Typical was this comment from ESPN Radio's Jason Smith during an overnight broadcast. An e-mailing listener declared Marshall a cancer on the Broncos and insisted that such players needed to be cut out of the locker room. Smith replied that he 100 percent disagreed.
Smith's point of view is understandable. After all, we still don't know -- and may never -- if the trade happened due to the immaturity of Marshall, McDaniels or both.
There's no doubt that Marshall has been a problem child: Look no further than this damning ESPN report featuring abuse claims by his former girlfriend, Rasheedah Watley.
But during his time in Denver, McDaniels' my-way-or-the-highway act has created issues of its own. His behavior during the Jay Cutler debacle was often as childish as Sweet Baby Jay's. And while JC's talent may never translate to victories and championships in the way a lot of us figured, the manner of his departure was needlessly drawn-out and divisive.
Same goes for Marshall's trip out of town. The acrimony between player and coach simmered for more than a year, to the detriment of the team and everyone involved. And now, with Marshall gone, the Broncos' offense -- hardly an omnipotent killing machine last season -- has lost its main playmaker, and continues to weaken: Tony Scheffler will be the next out the door.
This state of affairs puts enormous pressure on McDaniels to pull off a great draft, and there's plenty of doubt he'll be able to do so. Two words: Knowshon Moreno.
McDaniels must also prove that he's not the reason for the drama that's arisen around the Broncos over the past year-plus. With the two main prima donnas gone, the conflict should disappear as well. Unless, that is, McDaniels is the disease instead of the cure.
