Hi Folks,

Chapter 23 of the never ending saga...

Joe

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Broncos Don't Trade Gary Due to Health of Davis

Entire story:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2001/10/23/ravens_broncos_ap/

Clipped from the Don Banks article:

As has become the norm, the NFL trading deadline passed Tuesday without a
move. But a headline deal that would have sent Denver running back Olandis
Gary to the defending Super Bowl champion Ravens nearly came to fruition
Monday, according to sources within the Baltimore organization.

The Ravens senior vice president of football operations Ozzie Newsome and
Broncos general manager Neal Dahlen spoke several times Monday and had in
place the framework of a trade that would have sent Gary and a fourth-round
pick in 2002 to the Ravens for reserve defensive tackle Lionel Dalton and
Baltimore's second-round selection next year.

But the deal-breaker, according to Ravens sources, was the ever-confusing
issue of Terrell Davis' health. Ravens officials believe their deal with
Denver was alive until late in the afternoon, when Broncos head coach Mike
Shanahan became convinced that he could not count on Davis to return to
health this year, even as a backup to starter Mike Anderson.

It is believed that Davis himself on Monday may have nixed the trade of Gary
by informing Shanahan that he is uncertain when he will be able to play
again. Davis has been out since requiring arthroscopic surgery on his
troubled right knee following Denver's season-opening win against the
Giants.

Baltimore officials said there were some indications coming from the Broncos
that Davis may have a new setback in the form of a stress fracture injury,
similar to the one he suffered in his lower left leg last year. Davis was
expected to miss six weeks after having surgery to remove debris and repair
a small cartilage tear on Sept. 20.

Davis, who gained 101 yards on 21 carries in the Broncos' opener, missed 24
of 33 games in 1999-2000 due to leg injuries. The Broncos have described his
right knee troubles as a degenerative condition, and it was thought that
Shanahan was not counting on Davis as anything other than a fallback option
this season behind Anderson and Gary. Anderson tore his right anterior
cruciate ligament in 1999, then suffered ankle and stress fracture injuries
in his left leg last year.

This is the second time in about six months that the Ravens and Broncos have
gotten close to a deal for a running back, only to have Denver back away in
the end. On the first day of the NFL draft in late April, the Broncos were
offering Anderson to the Ravens in exchange for a second-round pick.
Baltimore officials said they were agreeable, but that Shanahan changed his
mind and pulled the offer off the table. Sources say some within the Ravens
organization feel twice burned at this point in terms of trade talks with
Denver.

Gary, 26, is the youngest running back in the Broncos' stable of three
1,000-yard rushers. He gained 1,159 yards in just 12 games after replacing
the injured Davis in 1999, then saw his 2000 season cut to just one game by
an ACL injury. He is currently Anderson's backup.

Gary's contract with Denver ends after this season. The team has not made
much progress toward an extension. Anderson's deal was extended just before
the Broncos' season-opening game.

Baltimore has been involved in off-again, off-again trade talks with Denver
about Gary since Aug. 8, when it lost its leading rusher, Jamal Lewis, to a
season-ending ACL injury. The Ravens signed veteran Terry Allen to replace
Lewis, and Baltimore has been making do with a combination of Allen and
second-year veteran Jason Brookins.

Baltimore officials say the Broncos instigated the latest round of trade
communication, contacting the Ravens to re-start the Gary talks in recent
days. Considered the AFC's top two Super Bowl contenders, both teams are
underachieving at 3-3 and coming off consecutive road losses.

Davis has practiced the last two weeks on the Broncos scout team, and
originally was expected to return in time for the Nov. 5 game at Oakland.
But on Monday, Shanahan held out the possibility that Davis could return a
week early, in time for Sunday's game against the New England Patriots.
Davis' showing in practice this week would make the determination, Shanahan
said.


[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [  OUR VIEW  ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ] ]


Are these guys worth the headache?   I think not.   I'd expect some rebuttal
/ denial from the Denver side this morning to follow.   Don Banks is well
respected and of course, Sports Illustrated is at the top of our game but
I'm always a little leery of the unnamed "Raven sources".   Could be sour
apples on a trade that didn't go right for them.   Or it could be exactly
how it is.   Bottom line is this certainly doesn't look good for Davis
owners.   Let's see what the Broncos say and you can go from there.

Of course, you can always do the smart thing and rid yourselves of any
Denver RBs.   Not promising you'll win your league but you may come out
ahead with the money you save on Rolaids...

More today.

Joe

Thanks to Footballguy Chris Smith (Smitty on our message boards) for
pointing me to this one.


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