or out of the NFL.

Marshall met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell last week in New York, and the topic, according to several sources with knowledge of the meeting, was Marshall's off-the-field troubles and the discipline he could face because of it.

"(You're) always concerned any time the commissioner calls you in to have a meeting, it's obviously not a good sign . . . " Shanahan said. "Even though Brandon has made some mistakes, he's a good kid. Obviously, it's a wake-up call and if it's not a wake-up call he won't be in the National Football League."

Marshall, who was not available for comment, has been arrested three times in the past year, including a drunken-driving arrest in October. Under the league's conduct policy, players can be suspended for anywhere from two games for off-the-field troubles to as much as an open-ended suspension that concludes only when Goodell reinstates the player.

Cowboys cornerback Adam Jones was suspended for the 2007 season for his legal troubles.

Rod Smith and Marshall's Denver-based attorney, Harvey Steinberg, also attended the meeting. In similar previous meetings with players, Goodell has asked them to describe the steps they've taken in their lives to prevent any further troubles as well as get the player's version of the previous arrests.

Smith said he has tried to help Marshall set some guidelines in his daily behavior and follow through with them.

"I pray he isn't (suspended)," Smith said. "I honestly believe he's got a great direction in his life. We talked about some of the things he's doing now which are totally different than the things he was doing a year ago. We talked about setting some rules. We have some rules already in place - there's certain things he and I have to do on a regular basis."

Shanahan said Thursday he hoped Goodell would make any decision about a possible suspension within a week and added he hoped Smith's influence would help.

"(Smith) knows the potential that Brandon is and what type of guy he is," Shanahan said. "If you every wanted a guy to be a tutor for a player it's Rod Smith.

Middle men

Niko Koutouvides and Nate Webster will battle it out for the middle linebacker spot during training camp.

The Broncos signed Koutouvides with the intention of playing him in the middle of the defense, but Webster has responded with what Shanahan called one of the best offseasons of any player with the team.

"Nate's in the best shape that I've ever seen Nate Webster in," Shanahan said. "He made a great commitment in the offseason, he's 100 percent participation, he's healthy. We'll watch them compete."

If you go

Training camp practices are free and open to the public, but those looking for more activity should stick to the morning workouts.

Because training camp rosters league-wide are capped at 80 players this year - there are no extra spots because the roster exemptions for players from NFL Europe were lost with the league's folding - Shanahan said he has trimmed the schedule.

Instead of a more traditional practice, the afternoon workouts will now be what Shanahan called "jog-throughs."

"Be less than half speed," Shanahan said. "So we can get some reps, but also, hopefully, to avoid injury."

And every other day the afternoon practice will be special teams only and not include the full roster.

Today's practice times are 11:15 a.m. and 4:05 p.m. Gates open one hour before each practice.

• July 24, 2008

  9:51 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  platoro79 writes:

  Brandon, listen to Rod, and don't screw it up!!

• July 25, 2008

  1:57 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  bigbadthor writes:

  I agree, Brandon, take your punishment like a man, accept what the NFL doles out, apologize for your mistakes, and show you have learned from them. My vote is for Webster to man the middle this year, then Denver do whatever you have to to get the kid from USC Ray Magaula to be the MLB for the next ten years. Dude is the next coming of Junior Saeu, except bigger.

• July 27, 2008

  3:07 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  StardomBaLLa24 writes:

  Marshal really needs 2 start thinking about his career. If he $#$#$# up again, then he aint gonna b a Bronco n aint gonna b makin as much $$$ as he can. But if he listens to Smith then he could eventually become top 3 WRs in da league. I really wish the best 2 him.

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